YSU Softball Team Posts Nation’s 10th-Best GPA in 2025-26
8/13/2026 9:00:00 AM | Softball
Youngstown, Ohio — Youngstown State's softball team recorded the 10th-highest cumulative grade-point average in the country among all Division I teams during the 2025-26 academic year. The Penguins' impressive academic accomplishment was announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as part of the Easton Top 10 GPAs.
YSU posted a combined 3.76 GPA during the 2025 fall and 2026 spring semesters, giving the program a top-10 ranking for the third straight season. The Penguins were also 10th in 2024-25, and they ranked third in 2023-24. Saint Louis is the only other Division I program to have a top-10 ranking in each of the last three seasons.
YSU was the only Horizon League program and the only school in Ohio to rank among the top 10. Coastal Carolina was the only top-10 program located east of Youngstown State, while Omaha was the only program located north of YSU. Butler held the top spot with a 3.876.
In addition to the team award, 19 members of YSU's 2025-26 team captured Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors for earning a 3.5 GPA or higher during the academic year. Those student-athletes were Ashlyn Bishop, Alivia Boothe, Naomi Bottomlee, Kennedy Dean, Gabbie Evans, Emma Gilkerson, Bree Kohler, Macy Littler, Bella Meyer, Selah Moyer, Paiton Murphy, Isabella O'Brien, Kelsey Ogin, Grace Pilaczynski, Leila Staszak, Lauryn Swanson, Tai Turner, Lily Vicari and Lydia Wilkerson.
