KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced new Athletes of the Week for week seven of the 2026 softball season. Pittsburg State’s Heather Arnett was named the back-to-back MIAA Hitter of the Week and Missouri Southern’s Emily Davis was named the league’s Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season.
MIAA HITTER OF THE WEEK: Heather Arnett, Pittsburg State
Heather Arnett is the MIAA Hitter of the Week for the second consecutive week. The senior shortstop helped the Gorillas to a 4-0 weekend as hosts of the MIAA/NSIC Conference Challenge against the University of Sioux Falls and St. Cloud State University. Arnett finished the week with a .467 average with seven hits, six RBI, six runs scored, a home run and a double while setting another MIAA record, this time for consecutive games with a hit with 29 in a row following last weekend's action. This is also the second consecutive week Arnett has broken a conference record. Last week, she became the MIAA’s new career hits leader.
The Pittsburg, Kan., native hit a run-rule inducing grand slam against Sioux Falls last Friday (Mar. 13) to end the doubleheader against the Cougars. In Pitt State’s 9-4 nine-inning game two win over St. Cloud, Arnett recorded a sacrifice fly to tie it up in the eighth inning, before the Gorillas claimed the game in the ninth. For the season, Arnett is hitting .571 with 60 hits, 45 runs scored 25 RBI and 25 stolen bases. Among Division II ranks, she is currently leading the nation in batting average, hits and runs scored.
MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Emily Davis, Missouri Southern
Emily Davis went 2-0 over her two starts last week for the Lions, tallying a 0.60 ERA with 11 strikeouts over 11.2 innings. The freshman threw 4.2 innings in Southern’s 4-1 game two win over St. Cloud State, allowing just one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts. Davis then closed out the week with a complete-game shutout, with her lone blemish being a hit and a walk, while striking out five in the 1-0 win over Sioux Falls. On the week, she faced 43 batters who posted a .171 opponent batting average against her. Davis is now 9-1 in 2026 with four complete games and three shutouts.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
HITTERS
Rylee Lemos, Central Oklahoma
Rylee Lemos' overpowering bat paved the way for a pair of run-rule victories for Central Oklahoma last Friday (March 13) in Edmond. With a league-best .875 on-base percentage for the week, the senior went 4-for-5 at the plate with a home run. Her two-run blast gave her a pair of RBI in the doubleheader. She also walked three times, stole a base and scored three runs in the non-conference victories.
Carsen Tinkler, Missouri Southern
Carsen Tinkler led the No. 4-ranked Missouri Southern softball team to a perfect 4-0 week as she batted .545 (.583 on-base percentage/1.091 slugging percentage) with six hits, two runs, two homers and four RBI. The senior third baseman is currently on a nine-game hitting streak as the Lions have won eight-straight games heading into MIAA play. In game two of the doubleheader sweep of St. Cloud State, Tinkler hit 2-for-2 with three RBI, a homer and a walk. She also ended the doubleheader sweep against Sioux Falls 2-for-3 with a home run.
Brooke Flewelling, Emporia State
Brooke Flewelling went 7-for-15 with one double, one triple, one home run, four RBI and four runs as Emporia State opened MIAA action 3-1 against No. 18 Rogers State and Northeastern State. In the Hornets’ 10-4 win in game two against the Hillcats, Flewelling went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in the first inning, giving Emporia the lead for good. The junior third baseman picked up another multi-hit game in the first game against the Riverhawks, going 4-for-4 with a double and a triple.
PITCHERS
Jensyn Elder, Northeastern State
Jensyn Elder spun two complete-game wins for the RiverHawks on the road and pitched in both wins as Northeastern State swept Washburn for the first time in a decade. The junior pitcher went on to toss another complete game in a 6-2 win at Emporia State to give the RiverHawks their fifth consecutive win, already surpassing NSU’s win total last season. Elder allowed just two earned runs in 16 innings of work for a 0.88 ERA.
Sailor Hall, Pittsburg State
Sailor Hall led the Gorillas the circle this past weekend at the MIAA/NSIC Conference Challenge, finishing with a 2-0 record with 6.1 innings of work. The senior accumulated eight strikeouts for zero earned runs and owned an opponent hitting average of .208. At the plate, Hall added a home run and a double for three RBI on offense. In the 9-0 win over Sioux Falls (Mar. 13), Hall threw 4.1 innings of relief with a season-high six strikeouts. She also ended the weekend with a relief outing that started in the eighth inning against St. Cloud State. Hall gave up no hits or earned runs and struck out two in the 9-5 victory. This season, the West Liberty, Iowa native owns a 1.38 ERA, 5-0 record and a save in eight appearances in the circle and as a hitter is batting .373 with a team-high eight home runs to go with eight doubles, 28 total hits, 24 runs scored and 23 RBI.
Jadyn Streigle, Northwest Missouri
Jadyn Streigle tossed a two-hit shutout against Minnesota Moorhead in the first game of a doubleheader sweep by the Bearcats last Friday (March 13). Northwest won the first game 1-0 on a walk-off single to tie the school record for consecutive wins at 11. Northwest then won game two 3-2, setting the program record for consecutive wins at 12. It was Streigle’s seventh complete game and third shutout she has pitched this season. The senior has won each of her last seven starts and sits at 9-1 with a 1.69 ERA.
ALSO NOMINATED:
HITTERS – Jaden Jordan [Rogers State], Ayva McComas [Missouri Western], Lilly Mohr [Fort Hays State], Annsleigh Morris [Northeastern State]
PITCHERS – Shelby Beard [Central Oklahoma], Hannah Butterbaugh [Emporia State], Harley Culie [Rogers State], Torie Sandoval [Missouri Western], Solana Carpenter [Fort Hays State]
WEEK ONE HITTER: Korynn Tindel, Northeastern State
WEEK ONE PITCHER: Emily Davis, Missouri Southern
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WEEK TWO HITTER: Katie Gray, Missouri Southern
WEEK TWO PITCHER: Harley Pruetting, Missouri Western
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WEEK THREE HITTER: Kalee Higdon, Missouri Western
WEEK THREE PITCHER: Sadie Walker, Washburn
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WEEK FOUR HITTER: Lexie Davis, Pittsburg State
WEEK FOUR PITCHER: Hannah Butterbaugh, Emporia State
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WEEK FIVE HITTER: Rylee Lemos, Central Oklahoma
WEEK FIVE PITCHER: Shelby Beard, Central Oklahoma
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WEEK SIX HITTER: Heather Arnett, Pittsburg State
WEEK SIX PITCHER: Madison Hamilton, Central Oklahoma
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WEEK SEVEN HITTER: Heather Arnett, Pittsburg State
WEEK SEVEN PITCHER: Emily Davis, Missouri Southern