Softball Sees Six Named to Post-Season All-Big 12 Conference Teams

ORLANDO – After having produced a dominant 38-win regular season, including a program record 14 wins in Big 12 Conference play, the No. 21 UCF softball team was well-represented in the league’s annual end-of-season awards as announced by the conference office Wednesday afternoon.

Yet another new single season best for the program in its Big 12 era, the Knights saw six members recognized on this year’s post-season All-Big 12 teams, surpassing the five that earned such honors in both the 2024 and 2025 campaigns.

Second baseman Sierra Humphreys and right-handed pitcher Isabella Vega both earned selections to the All-Big 12 Conference First Team, while shortstop Aubrey Evans, catcher Beth Damon, and outfielders Izzy Mertes and Samantha Rey saw their names tabbed to the All-Big 12 Conference Second Team.

ISABELLA VEGA – ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM

A top 10 finalist for the NFCA’s National Freshman of the Year award a season ago, Vega followed her breakout 2025 debut campaign with a dominant 2026 slate in her second season as the Knights’ leading arm in the circle, earning a second consecutive All-Big 12 First Team nod.

Already having eclipsed her 135.2 innings from a season ago, Vega boasts a strong 2.88 ERA through her first 136 frames this spring, accompanied by 94 strikeouts and a batting average-against of just .204. Against conference opponents, her opposing batting average dipped even further to .201 in 85.2 innings, and she earned the winning decision in 11 of UCF’s 14 conference victories.

The right-hander this year also set new single-season career bests in winning decisions (17), saves (5) and complete games (11), and her five saves currently sit in a tie for the most in a single season in program history.

She played a pivotal role in the first winning trip to the Clearwater Invitational in program history in February, earning the winning decision in the Knights’ triumphs over Northwestern, then-No. 10 LSU and NC State, highlighted by a seven-inning complete game against the Wolfpack and 3.1 scoreless frames against the Tigers. For her efforts, she was also awarded her third career Big 12 Pitcher of the Week recognition.

Her 10-strikeout performance against George Washington Feb. 28 represented her most in a single game this season, and she later earned both winning decisions in the Knights’ first series win over then-No. 12 Oklahoma State in program history, throwing a two-hit complete game in the series-opener March 6.

Against Houston, Vega earned the winning decision in all three games, a series that saw the Bradenton native throw the first perfect game of her career and second career no-hitter in Saturday’s game two March 28, and with victories in both of the first two games against Utah April 2-3, Vega became the first Knight since Alea White in 2019 to earn the winning decision in six consecutive team games.

The right-hander would go on to throw complete games in wins over then-No. 23 Arizona State April 12, Kansas April 17, and Iowa State May 1 as well, and her 11 winning decisions in Big 12 Conference play would finish tied for second most in the league with Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady, behind only Oklahoma State’s Ruby Meylan (15).

SIERRA HUMPHREYS – ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM

Having taken yet another step forward both offensively and defensively in her third collegiate season, Humphreys lands on a postseason All-Big 12 team for the third time in as many years and is a First Team selection for the first time in her career.

The Corona, California, native this spring set new single-season career bests in average (.387), on-base percentage (.464), slugging percentage (.742), runs scored (46), doubles (14), total bases (115), home runs (13) and RBI (56), and is one hit shy of matching her previous season high of 61 last year.

She recorded 13 multi-RBI games throughout the regular season and added 15 multi-hit games, and in conference play paced her team with 31 total hits, nine home runs, 28 RBI and an .831 slugging percentage.

Humphreys hit home runs in three consecutive games two different times, first against Maryland, Missouri and Northwestern Feb. 8-13, and later against Houston and Utah March 29-April 3. Her prolific offensive series against the Utes, a weekend that saw her hit .700/.727/1.300 with a pair of home runs, eight RBI and 13 total bases, netted the second baseman her first career Big 12 Player of the Week recognition as well.

She came through in a key spot in UCF’s series finale at then-No. 12 Oklahoma State March 8, helping clinch the program’s first series win over the Cowgirls in program history with a key seventh-inning go-ahead RBI double against Oklahoma State ace Ruby Meylan in the Knights’ eventual 6-4 victory.

Humphreys later hit safely in all three games against then-No. 3 Texas Tech, including an RBI double against reigning conference Pitcher of the Year NiJaree Canady in game one, and enjoyed a standout weekend against the Houston Cougars March 27-29, hitting .600/.692/1.900 with four home runs, nine RBI, one double and 19 total bases, including a program record-tying three home runs in the series finale.

In UCF’s first two games against Utah, Humphreys recorded her second and third straight three-plus-hit games extending her home run streak to three straight games, and later hit her first homer of the season against a ranked opponent in the Knights’ 8-1 win at then-No. 23 Arizona State April 11.

Most recently, Humphreys garnered her first career national weekly recognition for her efforts in UCF’s series win at Iowa State May 1-3, notching three straight multi-hit games and slashing .700/.750/1.400 with two home runs, one double, five runs scored, seven RBI and 14 total bases to earn D1Softball.com’s National Player of the Week honors.

BETH DAMON – ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM

In her second season as UCF’s starting catcher, Damon earned her second career All-Big 12 recognition and her first second team selection for her efforts as one of the Knights’ leading run-producers.

She surpassed her previous season bests in average (.336), on-base percentage (.433), slugging percentage (.678), runs scored (23), total hits (50), doubles (9), home runs (14), walks (15) and RBI (47), representing one of single-season program record five Knights this season to slug at least 10 home runs this spring.

Damon represented UCF’s top hitter against ranked foes throughout the regular season, hitting a team-best .404/.431/.750 (21-for-52) with three doubles, five home runs, 12 RBI and 39 total bases against the nation’s best. The catcher throughout the season hit long balls against then-No. 10 LSU, then-No. 12 Oklahoma State twice, then-No. 3 Texas Tech and then-No. 23 Arizona State, highlighted by back-to-back games with a home run against the Cowgirls’ Ruby Meylan and a solo home run against reigning conference pitcher of the year NiJaree Canady.

Her 2-for-4 day against the 10th-ranked Tigers helped UCF to the first win over LSU in program history in Clearwater Feb. 14, and her back-to-back games with a home run in Stillwater aided UCF to its first series win over the Cowgirls in program history.

Against Canady in the Knights’ series-opener with the third-ranked Red Raiders March 20, Damon went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two RBI and six total bases, and later added her second straight multi-hit game against Texas Tech’s Kaitlyn Terry in game two.

She factored into the Black and Gold’s 22-8 rout of Houston March 29 with a two-hit, one-homer showing in the teams’ series finale, and later helped her squad to its bounce-back 8-1 win over then-No. 23 Arizona State April 11 with a second-inning solo home run in Tempe.

In UCF’s series win over Kansas, she recorded back-to-back two hit games April 17-18, notching a pair of RBI and a double, and she hit safely in all three games against Iowa State, including a pair of home runs in both of the Knights’ wins in Ames.

Damon also represented one of the best defensive catchers in the nation, as she enters postseason play with a Big 12 Conference-leading 15 runners caught stealing, just two shy of matching Cassady Brewer’s program record of 17.

AUBREY EVANS – ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM

UCF’s starting shortstop concluding her final season of collegiate eligibility, Evans earns an all-conference second team selection for the third time in her four years donning the Black and Gold.

Evans this season has bested her previous single-season slugging percentage with a .583 mark through 54 games, and has also set new single-season career bests in runs scored (54) and RBI (36) while matching her previous season highs in hits (55), home runs (10) and walks (26).

She hit safely in each of UCF’s first four games during the Clearwater Invitational, highlighted by a 2-for-3, two-double showing against Northwestern and a two-run second-inning home run against then-No. 17 Georgia. Evans also went 1-for-4 with a run scored in UCF’s 5-1 win over then-No. 10 LSU.

The shortstop found her offensive groove more consistently toward the end of the non-conference portion of UCF’s schedule, producing four consecutive multi-hit games against Wagner, George Washington, Florida A&M and then-No. 12 Oklahoma State Feb. 27-March 6.

Evans enjoyed a prolific weekend against the Houston Cougars March 27-29 as well, matching the program’s single-game home run record with three in the series-opener before going 4-for-4 with four runs scored in the Knights’ 22-8 game three rout.

She produced her second multi-homer showing in four games against Utah April 2, leading her squad to the third-largest shutout win in program history, 17-0, and then hit her ninth long ball of the year in UCF’s 9-2 game two win over Kansas April 18.

The Apopka native most recently hit safely in each of UCF’s three road tilts at Iowa State, notching back-to-back multi-hit affairs in games one and two before clinching her second consecutive 10-homer season with a leadoff solo shot in the first inning of game three.

Overall, Evans finished the regular season with just seven strikeouts offensively, tied with Texas Tech’s Taylor Pannell for the fewest in the Big 12 Conference.

She has also represented among the most surehanded shortstops in the nation, boasting a .965 fielding percentage with an overall assist total of 123 that ranks second most in the Big 12 Conference and 25th in the nation.

IZZY MERTES – ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM

An All-Big 12 Freshman Team pick a season ago, Mertes garners her second straight selection to an All-Big 12 team this spring, landing on the second team in 2026.

The outfielder this year is on pace to set new single-season career bests in average (.320), on-base percentage (.422), slugging percentage (.634), runs scored (44), total bases (97), home runs (11), RBI (52) and stolen bases (3).

With 15 doubles entering the conference tournament, Mertes needs just one to match her freshman season total of 16, and three more to match Aubrey Evans’ 2023 single-season program record of 18.

She began her season with a bang, factoring into UCF’s program record three-grand slam opening weekend with the first of her career against Maryland Feb. 8 as part of a two-home run, six-RBI day.

She then kicked off UCF’s stay in the Clearwater Invitational with an RBI double in UCF’s 6-4 win over Northwestern, drove in an insurance score in the Knights’ 5-1 win over then-No. 10 LSU, and added a two-hit outing in UCF’s 6-2 victory over NC State.

Like Evans, Mertes also caught fire offensively toward the end of UCF’s non-conference slate, compiling an eight-game RBI streak Feb. 22-March 6. Five of those eight games featured at least two RBI, including three consecutive three-RBI displays against George Washington, Florida A&M and then-No. 12 Oklahoma State.

She was a key contributor in UCF’s first series win over the Cowgirls in program history, slugging a first-inning three-run home run in the series-opener and adding a 3-for-4, two-double effort in the series finale.

Mertes then went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI in the Knights’ 4-3 series-opening win over Baylor March 13, and later joined Evans and Humphreys as the third Knight to match the program’s single-game home run record in Houston, slugging three long balls in the Knights’ 22-8 series-concluding triumph.

The Chatsworth, California, native would go on to hit safely in both of UCF’s wins over Utah April 2-3, and also added a multi-hit outing against Arizona State ace Kenzie Brown in the Black and Gold’s series-clinching 4-3 win in Tempe April 12.

She most recently hit safely in all three games against the Cyclones in Ames, hitting one of three Knights home runs in game one and scoring three runs in the series-clinching game three 12-4 run-rule victory.

SAMANTHA REY – ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM

A unanimous pick to the 2024 All-Big 12 Freshman Team, Rey makes her return to the Big 12’s post-season All-Conference teams this spring, landing on the league’s second team.

The junior infielder/outfielder has enjoyed a career season, setting new season highs in average (.396), on-base percentage (.471), slugging percentage (.485), triples (3) and RBI (15), and can also reach new season highs in total hits, runs scored, total bases, walks and stolen bases this spring.

Rey has represented one of the Knights’ most consistent hitters throughout the second half of the season, as her overall .396 average and .475 average in conference play both represented team-leading marks.

She hit safely in all three games against then-No. 12 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, including a pair of two-hit showings in games one and two March 6-7 and a double and triple in the series.

Against then-No. 3 Texas Tech and reigning conference pitcher of the year NiJaree Canady, Rey went 2-for-3 with a triple March 20, and later earned hits in five of UCF’s six games against Houston and Utah, including a trio of multi-hit showings.

She doubled and scored twice in UCF’s 8-1 game two win at then-No. 23 Arizona State April 11, and also went 1-for-3 with a run scored against Sun Devils ace Kenzie Brown in the teams’ series finale April 12.

Against Kansas and Iowa State, the Salinas, California, native hit safely in all six games as well, producing four multi-hit contests in that span.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.