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IOWA CITY, Iowa – Three University of Iowa softball student-athletes – junior Leah McAnally, freshman Mariah Myers and senior Serayah Neiss — have been named to the 2026 Big Ten Softball Players to Watch list, it was announced Thursday by the conference.
McAnally joins the Hawkeyes after two seasons with Boise State. In year two with the Broncos, she appeared in 102 games with 81 starts, slashing .301/.351/.520 in her career. During her freshman campaign, McAnally was first on her team in runners caught (8), third in home runs (7), fifth in RBIs (30), and received Academic All-Mountain West recognition. The catcher continued to see success in her sophomore campaign with six home runs, 39 RBIs and 17 runs scored. The Oklahoma native capped her 2025 campaign earning All-Mountain West Second Team honors.
Myers hails from Fort Dodge, Iowa, and boasts an impressive resume before taking a collegiate at-bat. Her junior season at St. Edmond Catholic, she posted a .600 batting average with 14 home runs and 45 runs scored, leading her team to 26 wins and an appearance in the third-place game in the Class 1A state tournament. In 2025, the infielder collected 12 home runs, 38 RBIs and 57 runs scored while maintaining a .627 batting average and a 2.159 OPS. The standout senior season earned Myers 2025 Gatorade Iowa Softball Player of the Year and 2025 Max Preps Best Player in Iowa accolades. Myers is also the only true freshman on the 2026 Big Ten Softball Players to Watch List.
Neiss comes to Iowa for her senior campaign after three seasons at Fresno State. Since her rookie season, the southpaw has logged 321 strikeouts through 121 appearances and 439.2 innings pitched. In 2024, Neiss earned All-Mountain West Second Team recognition after posting a 2.58 ERA in 152 innings pitched. The Oregon native improved to a 2.03 ERA during her junior year. In 179.2 innings pitched in 2025, Neiss recorded 123 punchouts, limited opposing batters to a .245 batting average and notched eight complete games. Her stellar junior campaign earned her 2025 Mountain West Pitcher of the Year and All-Mountain West First Team selection honors.
The Hawkeyes will open their season at the JoAnne Graf Classic in Tallahassee, Florida. Their first contest is against Marshall on Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. (CT).