Eight Ferris State Softball Standouts Claim All-GLIAC Accolades For 2026

Big Rapids, Mich. - A total of eight Ferris State University softball standouts have claimed All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) honors for the 2026 campaign and the Bulldogs had two major award recipients as the league announced its all-conference honorees on Wednesday afternoon.

FSU junior first baseman Alexis Kozlowski (Gaylord) was tabbed as the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year and freshman outfielder Ava Gardner (Hudsonville) was chosen as the GLIAC Freshman of the Year in voting by the league's member head coaches.

Both Kozlowski and Gardner were also named to the All-GLIAC First Team and joined by Bulldog junior center fielder Emma Gillard (Ravenna).

In addition to the three first-team all-conference selections, the Bulldogs also had three student-athletes named to the All-GLIAC Second Team, including senior second baseman Jadyn Joseph (Holt), junior pitcher Cecelia Bell (South Elgin, Ill.) and freshman pitcher Katie Shuboy (Richmond).

Finally, Ferris State had two on the GLAIC Honorable Mention squad in junior outfielder Ella McDonald (Rochester Hills) and freshman third baseman Emma Herremans (Ravenna).

Together, the eight all-conference standouts helped the Bulldogs to a 35-18 overall regular-season mark, which represents the program's most wins in the last decade. FSU placed second in GLIAC regular season play with a 21-7 league record.

The Bulldogs will be the number two seed for the upcoming GLIAC Tournament this week at the Crown Point Sportsplex in Indiana. FSU earned a day one bye and opens action on Friday, May 8, versus either third-seeded Grand Valley State or sixth-seeded Davenport at 2:30 p.m. (ET). The tourney runs Thursday thru Sunday and is a double-elimination event featuring the league's top six squads.