Meet The Sacramento Bee’s 2026 Softball Players of the Year and All-Metro teams
One would have to dig deep into The Sacramento Bee archives to find another four-time softball Player of the Year.
Enter Destiny Christian Academy senior Ayla Tuua.
Tuua was The Bee’s first freshman to win the overall Player of the Year in 2023, the Medium School POY as a sophomore, the Small School POY as a junior and now bookends her illustrious career as the overall Player of the Year as a senior, following a historic season on the diamond.
“Knowing how much talent is here within Sacramento alone, it’s really just an honor to receive this award,” Tuua said. “Growing up reading these articles, this is like a childhood dream.”
Destiny Christian went 31-0 — a record eclipsed by only one other regional team, the 34-0 Sutter Huskies in 2009 — and captured its third section title in four years along with a Division I Northern California championship. Tuua was at the heart of it all.
“Part of the expectation going into the season was us talking a lot about the trifecta: win league, section and regionals,” Tuua said. “This year, we never went into a game thinking we were gonna lose… We wanted to play the better teams and see what we’re up against. I’m glad we got the opportunity for my senior year to compete against some of the best teams in the area.”
While DCA had a loaded roster with Division I collegiate talent, Tuua’s two-way dominance stood out among the best in the state. She finished with a .651 batting average, 19 home runs and a section-leading 77 RBIs at the plate. In the circle, she was even more dominant with an unblemished 12-0 record, a 0.66 ERA and 140 strikeouts in just 74.2 innings.
For her career, the future LSU Tiger tallied a .550 average with 166 hits, 48 homers and 181 RBIs offensively, while posting a 47-2 pitching record with a 0.85 ERA, 720 punchouts while being part of 13 no-hitters.
“I’ve always been competitive,” Tuua said. “Ever since I started Little League, I’ve had this persona that I am the best and I’m gonna do whatever I have to do to be the best that I can be.”
Cordell led Whitney to section repeat
Taylor Cordell is building quite the resume with the Whitney Wildcats. Two varsity seasons, two starts in section championship games and two blue banners through her sophomore year.
The Bee’s Large School Player of the Year, Cordell led Whitney to the Division I section crown and a NorCal runner-up after going 21-3 with a 1.51 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 134.2 innings as the Wildcats tied a program record with 26 wins this season.
After throwing a two-hit shutout in the 2025 section final against Rocklin, Cordell followed with a six-hitter with five strikeouts in the five-inning 11-1 victory over Rodriguez in the 2026 D-I title game. She fired a no-hitter against Davis on March 13 and led Whitney to a Sierra Foothill League co-championship.
McCartney slugged her way into section history books
Ponderosa shortstop Kate McCartney had a historic season for the Bruins of Shingle Springs, who made a remarkable run with 27 straight wins to start the year, and she is The Bee’s Medium School Player of the Year.
The sophomore slugger set a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section record with 20 home runs, leading all California players and being one of just 42 players in the entire country to reach that plateau. She also drove in 49 runs on 55 hits and a .625 batting average and was named the Capital Valley Conference MVP.
McCartney hit safely in all but one game this season as Ponderosa finished the year at 27-1, falling just shy of the Division III section final.
Bryson put Pioneer back on the map
Senior Marisa Bryson gave Pioneer of Woodland its biggest resurgence in a decade. The Patriots reached section championship games in back-to-back seasons behind the future Stanford Cardinal, who is The Bee’s Small School Player of the Year.
Bryson was named the Monticello Empire League MVP after hitting .530 with three homers, 28 RBIs, 44 hits, 33 runs and 12 stolen bases while patrolling shortstop this season.
She finished her four-year varsity career with a .565 average, 192 hits, 34 home runs and 156 RBIs.
Glenn keeps East Nicolaus’ POY streak alive
East Nicolaus won its seventh straight CIF Northern Section championship and 16th overall with Kylah Glenn in the circle, and she is The Bee’s Smallest School Player of the Year.
The junior claimed 22 of the Spartans’ 26 victories, going 22-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 205 strikeouts in 151.1 innings. She went for double-digit strikeouts 10 times this season for the NorCal Division III semifinalists. Glenn is the fourth straight East Nicolaus player to win this Bee honor, following Stevie Knight last year, Adriana Nebuloni in 2024 and Meike Lauppe in 2023.
Buck coached seniorless Elk Grove to championship
Amanda Buck didn’t have a single senior on her Elk Grove roster. But as an alumna of the school, she recognized the potential of her young roster early in the season.
“We had a good feeling we’d win league, but winning a section title with no seniors and five freshmen starting is pretty special,” she said. “They’re young but passionate. They play outside of high school at a high level, so I think that’s what prepared them for facing 17-18-year-olds this year.”
Buck led a team with six juniors, seven sophomores and six freshmen to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship, the program’s first since 2010 and third overall. Buck has been on the coaching staff at her alma mater since 2004, but this was her first section title as head coach.
“Lots of hard work,” Buck said. “Sometimes I think the girls think we practice too much, too hard, but I tell them, ‘The moment I stop having passion and stop pushing you guys, I’ll stop coaching.’ I push them hard, we work hard, and there are not many days off.”
Other coaches considered for Coach of the Year included Dwayne Brekke and James O’Rourke of Ponderosa, Sean Erickson of Del Oro, April Steele of Whitney, Anthony Trujillo of Vanden and Shannon Tuua of Destiny Christian.
2026 Player of the Year
Ayla Tuua, Destiny Christian, Sr.
Large School Player of the Year
Taylor Cordell, Whitney, So.
Medium School Player of the Year
Kate McCartney, Ponderosa, So.
Small School Player of the Year
Marisa Bryson, Pioneer, Sr.
Smallest School Player of the Year
Kylah Glenn, East Nicolaus, Jr.
Coach of the Year
Amanda Buck, Elk Grove
2026 All-Metro Softball
FIRST TEAM
Pitchers
Kendyll Childers, Vanden, So.
Mikayla Finn, Del Oro, Jr.
Lauren Klomp, Ponderosa, Fr.
Payton Prior, Rocklin, Jr.
Roxanne Sardo, Destiny Christian, Sr.
Infielders
Niayli Calvo, Vanden, Jr.
Takiyah Haygood, Destiny Christian. Jr.
Sinitalela Heleta, Sheldon, Sr.
Emma Johnson, Del Oro, So.
Outfielders
Caelyn Campos, Del Oro, So.
Sidney Kleiner, Whitney, Jr.
Kadence Pettis, Elk Grove, Fr.
Catcher
Brooklyn Paratore, Oak Ridge, Sr.
Utility
Madelyn Benzler, Elk Grove, Fr.
Chloe Champas, Del Oro, Sr.
Ella Dossey, Destiny Christian, So.
Trinidey Fuss, Ponderosa, Fr.
McKayla Fulmer, Destiny Christian, Sr.
Dakota Gaball, Dixon, So.
Micah Kennedy, Sheldon, Jr.
Emily Morris, Dixon, Sr.
Rebecca Rau, Whitney, Sr.
Maddie Rhodus, Vacaville, So.
Bri Seffens, Whitney, So.
Maddie Woodcock, Destiny Christian, Sr.
SECOND TEAM
Pitchers
Natalie Aboosh, Inderkum, So.
Angelique Boot, Rodriguez, So.
Kwinci Brown, Sheldon, Sr.
Kennedi Freeland, Oak Ridge, Jr.
Madelyn Ogata, McClatchy, So.
Infielders
Laila Dean, Vacaville, Sr.
Makinze Massey, East Nicolaus, Sr.
Addie Titlow, Rocklin, Sr.
Tamiayh Ward, Elk Grove, Fr.
Outfielders
Cat Alston, Jr., Rocklin, Jr.
Brielle Collins, Inderkum, So.
Emery Glaser, Oak Ridge, Sr.
Catcher
DJ Evans, Vanden, Jr.
Utility
Natalie Brozaitis, Pleasant Grove, Jr.
Bella Granata, Liberty Ranch, Sr.
Isabella Huston, West Park, Sr.
Kinsley Imm, Del Campo, Jr.
Maddy MacNeil, Woodcreek, Fr.
Gracie Martinez, Davis, So.
Chloe Preuss, Woodcreek, Sr.
Payton Richards, Casa Roble, Fr.
Karly Sampson, Wood, Sr.
Sophia Spencer, Del Campo, Fr.
Maddison Stead, Yuba City, So.
Jasmyn White, Rodriguez, Jr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Brooke Aboosh, Sr., Inderkum; Gemma Almont, Jr., Oak Ridge; Roxanne Alvarez, So., Rio Linda; Izi Castillo, So., Elk Grove; Naiema Cawthon, Sr., Yuba City; Sophia Criswell, Fr., Wood; Belle Cuevas, Fr., Pioneer; Paige Denniston, Jr., Placer; Renee Dragseth, Fr., Rocklin; Nathalia Gentil, Sr., Valley; Olivia Gomez, Sr., Dixon; Angelene Gonzales, Sr., Johnson; Chloe Gonzalez, Sr., Yuba City; Hailey Glenn, Sr., East Nicolaus; Payton Green, Jr., Woodcreek; Sophie Green, Sr., Folsom; Angie Guzman, Sr., Sheldon; Emylee Hull, Sr., River Valley; Aundrea Jackson, So., Laguna Creek; Camryn Kelley, So., Woodcreek; Skylar Kim, Jr., East Nicolaus; Averie Lopez, Jr., Bear River; Madison Martin, Sr., Mesa Verde; Caitlin Mayfield, Sr., Pioneer; Alexis McFarland, Sr., St. Francis; Daisy Pallares, Sr., Vanden; Carly Rice, So., Placer; Karli Robinson, So., Fairfield; Larissa Rogowski, Sr., Whitney; Julissa Sandoval, Sr., Franklin; Kynleigh Sickels, Fr., Laguna Creek; Sammie Snell, So., Rocklin; Tatum Souza, Jr., Wheatland; Liliana Speakman, So., Sutter; Brooklyn Steele, Sr., Whitney; Shealynn Stinson, Sr., Pleasant Grove; Leilani Terrazas, Sr., Granite Bay; Gisele Thao, Jr., Lindhurst; Nalani Van Aken, Fr., Woodland Christian; Kiera Waggoner, Jr., Rio Linda; Lillie Warren, Sr., Christian Brothers; Ashlynn Wheeler, Sr., Lindhurst; Jolene White, Jr., West Park; Regan Wise, So., Sheldon; Ryanne Wolfe, Jr., Elk Grove; Maggie Wurzel, Sr., Woodland Christian.
THE BEE’S FINAL TOP 20
1. Destiny Christian (31-0)
2. Del Oro (23-8)
3. Whitney (21-6)
4. Elk Grove (28-5)
5. Vanden (17-7)
6. Ponderosa (27-1)
7. Rocklin (21-6)
8. Oak Ridge (14-11)
9. Sheldon (17-10)
10. Inderkum (21-7)
11. Pioneer (18-9)
12. Rodriguez (17-11)
13. Vacaville (15-12)
14. Davis (16-12)
15. Dixon (15-9)
16. Woodcreek (16-11)
17. West Park (16-5)
18. Sutter (20-9-1)
19. Casa Roble (16-11)
20. McClatchy (17-8)