Vega, Mertes, Evans Represent Softball on 2025 NFCA All-Region Teams

AUSTIN, Texas – For a trio of 2025 All-Big 12 Conference Knights, the post-season honors continue to roll in.

As announced by the organization Thursday afternoon, the UCF softball team saw three members selected to the NFCA’s 2025 All-Gulf Region Teams in redshirt freshman right-hander Isabella Vega (First Team), freshman designated player/utility Izzy Mertes (Second Team) and junior shortstop Aubrey Evans (Third Team).

The group gives the program three NFCA All-Region appointments in one season for the second time in the last three years as well, after Evans and right-handers Sarah Willis and Grace Jewell all earned such recognition in 2023. Willis also joined third baseman Jada Cody in earning 2024 All-Region honors.

ISABELLA VEGA – NFCA FIRST TEAM ALL-REGION

The Bradenton native has been duly recognized and rewarded for a standout debut campaign, as her first career First Team All-Region selection represents the latest piece of hardware in a trophy case that also features NFCA National Freshman of the Year Top 10 Finalist, All-Big 12 First Team, unanimous All-Big 12 Freshman Team, one Wilson/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week, two D1Softball National Freshman of the Week, and two Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week honors.

Vega, in just her first collegiate season on the field, enters NCAA Regional play leading her pitching staff in innings pitched (119.2), ERA (1.35), strikeouts (103), shutouts (5), fewest earned runs allowed among qualified arms (23) and batting average-against (.183).

She also ranks among Big 12 Conference leaders in shutouts (5, T-2nd), ERA (1.35, 3rd), WHIP (0.92, 3rd), fewest HA/7 IP (4.50, 3rd), strikeouts (103, 5th), complete games (7, T-6th), K:BB ratio (3.12, 6th), K/7 IP (6.0, 7th), wins (13, T-7th), and fewest BB/7 IP (1.93, 7th), and her marks for ERA, fewest hits allowed per seven innings and WHIP each rank within the top 15 in the nation.

Vega’s 0.89 ERA in Big 12 Conference play throughout the regular season served as the league’s lowest, and she has also worked a team-high 33.2 innings against ranked opponents this season, games in which she has recorded a strong 2.29 ERA in nine appearances (five starts) with one complete game, one shutout, just 11 earned runs allowed, 27 strikeouts and a .252 batting average-against.

The right-hander most recently led the Knights to the first Big 12 Conference tournament win in program history, yielding just one unearned run in 6.2 innings against Utah May 7, and this season has also thrown her first career no-hitter, as well as the program’s first no-no against a Big 12 Conference foe, and became the first freshman of any team since 2023 to throw a seven-inning shutout against the Florida Gators.

IZZY MERTES – NFCA SECOND TEAM ALL-REGION

Mertes joins Vega in earning All-Region recognition in just her first collegiate season after she served as an integral factor in the Knights’ offensive corps throughout the spring.

The Chatsworth, California native, who also garnered All-Big 12 Freshman Team honors this year, enters NCAA Regional play as her team’s second leading hitter by average (.325) and leads UCF in doubles (16) and walks (30). Her 16 doubles not only rank second-most in the Big 12 Conference, but also trail Evans’ 2023 program single-season record of 18 by just two.

Mertes brings a .325/.437/.583 (49-for-151) season line into the weekend, accompanied by 28 runs scored, 16 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 32 RBI, 88 total bases and 30 walks.

She, like Vega, experienced tremendous success against ranked opponents, representing her team’s leading hitter against the best in the nation. In 16 games against ranked teams this season, Mertes slashed .340/.415/.596 (16-for-47) with six doubles, two home runs, 28 total bases and 10 RBI.

The freshman notched her first two multi-double showings in back-to-back games, including the largest comeback win against a ranked opponent in program history in then-No. 15 Missouri Feb. 11.

She slugged her first collegiate home run against the eventual ACC Tournament Champion Clemson Tigers in Clearwater Feb. 15, helping lead the Knights to a 6-4 eight-inning win, hit safely in all three regular-season games against then-No. 4 Arizona in the highest-ranked series win in program history, and later hit a key two-run insurance home run in UCF’s 4-0 shutout win over then-No. 3 Florida March 26.

Mertes also enjoyed a prolific showing against then-No. 21 Oklahoma State ace and All-Big 12 First Team pitcher Ruby Meylan, going 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a solo home run April 19 before recording her first multi-home run game in the largest overall comeback win in program history against Stetson April 23.

AUBREY EVANS – NFCA THIRD TEAM ALL-REGION

Evans this season earns NFCA All-Region status for the second time in her first three collegiate seasons, as well as the first time as an everyday shortstop in head coach Cindy Ball-Malone’s lineup.

The Apopka native has represented UCF’s third-leading hitter by average this season and brings an overall .321/.400/.585 (51-for-159) line into NCAA Regional play, accompanied by 34 runs scored, six doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, 32 RBI, 93 total bases and 18 walks.

Evans has enjoyed a power surge throughout her junior slate, as her 10 home runs and three triples lead the team and both mark new single-season career bests after she combined for four long balls and one triple between her first two years. She also paces her squad in total bases and slugging percentage.

She trails only Mertes in her 2025 resume against ranked opponents, hitting .295/.367/.614 (13-for-44) in such games with eight runs scored, one triple, 27 total bases and a team-leading four home runs.

In 46 games since the Knights’ 6-4 win over the Clemson Tigers in Clearwater, Evans’ .358 average trails only Sierra Humphreys’ .373 for the team lead, and has not gone more than one game without hitting safely.

She went 3-for-7 with three runs scored in two games to help lead UCF to its series win over then-No. 4 Arizona March 7-8, highlighted by a key third-inning, game-tying two-run home run in game two.

Against then-No. 3 Florida March 26, her first-inning two-run blast was the difference-maker in UCF’s 4-0 win, and she later hit her first career grand slam against then-No. 21 Oklahoma State April 18 to help lead UCF to its sixth ranked win of the season and first win over the Cowgirls in the Ball-Malone era.

She most recently hit her second home run of the season against the top 10-ranked Arizona Wildcats in the Big 12 Conference tournament quarterfinal round as well, coming against reigning Big 12 Conference Player of the Year Devyn Netz.

UP NEXT

Vega, Mertes, Evans and the Knights will kick off NCAA Regional play against the No. 25 Michigan Wolverines at the Texas Longhorns’ Red & Charline McCombs Field. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET Friday afternoon and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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