2026 Carson-Newman Softball News

Season
Malyiah Smith named one of eight finalists for NFCA Freshman of the Year
Malyiah Smith named one of eight finalists for NFCA Freshman of the Year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Standout shortstop Malyiah Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) has been selected as a finalist for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Freshman of the Year award by the Association’s Division II All-America Committee.

Bailey and Gregory earn First-Team honors, as five Eagles make D2CCA All-Region
Bailey and Gregory earn First-Team honors, as five Eagles make D2CCA All-Region

ANDERSON, S.C. – The honors keep coming for Carson-Newman softball as five made the D2CCA All-Region teams. Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) and Grace Gregory (White House, Tenn.) made the first team, with Addie Saunders (Radford, Va.), Atiana Stamper (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Malyiah Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) were second team.

Eagles win first NCAA Tournament game since 2019, but fall on walk-off in nightcap to No. 15 LR
Eagles win first NCAA Tournament game since 2019, but fall on walk-off in nightcap to No. 15 LR

FLORENCE, S.C. – The 2026 season came to an end for Carson-Newman (41-14), falling in nine innings on a walk-off against No. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne (41-14) in the Florence Region semifinals. Earlier in the afternoon, C-N staved off elimination with a 5-3 win over Anderson, the first NCAA Tournament win since 2019.

Bailey headlines four Eagles named to NFCA All-Region Teams
Bailey headlines four Eagles named to NFCA All-Region Teams

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In one of the best seasons in recent history, four members of Carson-Newman earned NFCA All-Region honors, with Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) making the first team, while Grace Gregory (White House, Tenn.), Malyiah Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Addie Saunders (Radford, Va.) were second team.

Carson-Newman drops opening NCAA Tournament game against No. 8 Francis Marion
Carson-Newman drops opening NCAA Tournament game against No. 8 Francis Marion

FLORENCE, S.C. – In its first NCAA Tournament game since 2023, Carson-Newman (40-13) dropped its opening game to the two-seed and hosts Francis Marion, 2-1, on Thursday afternoon at the Francis Marion Softball Stadium. It marked the first meeting between the two since the Patriots eliminated the Eagles back in 2023 during their last NCAA Tournament appearance.

C-N opens first NCAA Tournament bid in three years against two-seed, No. 8 Francis Marion
C-N opens first NCAA Tournament bid in three years against two-seed, No. 8 Francis Marion

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After missing the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons, Carson-Newman (40-12) returns to the big dance and will face No. 8 Francis Marion (44-11) on Thursday in Florence, South Carolina.

Gregory and Bailey named to the SAC All-Tournament Team
Gregory and Bailey named to the SAC All-Tournament Team

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Carson-Newman seniors Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) and Grace Gregory (White House, Tenn.) have earned spots on the South Atlantic Conference Softball All-Tournament team, the league office announced Tuesday. 

DANCING! For the first time since 2023 C-N softball heads to the NCAA Tournament
DANCING! For the first time since 2023 C-N softball heads to the NCAA Tournament

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the 22nd time in school history, Carson-Newman softball is headed into postseason play. 

Long balls help upset-minded Lincoln Memorial topple Carson-Newman Friday morning
Long balls help upset-minded Lincoln Memorial topple Carson-Newman Friday morning

HICKORY, N.C. – A hot start and four home runs helped four-seed Lincoln Memorial (24-22) continue its Cinderella run, defeating three-seed Carson-Newman (40-11), 10-5, to advance to Saturday's Championship.

Anderson rallies in the seventh to eliminate C-N from the SAC Tournament in a crushing loss
Anderson rallies in the seventh to eliminate C-N from the SAC Tournament in a crushing loss

RV Carson-Newman (40-12) stared down the barrel of a six-run deficit after four innings, battled back to take the lead, and stood one out away from setting up a rematch with Lincoln Memorial tomorrow, but Anderson (38-12) came from behind to walk it off, 9-8.

Three-run seventh inning pushes Carson-Newman past No. 24 Anderson
Three-run seventh inning pushes Carson-Newman past No. 24 Anderson

RV Carson-Newman (40-10) displayed its late-game heroics, scoring all five runs in the final two frames, opening the SAC Championship Series with a win over No. 24 Anderson (36-12), 5-2, on Thursday at McCrorie Family Stadium.

Bailey achieves high academic honor as SAC Elite 23 Winner
Bailey achieves high academic honor as SAC Elite 23 Winner

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman senior first baseman Macauley Bailey was named the Wealth Enhancement Group Elite 23 Award winner by the South Atlantic Conference on Thursday afternoon.

Carson-Newman begins SAC Championship Series against Anderson
Carson-Newman begins SAC Championship Series against Anderson

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After sweeping Catawba in the opening round of the SAC Tournament, three-seed RV Carson-Newman (39-10) tussles with the two-seed No. 24 Anderson (36-11) in its first game at the Championship Series on Thursday at the McCrorie Family Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina.

Eagles jump to seventh in NCAA Region Rankings
Eagles jump to seventh in NCAA Region Rankings

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - RV Carson-Newman is ranked seventh in the third and final batch of region rankings the NCAA posted Wednesday afternoon. The Eagles were "under consideration" in the first release, before dropping out of the top 10 last week. 

Gregory’s record-breaking day energizes C-N to series sweep versus Catawba
Gregory’s record-breaking day energizes C-N to series sweep versus Catawba

Carson-Newman (39-10) punched its ticket to the South Atlantic Conference Championship Series, sweeping Catawba (26-25) with a 14-6 win in game two. The offense turned it up a notch behind a record-breaking day from Grace Gregory (White House, Tenn.), where she etched her name into the Carson-Newman and NCAA record books.

Stamper dazzles as Carson-Newman takes game one against Catawba
Stamper dazzles as Carson-Newman takes game one against Catawba

In her postseason debut, Atiana Stamper (Knoxville, Tenn.) carved through the Catawba (26-24) order to propel Carson-Newman (38-10) to a victory and take a 1-0 series lead in the first round of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament, 2-1.