Mathis Named to 2026 Preseason All-CAA Team
1/27/2026 2:00:00 PM | Softball
RICHMOND, Va. – Mackenzie Mathis was named to the 2026 Preseason All-CAA Team ahead of her sophomore season Tuesday, January 27.
Mathis returns as Charleston's top pitcher after earning All-CAA second team and All-Rookie nods her freshman season. The sophomore earned CAA Rookie of the Week three times in the 2025 season.
She finished the season ranked third in the CAA in strikeouts (124), fourth in innings pitched (137.1) and sixth in wins (11). Mathis recorded the second-best conference play ERA in the CAA (1.66).
As a freshman, Mathis became the first Cougar since 2016 to have multiple double digit strikeout games in a season.
Ryley Kutter and Austy Miller were named honorable mentions to the list.
Returning for her junior season, Kutter earned Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention. The pitcher boasted a 1.84 ERA in CAA games, the fourth lowest in Charleston's CAA history. Kutter allowed only three earned runs over 34.2 innings against conference opponents at Patriots Point.
Miller returns as one of two Cougars to start in all 56 games in the 2025 season. She led the team her junior season with a .345 batting average, a team high 57 hits, and 25 RBI while ranking sixth in the CAA with five triples. The senior had two home runs and a 17-game hitting streak to mark the longest in the program's CAA era.
Charleston opens their season Friday, February 6 at Patriots Point against Marist at 3:00 p.m. with free admission for spectators.
The full preseason awards are listed below:
North Poll:
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Stony Brook (3)
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Hofstra (2)
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Towson
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Monmouth
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Drexel
South Poll:
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Elon (4)
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Campbell (1)
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UNCW
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Charleston (1)
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N.C. A&T
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Hampton
Preseason Player of the Year: Madison Biddle, UNCW
Grace Franczyk, Towson
Hannah Cornetto, Campbell
Greta Hessenthaler, Elon
Amber DeSena, Campbell
Madison Biddle, UNCW
Chloe Hatzopoulos, Elon
Charlie Montgomery, Campbell
Cassidy Relay, UNCW
Allyiah Swiney, Campbell
Kayla Wilson, Elon
Crimson Rice, Stony Brook
Emma Falen, Hofstra
Mackenzie Mathis, Charleston
HM: Alyssa Armijo (Campbell), Camrynn Bonner (Hampton), Madison Ford (Campbell), Trinity Glover (N.C. A&T), Lauren Hardy (N.C. A&T), Makayla Huddleston (UNCW), Ryley Kutter (Charleston), Austy Miller (Charleston), Alanna Morse (Hofstra), Kylah Reading (Drexel), Briyana Wright (Towson)
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