KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its final Athletes of the Week in the 2026 softball season. Missouri Western’s Ashlyn Finarty and Rogers State’s Harley Culie both earned their first Athlete of the Week honors in the 2026 season with Finarty named the Hitter of the Week and Culie honored as the Pitcher of the Week.
MIAA HITTER OF THE WEEK: Ashlyn Finarty, Missouri Western
Ashlyn Finarty turned in a strong four-game stretch to help push Griffon Softball into the 2026 MIAA Softball Tournament, delivering consistent production game by game as the Griffons went 4-0 in their final regular season games. In MWSU’s 10-8 game one win over No. 4-ranked Pittsburg State, Finarty went 3-for-4 with an RBI. She followed that with a big performance in game two’s 7-3 win, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored, six RBI, and two home runs, with one being a grand slam. In the Griffons’ game one, 4-0 shutout of Northwest Missouri, Finarty added a hit, going 1-for-3. She then closed the week with another 1-for-4 effort, driving in two RBI, in MWSU’s 8-0 win in game two against the Bearcats. For the week, Finarty hit .500 (7-for-14) with nine RBI and two home runs, posting a .929 slugging percentage while helping lead the Griffons to four wins and a spot in the MIAA Tournament.
MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Harley Culie, Rogers State
Harley Culie finished the final week of the regular season 2-1 in the circle with three complete-game performances. The senior collected a 0.33 ERA after allowing just one earned run in 21.0 innings of work. In 67 total at-bats, Culie totaled 27 strikeouts and held the opposition to a 0.90 batting average. She also made RSU history with an 8.0 inning no-hitter with 14 strikeouts in the 3-1 win over Northeastern State. Culie only walked three batters in the 21 innings of work.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
HITTERS
Mary Chvatal, Nebraska Kearney
Mary Chvatal led the Lopers offense in their final MIAA doubleheader of the season, defeating Fort Hays State 4-2 and 5-2 at home. The senior went a combined 5-of-7 with two runs scored. Chvatal batted leadoff for the Lopers and tied the program’s single-season walk record with 36 on the season and tied the career games played mark with 200.
Taryn Burkhardt, Emporia State
Taryn Burkhardt recorded a hit in each of the Hornets’ final four regular season games. The senior outfielder went 7-of-15 on the week, which included a triple, two RBI and two runs scored. Burkhardt picked up a hit in each game, while reaching base multiple times in three of the four contests. In Emporia’s game two 9-6 win over the Jennies, Burkhardt went 3-for-4 with an RBI, two runs scored and two steals.
PITCHERS
Brooke Wyatt, Northeastern State
Brooke Wyatt threw two complete games for the RiverHawks last week, collecting wins against Arkansas Tech (1-0) and Rogers State (5-0). She threw 14.0 total innings with a 0.00 ERA, giving up just seven hits and four walks with no runs scored. She also totaled five strikeouts on the week.
Harley Pruetting, Missouri Western
Harley Pruetting turned in three key pitching appearances, helping the Griffons secure wins and ultimately qualify for the 2026 MIAA Softball Championship. She first appeared in relief in a 10-8 win over No. 4 Pittsburg State, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings while allowing two hits and striking out one to earn the save. Later that day, she picked up the win in a 7-3 victory against the ranked Gorillas, going 5.1 innings with three runs allowed on nine hits and three strikeouts. Pruetting followed with her most dominant outing on May 1 at Northwest Missouri, throwing a complete-game shutout in a 4-0 win. She went 7.0 innings, allowing six hits while striking out nine. Across her three appearances, Pruetting posted a 2-0 record with one save and a 1.47 ERA over 14.1 innings, striking out 13 and playing a key role in helping the Griffons clinch a spot in the MIAA Tournament.
ALSO NOMINATED:
HITTERS – Hannah Green [Fort Hays State], Avery Sue Davis [Missouri Southern], Jaden Jordan [Rogers State], Mattison Hamilton [Northeastern State]
PITCHERS – Chole Odle [Nebraska Kearney], Emily Davis [Missouri Southern], Myah Wolfe [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
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WEEK EIGHT HITTER: Alexis Brown, Northwest Missouri
WEEK EIGHT PITCHER: Kinsley Hill, Rogers State
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WEEK NINE HITTER: Bailey Dillon, Missouri Southern
WEEK NINE PITCHER: Kinsley Hill, Rogers State
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WEEK TEN HITTER: Kate Ediger, Washburn
WEEK TEN PITCHER: Jenna Sprague, Washburn
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WEEK ELEVEN HITTER: Haili Igou, Pittsburg State
WEEK ELEVEN PITCHER: Kiki Pickens, Missouri Southern
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WEEK TWELVE HITTER: Hannah Demoff, Central Oklahoma
WEEK TWELVE PITCHER: Kiki Pickens, Missouri Southern
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WEEK THIRTEEN HITTER: Kennedy Clark, Central Oklahoma
WEEK THIRTEEN PITCHER: Andi Siebeneck, Central Missouri
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WEEK FOURTEEN HITTER: Ashlyn Finarty, Missouri Western
WEEK FOURTEEN PITCHER: Harley Culie, Rogers State