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Dominican University New York Athletics
2026 CACC Softball Team Sportsmanship Award DUNY Softball team huddle
Photo by Tom Salus
May 5, 2026

SOFTBALL RECEIVES 2026 CACC SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Courtesy of CACC Athletics

New Haven, Conn. (5/5/26) University of Bridgeport senior third baseman Mya Jones has been selected as the 2026 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Player of the Year. Sophomore right-hander Haleigh Fisher of Caldwell University was named the 2026 CACC Pitcher of the Year. Jones and Fisher, who were also both voted onto to the All-CACC First Team, top the all-conference teams and major award winners announced today by CACC Commissioner Dan Mara. The voting was conducted by the conference's 10 head coaches.

Felician University freshman third baseman Karina De La Vega was chosen as the 2026 CACC Softball Rookie of the Year. De La Vega was also elected to the All-CACC Second Team. Post University head coach Tracey Garofalo is the Athletic Solutions Coach of the Year, while Dominican University New York will receive the 2026 Softball Team Sportsmanship Award.

Jones, from Milford, Del., is batting .431 over 42 games with nine doubles, five home runs, 23 runs scored, and 33 runs batted in. She ranks second in the CACC in both batting average and on-base percentage (.496). Jones led the CACC in batting, on-base percentage and slugging percentage during conference play (.532/.566./.851), driving in 20 runs in 15 league games. She has helped lead the Purple Knights to the No. 3 seed in the CACC playoffs and a trip to the four-team championship weekend.

Fisher, of Smyrna, N.Y., owns an 11-3 record, a CACC-best 2.46 earned run-average, and three shutouts heading into to the final weekend of the CACC Championship tournament. In 99 2/3 innings, she has allowed 109 hits and 22 walks while striking out 62 batters. Opponents are hitting .270 off of her. Fisher, who was 6-1 in conference play, helped the Cougars to their first CACC regular-season title since 2018.

De La Vega is batting .390 with 31 runs scored and 30 RBI in 46 games in her debut season with the Golden Falcons. The San Antonio, Texas, native has 12 doubles, six triples, and four home runs for a .637 slugging percentage, tops in the league among freshmen. Her 57 hits are second in the conference. Felician is the No. 2 seed for this weekend's CACC playoffs.

Garofalo was selected by her peers after guiding the Eagles to their first playoff appearance since 2022. She returned to Post in November after coaching the Eagles from 2008-21, and oversaw a seven-win improvement from 2025. Garofalo is the CACC Coach of the Year for the second time after also earning the honor in 2014.

Dominican, led by head coach Samantha McDonald, was the coaches' choice for demonstrating class and character throughout the regular season.

The 2026 CACC softball major award winners and all-conference teams are listed below.

 

2026 CACC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mya Jones (University of Bridgeport)

2026 CACC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Haleigh Fisher (Caldwell University)

2026 CACC SOFTBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Karina De La Vega (Felician University)

2026 ATHLETIC SOLUTIONS CACC SOFTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
Tracey Garofalo (Post University)

2026 CACC SOFTBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Dominican University
 

2026 CACC SOFTBALL FIRST-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
C – Lily Hoban (Holy Family University)
1B – Paityn Thibodeaux (University of Bridgeport)
2B – Liv Stevens (Thomas Jefferson University)
3B – Mya Jones (University of Bridgeport)
SS – McKenna Frank (Goldey-Beacom College)
OF – Rylee Hobel (Holy Family University)
OF – Kenzie Nazionale (Caldwell University)
OF – Addison Sabo (Wilmington University)
P – Haleigh Fisher (Caldwell University)
P – Samantha Ledger (University of Bridgeport)
P – Jocelyn Moody (Felician University)
UT-PLAYER – McKenzie Morgan (University of Bridgeport)
UT-PITCHER – Maddie Vollmar (Wilmington University)
DP – Kimberly Torres (Felician University)

2026 CACC SOFTBALL SECOND-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
C – Emily Kurth (Caldwell University)
1B – Emerson Jarrard (Caldwell University)
2B – Maddie Matkosky (Caldwell University)
3B – Karina De La Vega (Felician University)
SS – Angelica Tompkins (Post University)
OF – Ayri Hansen (Goldey-Beacom College)
OF – Kendall Mazur (Caldwell University)
OF – Sydnee Perreault (University of Bridgeport)
P – Kinsley Hall (Holy Family University)
P – Katie O'Connor (Caldwell University)
P – Molly Skelly (Goldey-Beacom College)
UT-PLAYER – Amanda Preston (Caldwell University)
UT-PITCHER – Kelsey Vitalis (Felician University)
DP – Adrianna Lisotto (Holy Family University)

The aim of Dominican University New York is to promote educational excellence, leadership, and service in an environment characterized by respect for the individual and concern for the community and its needs. Founded by the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, the university is an independent institution of higher learning, Catholic in origin and heritage. In the Dominican tradition, it fosters the active, shared pursuit of truth and embodies an ideal of education rooted in the values of reflective understanding and compassionate involvement.  Committed to building its programs upon a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, the university maintains a student-centered climate and serves a diverse community of students in undergraduate and graduate programs. The university empowers this community of learners to excel, lead and serve with integrity and to engage responsibly in the pursuit of a more just, ethical and sustainable world.  Dominican also sponsors 18 varsity intercollegiate sports that compete at the NCAA Division II level.  To learn more about Dominican University New York, please visit www.duny.edu.