News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
LOUISVILLE – Texas A&M softball’s Mac Barbara and Mya Perez earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Second Team recognition, the organization announced Wednesday.
Barbara and Perez are the first Aggie duo to earn All-America honors in the same season since 2013, when Cali Lanphear was named to the second team and Mel Dumezich to the third. The pair join Emiley Kennedy (2024) and Julia Cottrill (2023) as Aggies named to an NFCA All-America team under head coach Trisha Ford.
Barbara earned designated player second team honors in her lone season as an Aggie, while the All-American recognition is the second of her career after being named to the third team in 2022. Barbara averaged .366 at the dish hitting 60-for-164, while adding 12 home runs, nine doubles and 68 RBI. Barbara posted a .640 slugging percentage and a .472 on-base percentage, drawing 30 walks while striking out only 11 times. In 28 games against ranked opponents, the graduate led the Aggies with 34 RBI batting .378 at the plate with five doubles and five home runs, while adding 17 runs. During SEC play, Barbara ranked second in the league with 28 RBI and led the team with 25 hits, while adding five home runs, three doubles and 14 runs to earn All-SEC Second Team honors. The Long Beach, Calif., native, started 57 games, including 46 at designated player and the last 11 games of the season at catcher.
Perez garnered her first career NFCA All-America accolade after a breakthrough sophomore season. The Corona, Calif., native broke a 43-year old Texas A&M program single season record with 73 RBI, while her .424 batting average is third best in program history and .804 slugging percentage was sixth best all-time in school history. Nationally, she ranked among the top 20 players in the country in both on-base percentage (.561) and RBI (73). Perez was especially dominant against ranked opponents, hitting .400 with seven home runs and six doubles, producing a .760 slugging percentage. She added 28 RBI, 15 runs and 20 walks in those matchups. In SEC play, Perez garnered All-SEC First Team honors after she ranked second in on-base percentage (.541), fifth in batting average (.393) and seventh in slugging percentage (.721) against league opponents. Perez was the only Aggie to collect multiple SEC weekly honors as Texas A&M set a program record with seven total weekly conference awards during the season.
The NFCA All-America teams are voted on by the Association’s All-America Committees. In Division I, the committee is composed of one elected member head coach from each of the NFCA’s 10 regions. All student-athletes who were nominated by their member head coach and voted to the first, second or third-team All-Region teams were eligible for All-America consideration. View procedures HERE.
Texas A&M softball’s Koko Wooley was named a Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner, the organization announced in partnership with NFCA on Wednesday. Wooley is the first Aggie to earn the honor in Texas A&M history.
Wooley is one of the most dynamic athletes in the nation, and her defensive ability put her athleticism on full display. A human highlight reel at shortstop, Wooley combines elite range, lightning-quick reflexes and a fearless approach to consistently deliver jaw-dropping defensive plays for the Aggies. Whether she’s charging a slow roller, laying out in the hole or turning a double play with pinpoint precision, Wooley makes the extraordinary look routine.
Her glove work is matched by her arm strength and accuracy, making her a reliable anchor on one of the nation’s most formidable defenses. Time and again, Wooley bailed out her team with game-changing plays that showcase not just skill, but poise and instinct rarely seen at the collegiate level.
The La Porte, Texas, native, made 212 career starts in the Maroon & White, while improving her fielding percentage each season at shortstop.
2025 RAWLINGS GOLD GLOVE WINNERS
|
Position |
Athlete |
School |
|
Pitcher |
Devyn Netz |
Arizona |
|
Catcher |
Jocelyn Erickson |
Florida |
|
First Base |
Arianna Rodi |
South Carolina |
|
Second Base |
Ailana Agbayani |
Oklahoma |
|
Third Base |
Tallen Edwards |
Oklahoma State |
|
Shortstop |
Koko Wooley |
Texas A&M |
|
Left Field |
Elena Heng |
Louisiana Tech |
|
Center Field |
Kendra Falby |
Florida |
|
Right Field |
Rachel Roupe |
Liberty |
Recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, presented by the NFCA, were selected by the NFCA’s NCAA Division I All-America Committee, following regional voting to identify the finalists at each position. The group utilized fielding statistics and school-submitted video to closely examine finalists and select the winners at every defensive position. Any student-athlete that competed in the current championship year and was nominated by their head coach who is a member in good standing with the NFCA was eligible for consideration for this prestigious accolade. View procedures HERE.
About Rawlings
Established in 1887, Rawlings is an innovative leading global brand and manufacturer of premium baseball and softball equipment, including gloves, balls, and protective headwear. Rawlings’ unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Baseball, Helmet, Face Guard and Glove of Major League Baseball, the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball and the Official Baseball and Softball of the NCAA and the NAIA. The company is headquartered in St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com.
About National Fastpitch Coaches Association
Established in 1983, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization of over 7,000 members for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play, along with umpires, clubs, businesses and fans of fastpitch softball. Education, events and awards are the pillars of the organization, highlighted by the annual National Convention, regional Coaches Clinics, All-America teams, Leadoff Classic tournaments and student-athlete camps. With a robust awards program, members are also recognized for their on-and-off-the field contributions, while their student-athletes are honored for their academics and prowess on the field. Headquartered in Louisville, Ky., the national office is the home base of 12 employees, 19 Board members and seasonal interns.