Oregon State Softball Player Named WCC Player of the Year For 2026
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While Oregon State softball were not able to secure a berth in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, star second baseman Jaeya Butler was recognized or writing her own chapter in the program's record book.
Butler was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year for 2026. It's the first time that an Oregon State softball player has won a conference Player of the Year award. Brianne McGowan was named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year following the 2005 season.
A product of Rancho Cucamonga, California and Aquinas High School, Butler joined the Beavers prior to the 2025 season after transferring from Michigan State. She made the move from shortstop to second base in 2026.
This season, Butler was Oregon State's strongest offensive player. She set new program records for home runs (23), runs batted in (61), total bases (157), and slugging percentage (.882) in a single season. She also led the WCC in all of those categories. In addition, Butler finished the 2026 season with the second-most doubles in a season in program history (16), third-most runs scored (49) and fifth-best batting average (.393).
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As a team, Oregon State led the league with 62 home runs this season, also a new program record.
Butler was recognized frequently throughout the season, earning league Player of the Week three times and a first-team All-WCC selection. Butler was OSU's only first-team selection, but outfielder Morgan Howey was a second-team selection, infielder Tristian Thompson and outfielder Jada Lewis received Honorable Mentions, and infielder Camryn Gordon and outfielder Mya Harrison were All-Freshman selections.
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Oregon State finished the season with an overall record of 21-32 this season and a 9-9 record in WCC play. The Beavers struggled, particularly on the road, going 5-4 in true road games and 9-11 in neutral site games.
Head coach Laura Berg wrapped her 14th season as head coach. The Beavers will rejoin the Pac-12 Conference in 2027. Oregon State are still looking for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2022 when they made their second trip to the Women's College World Series.
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Joe Londergan joined the SI brand in 2023 with G5 Football Daily. With over 15 years of experience in covering and working directly in college and pro sports, Joe's expertise has been featured in Front Office Sports, SB Nation, and XRAY.FM. He is a member of both the Football Writers' Association of America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Joe holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in sports administration from Seattle University. Outside of his writing career, Joe enjoys golfing, although he admits that while he hits driver decently, his short game is a liability.
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