2026 Final Softball Notes

THIS SEASON
The Iowa softball team completed its 49th season in 2026, posting a 27-27 overall record. The Hawkeyes finished 13th in the Big Ten with a 7-17 conference record. Iowa’s offense ranked among the most productive in program history, hitting 56 home runs, its highest total since 2005 (61), and scoring 291 runs, the most by a Hawkeye team since 1997 (389). The Hawkeyes set the program record for combined runs in a game twice during the season, first in a 21-15 win over Illinois on March 13 (36 runs) and later in a 21-17 victory over Northern Iowa on April 22 (38 runs). Postseason honors included the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for Brianna Johnson, while Johnson, Serayah Neiss and Avery Sapp were named CSC Academic All-District selections.

QUICK FACTS
• Serayah Neiss set a career high by pitching 9 1/3 innings in Iowa’s 10-inning game against Washington.

• Iowa surpassed its 2025 home run total of 29, finishing the season with 56 home runs.

• Avery Sapp recorded her 200th career strikeout in the series opener against Illinois.

• Sophomore Kiara Sipe drove in 10 runs during Iowa’s series against Illinois.

• Freshman Braylen Conlon was Iowa’s only pitcher to record a complete-game shutout, accomplishing the feat March 14 at Illinois.

• Freshman McKenzie Leitgen’s eight home runs were the most by an Iowa freshman since 2009.

• Leah McAnally reached 100 career RBIs with a four-RBI performance April 23 at Northern Iowa.

• Iowa recorded 16 multi-home run games, including two five-home run performances March 17 at Illinois and April 4 at Oregon.

• Serayah Neiss earned her 50th career victory in Iowa’s 2-1 win over Georgia Tech.

• Echo Mattiello recorded her first career four-hit game in Iowa’s 4-2 victory over Indiana.

• Iowa freshmen recorded four four-RBI performances during the season.

• Brianna Johnson delivered three walk-off hits during the season.

• Tory Bennett became the 14th player in program history to hit nine or more home runs in a season.

• Devin Simon recorded her second multi-home run game of the season in the series finale against Purdue.

TWO HISTORICAL GAMES
Combined Run Record

• Iowa broke the program record for combined runs in a game twice during the 2026 season. The Hawkeyes first set the mark in a 21-15 victory over Illinois on March 13 (36 combined runs) before surpassing it in a 21-17 win over Northern Iowa on April 22 (38 combined runs). Both games rank among the highest-scoring contests in program history.

Against Illinois

• The Hawkeyes’ 21 runs were the most scored by Iowa in a Big Ten game, surpassing the previous record of 19 against Penn State in 1997.

Against Northern Iowa

• Iowa’s 23 hits were its most in a game since Feb. 18, 2012, when the Hawkeyes collected 29 hits against Iowa State.

COMEBACK WARRIORS
• Eight of Iowa’s victories were come-from-behind wins, including five walk-off victories.

• The Hawkeyes rallied from a 9-3 deficit to defeat UConn, 10-9, with Kiara Sipe’s two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning.

• McKenzie Leitgen hit Iowa’s first grand slam of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure a 7-6 walk-off victory over Army.

• Brianna Johnson delivered game-winning hits in two victories over a four-game span, helping Iowa defeat Minnesota, 3-2, and St. Thomas, 4-3.

IN THE BOOKS
• Serayah Neiss led Iowa with 71 strikeouts in 2026 and finished her career with 392 strikeouts.

• Tory Bennett concluded her Hawkeye career ranked 12th in program history with 37 doubles.

COMING IN HOT
• Tory Bennett hit a career-high eight home runs in 2026 after entering the season with one career home run.

• Avery Jackson hit a career-high five home runs in 2026 after entering the season with two career home runs.

• Devin Simon hit a career-high eight home runs in 2026 after totaling three home runs in 2025.

• McKenzie Leitgen, Tory Bennett, Brianna Johnson and Devin Simon recorded their first career multi-home run games during the 2026 season.

LEADING THE WAY
• Devin Simon led the Hawkeyes in hits (56), stolen bases (22) and runs scored (44).

• Serayah Neiss posted a team-best 4.42 ERA and recorded 75 strikeouts in 134 2/3 innings.

• Tory Bennett led Iowa with nine home runs and tied for the team lead with 40 runs scored while posting a .280/.361/.530 slash line.

• Leah McAnally paced the Hawkeyes with 35 RBIs.

B1G NUMBERS
In the Big Ten Conference, Iowa finished fifth in doubles (84), sixth in fielding percentage (.967), fifth in sacrifice flies (21) and fifth in stolen bases (55).

• Kiara Sipe ranked sixth in the conference with 15 doubles.

• Devin Simon’s 22 stolen bases ranked her third in the Big Ten.

• Serayah Neiss had the twelfth most victories in the conference with 12.

EVERYDAY FACES
Both Tory Bennett and Devin Simon appeared in all 54 games this season.

POSTSEASON RECOGNITION
• Brianna Johnson received the 2026 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award

•Serayah Neiss, Avery Sapp and Brianna Johnson all received CSC Academic All-District honors.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Seven Hawkeyes softball players hail from Iowa, five from California, three from Arizona, two from Illinois, and one each from Utah, Massachusetts, Georgia, Oklahoma, Florida, Oregon and Ohio. The team also includes one international player from Australia. The roster is made up of five seniors, six juniors, four sophomores, one redshirt sophomore, eight freshmen and one redshirt freshman. Iowa returns 11 players from its 2025 roster, including 10 letterwinners, and welcomes 14 newcomers.

PLAYING THE BEST
The Hawkeyes faced 10 teams that made the 2025 NCAA Tournament: Florida State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, LSU, Mercer, Miami (Ohio), Nebraska, Oregon, UConn and Washington.

NEW YEAR, NEW STAFF
• Stacy May-Johnson, who is in her first season as Iowa’s head coach, brings nearly 20 years of coaching experience -- six as a head coach -- to the program. The Nevada native has posted a 148-141 record in stops at Utah Valley and Fresno State. Before returning to Iowa, May-Johnson was head coach at Fresno State for four seasons. She led the Bulldogs to 37 wins and a runner-up finish in the Mountain West Championship.

• Bobby Alvara joins the Hawkeye staff after serving as May-Johnson’s pitching coach at Fresno State. 

• Fran Strub joins the program after spending four seasons as an assistant coach at Boise State.

• Ally Miklesh joins the staff after one season as an assistant coach at Indiana.

FAREWELL TO THE CLASS OF 2026
Five seniors graduated following the 2026 season. Tory Bennett, Anna Streff, Echo Mattiello and Avery Jackson each completed their entire collegiate careers at Iowa. Serayah Neiss joined the Hawkeyes for her final season after spending the previous three years at Fresno State.