PELLA—The Central College softball team had 14 players on the Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes list released Wednesday.
           
There were 8,852 collegiate players cited nationwide, including 2,493 from the NCAA Division III.
           
The award recognizes those student-athletes who have posted a 3.50 grade point average or higher in the previous academic year. Central, which has made a record 33 NCAA Division III tournament appearances with four national championships, has had players receive NFCA Scholar-Athlete honors 179 times since 2010.
           
Third baseman Hannah Higgins (senior, Macomb, Ill.) was honored for the fourth time. Outfielder Rachel Barton (senior, Des Moines, Saydel HS), catcher Rylee Dunkin (junior, Hamilton, Twin Cedars HS), outfielder Carley Underwood (junior, Mitchellville, Colfax-Mingo HS) and pitcher Rylie Van Wyk (senior, Mitchellville, Southeast Polk HS) were honored for the third time.
           
Central posted a 30-14 record, advancing to an NCAA Division III regional at Indianola.

Central College's 2026 NFCA Scholar-Athletes
Name                          Yr.      Hometown                  '25-26 GPA    Major
Emma Anderson         So.       Forest City, Iowa        3.97                 business management
Rachel Barton             Sr.        Des Moines, Iowa       3.88                 physics
Rylee Dunkin              Jr.        Hamilton, Iowa           4.00                 elementary education
Rylie Grabau               Fr.        Tucson, Ariz.              4.00                 undeclared
Hannah Higgins          Sr.        Macomb, Ill.               4.00                 environmental science/biology
Sydney Hoskins          So.       Albia, Iowa                 3.74                 kinesiology
Jadyn Huisman            So.       Treynor, Iowa             3.82                 Communication studies/business management
Katelyn McCallum      Jr.        Snohomish, Wash.      3.68                 psychology
Larissa Miller              Jr.        Ankeny, Iowa             3.78                 biology/Spanish
Maddy Shannon          So.       Ames, Iowa                 3.97                 elementary education
Sarah Stufflebeam      Jr.        Macomb, Ill.               3.59                 communication studies
Lily Trager                  Fr.        Ellendale, Minn.         4.00                Undeclared
Carley Underwood     Jr.        Mitchellville, Iowa     3.80                 Biology
Rylie Van Wyk           Sr.        Mitchellville, Iowa     3.57                 Elementary education