Three Raiders Earn NFCA National Honors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced its 2026 All-America and individual award recipients last week, with three Northwest Florida State softball standouts earning national recognition.

Savannah Carter was named an NFCA First Team All-American, while Bre Hughes received the New Balance Golden Shoe Award and Isabelle Warrick earned a Rawlings Gold Glove Award for her outstanding defensive play at third base.

Carter becomes the 10th NFCA First Team All-American selection in program history. Hughes is the first Raider ever to earn the Golden Shoe Award, while Warrick becomes the fourth Rawlings Gold Glove recipient in program history.

Carter turned in a dominant season in the circle, finishing with a 23-2 record, tied for the fourth-most wins in a single season in program history. Her 1.41 ERA ranked third in Florida and 11th nationally, while her 159 strikeouts ranked fourth in the state and 23rd in the NJCAA. Carter earned First Team All-Panhandle Conference and All-FCSAA honors and was named both the Panhandle Conference and FCSAA Player of the Year. She was also selected to the NFCA All-South Region Team earlier this season.

Hughes established herself as one of the nation's premier baserunners, finishing second in NJCAA Division I with 60 stolen bases while going a perfect 60-for-60 on stolen base attempts. She set a new Northwest Florida single-season record and was the only player among the nation's top 13 base stealers to finish the year without being caught. Hughes also ranked second nationally with 89 runs scored and seventh with 42 walks while posting a .363 batting average, 14 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, and a .520 on-base percentage.

Warrick anchored the Raiders' defense at third base, appearing in 63 games and posting an impressive .985 fielding percentage. She committed just two errors all season while recording 76 putouts and 57 assists. Throughout the year, Warrick delivered numerous highlight-reel defensive plays, including several key stops during both the FCSAA and NJCAA postseason tournaments.

The trio played a pivotal role in helping Northwest Florida finish the season 57-7, capture a fourth consecutive Panhandle Conference Championship, and make its fourth straight appearance at the NJCAA Division I Softball World Series.