Ferguson Claims NAIA Pitcher of the Year Award: Four Drovers Earn All-American Status
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tuesday morning, the NAIA announced their All-American honors and USAO was very well represented, headlined by Aubree Ferguson being selected as the NAIA Pitcher of the Year, as well as a first team All-American. Leighanne Eaton and Malea McMurtrey were also tabbed as first team All-American's, while Maddy Baber earned a spot on the third team.
USAO has produced a total of 33 NAIA All-American's, all of which have occurred since 2004. Head coach Jadyn Wallis has helped produce 27 of those NAIA All-American nods since 2015.
AUBREE FERGUSON | NAIA & SAC PITCHER OF THE YEAR | FIRST TEAM ALL-SAC
Aubree Ferguson continues the line of dominant Drover pitchers, extending the streak to nine years in a row that USAO has been the home of the SAC Pitcher of the Year. Additionally, she is the fourth Drover to be selected as the NAIA Pitcher of the Year, following Emily Cerny's trio of trophies in 2018, 2019, and 2022.
Ferguson claimed her first SAC Pitcher of the Year honor, following Sophie Williams winning the award each of the last three seasons (2023-25), and a five-year reign by Emily Cerny (2018-22). In total, a Drover has claimed the SAC's top honor for a pitcher on 12 different occasions in program history.
This season, Ferguson produced a 25-3 record, along with a 0.82 earned run average with 175 strikeouts in 170.0 innings. Ferguson led the NAIA in ERA and ranks seventh in wins. She pitched 17 shutouts, which included a pair of no-hitters, and in 31appearances, she has allowed an earned run in only eight of those contests. The Sooner Athletic Conference also selected Ferguson as the Pitcher of the Week on three occasions this season.
In her career at USAO, the sophomore owns a 30-3 record, in addition to a 1.30 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 205.1 innings pitched.
LEIGHANNE EATON delivered her best season to date and earned her second first team NAIA All-American selection after producing a .394 batting average with 65 hits, including 17 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 36 runs scored, and 82 runs batted in. Her 82 RBIs rank fourth in the NAIA.
In three years at USAO she has claimed three first team all-conference selections, as well as three SAC Player of the Week awards. She was a first team all-American in 2025 as well, and in her career, she is hitting .357 with 178 hits, 47 doubles, three triples, 29 home runs, 109 runs scored, and 175 runs batted in.
MALEA MCMURTREY earns her third consecutive first team NAIA All-American selection after batting .481 with 64 hits, eight doubles, seven triples, 54 runs scored, 31 runs batted in, and 34 stolen bases. She has also been perfect defensively at shortstop, converting on all 95 of her total chances.
In her decorated career, she has claimed four first-team All-SAC selections, three SAC Gold Glove awards, and the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove award. The USAO legend has appeared in 214 games in her career, producing a .430 batting average with 281 hits, including 21 doubles, 18 triples, a home run, 231 runs scored, 129 runs batted in, and 132 stolen bases. In the program records, she ranks first in runs scored and triples, while ranking second in batting average, hits, and stolen bases. She also ranks sixth in runs batted in.
MADDY BABER had breakout year in her first season as a starter, and earned a third team NAIA All-American honor after producing a .449 batting average with 57 hits, including 22 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 26 runs scored, and 38 runs batted in. She is getting on base at a rate of .474 and is slugging a staggering .748. Baber has also been perfect defensively, converting on all 182 of her total chances.
USAO SOFTBALL ALL-AMERICAN'S – (33)
- Leighanne Eaton (2026 – 1st team)
- Aubree Ferguson (2026 – 1st team)
- Malea McMurtrey (2026 – 1st team)
- Maddy Baber (2026 – 3rd team)
- Sophie Williams (2025 – 1st team)
- Kinzie Williams (2025 – 1st team)
- Malea McMurtrey (2025 – 1st team)
- Sierra Selfridge (2025 – 1st team)
- Leighanne Eaton (2025 – 2nd Team)
- Sophie Williams (2024 – 1st team)
- Macenzie Ruth (2024 – 1st team)
- Malea McMurtrey (2024 – 2nd team)
- Sierra Selfridge (2024 – 3rd team)
- Jaclyn Gray (2023 – 1st team)
- Sophie Williams (2023 – 2nd team)
- Emily Cerny (2022 – 1st team)
- Macenzie Ruth (2022 – 1st team)
- Sophie Williams (2022 – 2nd team)
- Emily Cerny (2021 – 1st team)
- Savannah Ashford (2021 – 2nd team)
- Emily Cerny (2019 – 1st team)
- Kristen Prieto (2019 – 1st team)
- Randa Hatter (2019 – 2nd team)
- Emily Cerny (2018 – 1st team)
- Chloe Clifton (2018- 1st team)
- Randa Hatter (2018 – 2nd team)
- Summer Leitka (2015 – 1st team)
- Leslie Beaty (2009 – 1st team)
- Dana Askins (2005 – 1st team)
- Kendra Gregory – (2005)
- Crystal Judkins – (2005)
- Dana Askins (2004 – 1st team)
- Jamie Pendley (2004 – 2nd team)
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