Two Ferris State Softball Standouts Claim NFCA All-Region Recognition

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Big Rapids, Mich. - A pair of Ferris State University softball standouts have been chosen to the 2026 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Midwest Region Team for their performance this past season.

Junior first baseman Alexis Kozlowski (Gaylord) was named to the All-Midwest Region First Team while freshman outfielder Ava Gardner (Hudsonville) was tabbed to the all-region second team squad.

The 2026 all-region squads are comprised of 205 student-athletes from 108 programs.

The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's eight regions with first and second-team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region nominated their student-athletes and voted for the teams. All the honorees are now eligible for selection to the 2026 NFCA Division II All-America squads.

Kozlowski and Gardner helped lead FSU to its best season in nearly three decades in 2026. This year, the Bulldogs finished as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) runner-up in regular season play with a 21-7 overall conference mark under head coach Jake Schumann. FSU also placed second in the league postseason tournament.

This year represented the first time in which FSU had competed in the GLIAC Tournament Championship game since 2012 and the runner-up league regular season finish was the program's best since also placing second in 2013. FSU's 37 total wins this season represented the fourth-most in a single season in school history.

Both Kozlowski and Gardner were previously named to the All-GLIAC First Team this campaign. Additionally, Kozlowski was tabbed as the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year while Gardner was chosen as the league's Freshman of the Year recipient.

Kozlowski led the Bulldogs with 70 hits and 54 RBI's to go with a .383 average in 57 games this season. She also hit a school single-season record 20 doubles and finished with three triples and seven home runs while scoring 42 runs this campaign.

Meanwhile, Gardner had an impressive rookie campaign for the Bulldogs, compiling a .382 average with 68 hits and 45 RBI's in 57 contests. She tallied 15 doubles, 10 home runs and two triples with 44 runs scored for the Bulldogs.

The 2026 NFCA Division II All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, May 27.