Ella Stewart and Rayelle Cooley Both Receive Player of the Year Honors
Last week the NJCAA came out with their yearly awards. NDSCS was represented in both major awards with Ella Stewart winning this year's Pitcher of the Year, and Rayelle Cooley winning this year's Player of the Year award.
CHARLOTTE, NC - The 2026 DIII NJCAA Softball Pitcher of the Year is none other than Ella Stewart. She was unhittable on the bump this year for the North Dakota State College of Science Wildcats. Stewart pitched 9 complete games with her most notable outing coming in the World Series where she threw a perfect game against Corning, with 12 out of the 15 outs being K's.
She finished the year with 20 wins, 5 losses, and 3 saves. The Sophomore saw nearly 40 more innings on the mound compared to her freshman year which speaks to her growth and reliability for coach Mike Oehlke.
Stewart finished with an 8.93 K/7 ratio and 188 strikeouts on the year. She had a 2.28 ERA and a .950 WHIP.
The Wildcats won the national title for the second year straight and for the third time in four years, with Stewart being a major part of that.
(Story from NJCAA)
CHARLOTTE, NC - There are rare elite athletes who arrive on a college campus and immediately alter the trajectory of a program. Then there is Rayelle Cooley.
The North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) standout second baseman has put together one of the most decorated stretches in Wildcat softball history. A native of Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Cooley has spent her collegiate career rewriting the expectations for what a middle infielder can accomplish, culminating in major national recognition and the 2026 NJCAA Division III Softball Player of the Year.
As the anchor of a high-powered NDSCS lineup that powered its way through 58 games this season, Cooley proved to be a constant headache for opposing pitchers. Blending consistent contact with remarkable extra-base power, she served as a lethal run-producer from the middle infield. She finished the year with a blistering .403 batting average, an impressive .495 on-base percentage, and a commanding .643 slugging percentage. Over the course of the season, Cooley crossed home plate for 49 runs and drove in another 49 RBIs, matching her run production perfectly with her ability to drive her teammates home.
Cooley turned her 62 total hits into constant extra-base threats, racking up an impressive 20 doubles, four triples, and three home runs. Once on base, she remained highly aggressive, utilizing her speed to disrupt opponents on the basepaths by successfully swiping 22 stolen bases on 23 attempts.
The Wildcats took home back-to-back titles and three championships in four years, and have become a Division III Softball powerhouse in the NJCAA.
(Story from NJCAA)
