UNCG Softball Dominates SoCon Postseason Awards
SoCon Announces Softball Postseason Awards
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team dominated The 2026 Southern Conference (SoCon) postseason awards, announced on Tuesday by the league office.
Head Coach Janelle Breneman was tabbed SoCon Coach of the Year, Brooklyn Shroyer was named SoCon Pitcher of the Year and Avery Bouquin was selected as the SoCon Freshman of the Year.
Shroyer, Macy Michael and Kaylyn Belfield were named to the All-SoCon First Team, while Bouquin, Rhyann Jones, Laney Deane, Rylie Williams and Nya South were selected to the All-SoCon Second Team. In addition, Bouquin and Jazmin Mejia were voted to the All-Freshman Team.
This is Breneman’s fifth SoCon Coach of the Year award. Bouquin’s accolade marks the fifth-ever at UNCG and second-straight year a Spartan has been named SoCon Freshman of the Year as Michael earned the feat last season. In addition, Shroyer’s SoCon Pitcher of the Year is the third-ever at UNCG as Morgan Scott earned the award in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
UNCG claimed the 2026 SoCon Regular Season title, its seventh in program history, earning the No. 1 seed heading into the SoCon Tournament, which will be played in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Frost Stadium from May 6-9. The Spartans will play on Thursday, May 7 at 10:00 a.m. against the winner of No. 5 Chattanooga/No. 8 Furman vs. No. 4 Wofford.
The Spartans are leading the SoCon in doubles (90), doubles per game (1.61), ERA (2.22), hits allowed per seven innings (5.72), shutouts (8), strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.97), team strikeouts per seven innings (5.48), WHIP (1.22) and win-loss percentage (.696).
UNCG ranks in the top-50 nationally among nine categories: ERA (8th), hits allowed per seven innings (12th), WHIP (14th), doubles (21st), strikeout-to-walk ratio (39th), win-loss percentage (40th), shutouts (41st), hits (42nd) and doubles per game (49th).
Brooklyn Shroyer
SoCon Pitcher of the Year
All-Conference First Team
Junior | San Dimas, Calif.
3x SoCon Pitcher of the Week
Leads the SoCon in ERA (1.58), hits allowed per seven innings (4.01), shutouts (9), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.40), strikeouts (163), strikeouts per seven innings (8.1), victories (18) and WHIP (0.91)
Top-30 nationally in six categories: shutouts (3rd), hits allowed per seven innings (8th), WHIP (11th), ERA (12th), strikeouts (24th) and victories (27th)
Has recorded a season-best 10 strikeouts on four occasions
Recorded a no-hitter in a 9-0 five-inning victory over Canisius on Feb. 20
Has career-best numbers in ERA, hits allowed, runs allowed, earned runs, strikeouts, shutouts and wins
Avery Bouquin
SoCon Freshman of the Year
All-Conference Second Team
All-Freshman Team
Freshman | Palmetto, Fla.
Second in the SoCon in doubles (16) and doubles per game (0.31)
Has recorded 15 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI games
18-game reached base streak
Recording a .363 batting average
Has tallied 33 runs, 55 hits, five homers and 35 RBI this season
Gone 5-for-5 on stolen bases
Second on the team with 87 assists and third with 115 putouts
Macy Michael
All-Conference First Team
Sophomore | Newton, N.C.
2026 Preseason All-Conference First Team
Third in the SoCon in doubles (14) and doubles per game (0.29)
Second on the Spartans with 38 runs scored
Has notched a total of 12 homers and 38 RBI this season
Fourth on the team with a .349 batting average
Has career numbers in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, walks, RBI and stolen bases
Kaylyn Belfield
All-Conference First Team
Senior | Kannapolis, N.C.
2026 Preseason All-Conference First Team
Third in the SoCon and 51st nationally with 69 hits
Reached 200 career hits in the team’s win over Samford on Sunday
Leading the Spartans with 50 runs scored, 69 hits and six stolen bases
Second on the team with a .381 batting average
Has seen career numbers in runs, hits, doubles, total bases, walks and RBI
Rhyann Jones
All-Conference Second Team
Senior | Daleville, Va.
Leads the league in walks allowed per seven innings (1.56)
Second in the SoCon with a 2.34 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP
Second on the team with 46 total strikeouts this season
Recorded a season-best five strikeouts against Western Kentucky on Feb. 7
Has career numbers in ERA, hits allowed, runs given up, earned runs, strikeouts and walks allowed
Laney Deane
All-Conference Second Team
Sophomore | Fredericksburg, Va.
Third in the SoCon in doubles (14) and home runs per game (0.27)
Pacing the Spartans with 55 RBI and seven hit by pitch
Second on the squad in home runs (15) and total bases (113)
Leads UNCG in the field with 215 total putouts
Has career numbers in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, walks and RBI
Rylie Williams
All-Conference Second Team
Senior | Autryville, N.C.
Has recorded a career-best .288 batting average, .352 on-base percentage, eight walks 21 runs, 32 hits, five doubles, one triple and 26 RBI on the season
In the field, has notched 42 putouts and 17 assists
Posted a season-best two runs scored on two occasions
Recorded a season-best four RBI in the team’s win over Western Carolina on March 29
Nya South
All-Conference Second Team
Junior | Sanford, N.C.
SoCon Player of the Week (April 27)
Leads the SoCon with a 0.64 walks per game average
Second in the SoCon and leading UNCG with a .503 on-base percentage and a .762 slugging percentage
Pacing the Spartans in batting average (.384), home runs (16), total bases (115) and walks (35)
Career-best numbers this season in batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, walks and RBI
Third on the team with 94 total putouts in the field
Jazmin Mejia
All-Freshman Team
Freshman | Port Jervis, N.Y.
Third on the Spartans with 46 assists in the field
Has notched a game-best two RBI on two occasions
Notched a game-best three runs twice
Recorded a double in six different games
2026 SoCon Softball Postseason Awards
Player of the Year
Olivia Shaw, Jr., INF, Samford
Pitcher of the Year
Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., RHP, UNCG
Freshman of the Year
Avery Bouquin, C/INF, UNCG
Coach of the Year
Janelle Breneman, UNCG
First Team
P – Brooklyn Shroyer, UNCG
P – Amanda Fulton, Western Carolina
C – Katie Campbell, Samford
INF – Macy Michael, UNCG
INF – Olivia Shaw, Samford
INF – Maya McPherson, Western Carolina
INF – Brianna Stanley, Wofford
OF – Kaylyn Belfield, UNCG
OF – Sydney Dirks, Western Carolina
OF – Desirae Devine, Wofford
DP or UT/Non-P – Brianna Stanley, Wofford
UT/P – Brandy Phillips, Samford
UT/P – Grace Jones, Mercer
Second Team
P – Rhyann Jones, UNCG
P – Makinley Turner, Samford
C – Addison Lucier, Wofford
INF – Avery Bouquin, UNCG
INF – Laney Deane, UNCG
INF – Baileigh Pitts, Chattanooga
INF – Lily Bell, Western Carolina
INF – Tate Stewman, Western Carolina
OF – Abigail Taylor, ETSU
OF – Rylie Williams, UNCG
OF – Addison Smith, Samford
OF – Becka Wonsick, Western Carolina
DP or UT/Non-P – Nya South, UNCG
UT/P – Kristyn Embler, Furman
All-Freshman
Riley Croley, UTL, ETSU
Hailey Porter, INF, ETSU
Kristyn Embler, INF/P, Furman
Avery Bouquin, C/INF, UNCG
Jazmin Mejia, INF/OF, UNCG
Reese Hickey, P, Samford
Ava Cowart, OF, Chattanooga
Briony Bunsic, P/INF, Western Carolina
Kayden Lyda, INF, Western Carolina
Amari Burce, P/DP, Western Carolina
Courtesy of Emma White
Strategic Communications Coordinator
UNC Greensboro