LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Saginaw Valley State University softball had two players listed among 118 collegiate softball players by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on the 2026 NFCA Division II Player and Pitcher of the Year watchlist.

Senior Macy Irelan (Owosso, Mich. / Owosso HS) and junior Aalana Kimble (Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood HS) were the two Cardinals chosen as one of the 15 players on the watchlist for the Midwest Region.

Irelan earned NFCA All-America honors in 2025 and was chosen as the GLIAC Pitcher of the Year last season. She became the first SVSU pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a single season. She made 33 appearances with 27 starts and finished 23-4 with 24 complete games last year. She is off to a 7-4 start this season, with eight complete games, a 6.87 K/7 mark, and a WHIP of .97.

Kimble was also an NFCA All-America selection last year. She led the team in hits and finished with an average of .361 at the plate. She made 33 appearances in the circle with 29 starts and a 20-7 record a season ago. This year, she is 8-3 in the circle with nine complete games and a 5.35 K/7 clip. Kimble recorded her first career no-hitter this season and earned GLIAC Pitcher of the Week for that performance. Her ERA is 1.75, and her WHIP is 1.01. She currently leads the team with 34 hits and has five doubles, a triple, and six RBI.

The NFCA watchlist is voted on by the NFCA's Division II All-America Committee. The 2026 NFCA Player of the Year and the NFCA/Portolite Pitcher of the Year will be announced on May 27, one day prior to the start of the NCAA Division II National Championships. All student-athletes are eligible for the award and do not have to be on the watchlist to be considered.