LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Saginaw Valley State University junior Aalana Kimble (Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood HS) was named First-Team All-America by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on Wednesday (May 27). Kimble becomes just the second SVSU Cardinal softball player to earn First-Team All-America in the program's history (Kathy Kinasz was the first in 1992). She also becomes the second Saginaw Valley State softball player to earn All-America twice (Courtney Reeves, 2017 & 2018), doing so in back-to-back seasons after earning third-team honors last year.
Kimble led SVSU in almost every offensive category this season: at-bats, hits, doubles, and batting average. She currently ranks fifth in D2 in Toughest to Strike Out and is 28th in the country in batting average with .445. The 2026 GLIAC Pitcher of the Year was dominant inside the circle this season as well. She led all Cardinal pitchers in appearances, wins, complete games, innings pitched, and ERA. Nationally, she ranks 16th with her seven shutouts this season and 21st with her ERA of 1.76. She recorded two no-hitters this season, joining teammate Macy Irelan as the only SVSU pitchers to achieve more than one in a single season.
"I'm extremely proud and happy for Aalana for the growth she has shown from freshman year to now. She took her game to another level this year, especially at the plate. She really worked hard on her approach and staying with her plan offensively. On top of that, her role in the circle increased as well. The way she balances those two things makes her an elite athlete and possibly the best player to come through this program, with her senior year still ahead," said SVSU Softball Head Coach Ryan Schalk.
The NFCA All-America teams are voted on by the Association's All-America Committees. In Division II, the committee is comprised of one member head coach from each of the NCAA's eight regions. All student-athletes who were nominated by a member head coach and voted to the first- or second-team All-Region squads were eligible for All-America consideration.