DETROIT -- Five members of the 2026 Wayne State University softball team received Academic All-District recognition today from the College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA) organization.  Honored for their work both on the softball diamond and in the classroom were sophomore third baseman Kate DeWitt (Grand Blanc, Mich.), junior catcher/first baseman Molly Hool (Allen Park, Mich.), sophomore first baseman/pitcher Elly Koopman (Hudsonville, Mich.), junior pitcher Sydney Long (Grand Blanc, Mich.), and sophomore shortstop Hunter Near (Coopersville, Mich.).

DeWitt had eight multiple-hit games along with four multiple-RBI contests, while playing every inning of every game at third base.  She also tied for the longest hitting streak on the squad with an eight-game streak from March 9 through March 16.  DeWitt was stellar defensively posting a .977 fielding percentage on 62 putouts, 66 assists and only three errors in 131 chances, while being a part of five double plays.  She did not commit an error in the final 18 games of the season. Offensively, DeWitt was second on the team in home runs (3), runs scored (23) and fielding assists (66), tied-for-second in RBI (18), and third in both walks (17) and total bases (55).  She maintains a 3.69 cumulative GPA in Exercise and Sport Science after 67 credit hours, including a 4.0 term in the Winter 2026 semester.

Molly Hool, who started 41 contests (22 at catcher, and 19 at first basel), recorded nine multiple-hit contests, including one of WSU's two four-hit games (Feb. 21 vs.Quincy) during the season, along with three two-RBI affairs.  She finished second on the team with 10 doubles.  Defensively, she led the squad in putouts (184) and fielding chances (197).  Hool led all catchers (.982) and all first basemen (.989) in fielding percentage.  She also notched WSU's season-high in putouts for a game with 17 vs. Parkside on March 28, a 3-2 Warrior victory in 12 innings.  Molly Hool has a 3.89 cumulative GPA after 97 credit hours in Finance.  She has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) all six semesters with two 4.0 terms.

A First Team All-GLIAC selection at utility, Koopman led WSU in batting average (.350, 42-for-120), doubles (11), RBI (23), walks (25) and on-base percentage (.459), while starting 42 of the 49 games (21 at 1B, 13 at DP, 8 at P).  She tied Hunter Near for the team lead with 13 multiple-hit affairs and led the squad with six multiple-RBI contests.  Koopman also had a 21-game on-base streak from March 29-April 26 (21-for-51 with 17 walks).  In addition, she had a WSU season-best three walks in one game on April 19 vs. Davenport.  In the circle, Koopman tossed five complete games in eight starts while notching a pair of victories against Bluefield State and Mercy.  She maintains a 3.74 cumulative GPA in Exercise and Sport Science after 62 credit hours, including a 4.0 term in the Winter 2026 semester.

Long led the WSU pitching staff with nine wins, 14 complete games, four shutouts, a 3.88 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 121.0 innings.  Offensively, Long batted .333 (26-for-78) with nine extra-base hits (5 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR).  She ranked second in batting average and slugging percentage (.526), tied-for-second in triples, third in on-base percentage (.372), and tied-for-third in home runs.  Long was 4-for-6 with the bases loaded including a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning vs. Quincy on Feb. 21.  She has a 3.77 cumulative GPA after 96 hours, while majoring in Sport Management.  Long has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) all six semesters, including two 4.0 terms.

Near notched 13 multiple-hit games, including a four-hit affair vs. Minot State, while starting all 49 games at shortstop and batting leadoff in every contest.  Defensively, she finished with a .979 fielding percentage (109 putouts, team-leading 79 assists, 4 errors) and was part of eight double plays.  Near hit .312 (49-for-157) with a team-high five home runs and a .554 slugging percentage in her 49 appearances.  An Exercise and Sport Science major, she has a 3.70 cumulative GPA after 60 credit hours.  Near has been on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) the last three semesters with a 4.0 term GPA in two of those terms.