LATHAM, N.Y. – Six Penn College softball student-athletes were selected to the 2026 United East Softball All-Conference Teams, revealed by the league office on Tuesday. Sophomore ace,
Mackenzi Tice also became the second consecutive Wildcat to be named conference Pitcher of the Year.
Two sophomores,
Payton Crawford (Bloomsburg, Pa.) and
Ryleigh Rinker (Poway, Calif) and two freshmen,
Taylor Brown (Bellefonte, Pa.) and
Sofia Mileto (Montoursville, Pa.) joined Tice on the all-conference first team while sophomore
Astyn Calaman (Elizabethtown, Pa.) earned a third team nod as they all led the team to a program-best 33-7 record, 14-2 in the conference, and its third consecutive NCAA Championship berth.
Tice led the conference in every pitching category this season to earn First-Team All-Conference honors. Tice posted top-10 Division III marks in innings pitched (162.1), strikeouts (191), wins (22), complete games (20) and shutouts (8). She holds a league-best 1.72 ERA and held opposing hitters to just .194 batting average while rewriting the program's single-season wins, innings pitched and strikeouts records. Tice reached double-digit strikeouts in a single game on six different occasions during the regular season, including a season-high 12 in a nonconference game against Penn State Altoona. Tice nearly matched her season high twice with 11 Ks against Penn State Berks and Keystone.
Crawford collected her second all-conference award after hitting a blistering .453, and a .777 slugging percentage. The first team catcher set new program single-season marks with 18 doubles, six home runs and 47 RBIs while her 62 hits are just four hits shy of breaking another single-season record. Crawford leads the league in hits and doubles and sits second in slugging.
Mileto broke onto the scene in her rookie season as the first team outfielder is 15th in the league with a .422 batting average as she racked up 57 hits, seven doubles, seven triples and 29 RBIs while also scoring a team-high 46 times. Mileto hit safely in 32 of 39 games played, recorded seven three-hit games and went 4-for-4 against Conference Champion Penn State Brandwine during the regular season.
Brown's big bat played a large part in driving in Mileto and Crawford all season long as the first team first baseman hit .412 with 56 hits, 15 doubles, one triple and three home runs resulting in 39 RBIs and 24 runs scored. She tied for seventh in conference hitting, fourth in doubles and second on the team behind Crawford with a .603 slugging percentage. Brown recorded six three-hit games including a season best 3-for-4 with two doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored against Gallaudet.
Rinker collected her first postseason honor as the first team third baseman led the Wildcats and was eighth in the conference with a .453 batting average, she piled up 53 hits, five doubles, and one home run on the season. Against conference opponents, Rinker upped her game with a .580 batting average which placed her second among all conference players. Her 29 hits in conference landed her just behind Crawford (31) and Brown (30) as the best marks in the league.
Calaman settled in as a third team designated player selection with a .255 batting average, with 26 hits, six doubles, 15 RBIs and 19 runs scored.
2026 United East Conference Softball Major Award Winners
Player of the Year - Emily Randalls (Wilson College)
Pitcher of the Year - Mackenzi Tice (Penn College)
Rookie of the Year - Addison Woods (Wilson College)
Coach of the Year - John Clemens (Lancaster Bible College)
FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
| Position |
Student-Athlete |
Institution |
| Catcher |
Payton Crawford |
Penn College |
| First Base |
Taylor Brown |
Penn College |
| Second Base |
Madisen Minney |
Penn State Harrisburg |
| Shortstop |
Katelyn Keller |
Wilson College |
| Third Base |
Ryleigh Rinker |
Penn College |
| Outfield |
Emily Randalls |
Wilson College |
| Outfield |
Sofia Mileto |
Penn College |
| Outfield |
Julianna Leatherwood |
Notre Dame of Maryland |
| Pitcher |
Mackenzi Tice |
Penn College |
| Pitcher |
April Lewandowski |
Penn State Brandywine |
| Designated Player |
Emily Cutman |
Penn State Harrisburg |
| Utility Player |
Sydney Hartle |
Wilson College |
| At-Large (Outfield) |
Addison Woods |
Wilson College |
| At-Large (Pitcher) |
Kylee Miller |
Penn State Harrisburg |
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
| Position |
Student-Athlete |
Institution |
| Catcher |
Myiah Petroro |
Cairn University |
| First Base |
Kaylee Mushinski |
Penn State Brandywine |
| Second Base |
Lexi Bussenger |
Penn State Brandywine |
| Shortstop |
Madie Culbertson |
Penn State Brandywine |
| Third Base |
Ava Rodgers |
Penn State Brandywine |
| Outfield |
Emma McElroy |
Penn State Brandywine |
| Outfield |
Ava Stern |
Lancaster Bible College |
| Outfield |
Samantha Harple |
Penn State Berks |
| Pitcher |
Elena Worthington |
Wilson College |
| Pitcher |
Maddison Atkins |
Lancaster Bible College |
| Designated Player |
Jenna Weaver |
Wilson College |
| Utility Player |
Aerynne Mays |
Cairn University |
| At-Large (First Base) |
KariAnn Mecke |
Lancaster Bible College |
| At-Large (Designated Player) |
Gabriella Allred |
Notre Dame of Maryland |
THIRD TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
| Position |
Student-Athlete |
Institution |
| Catcher |
Candice Peck |
Penn State Abington |
| First Base |
Kierstyn Smith |
Penn State Harrisburg |
| Second Base |
Grace Goodman |
Lancaster Bible College |
| Shortstop |
Kylie Mastillo |
Cedar Crest College |
| Third Base |
Carleigh Cleland |
Lancaster Bible College |
| Outfield |
Lauren Maguire |
Penn State Harrisburg |
| Outfield |
Kendall Jackman |
Lancaster Bible College |
| Outfield |
Isabella Benitez |
Keystone College |
| Pitcher |
Rylee Piper |
Wilson College |
| Pitcher*** |
Jess Dinardo |
Penn State Abington |
| Pitcher*** |
Malorie Gogel |
Notre Dame of Maryland |
| Designated Player |
Astyn Calaman |
Penn College |
| Utility Player |
Anna Laughlin |
Penn State Berks |
| At-Large (Catcher) |
Kiera Price |
Lancaster Bible College |
| At-Large (Shortstop) |
Marlena Hacker |
Penn State Abington |
