Creighton, Oregon and Missouri Standouts Grab Softball On SI Weekly Awards
It's around this time of season, as the entire NCAA settles into league play, that certain teams and individuals start to hit their stride, while others begin to face a few roadblocks among conference competition.
A new No. 1 emerged this week, as Softball America granted the honors to the Texas Longhorns. Impressive nonetheless, we wanted to shift our attention to some new kids on the block, as well as one veteran.
Player of the Week: Tara Vandewater, Creighton
Sophomore Tara Vandewater went 6-for-9 with seven RBIs and five runs scored, leading her team to a three-game Big East sweep over conference foe Villanova. All but one of Vandewater's six hits came by way of extra bases, including four doubles and a walk-off home run in the series finale. She posted an insane slash line of .667/.727/1.444.
Padding the stats all weekend, the Bluejays utility player tallied at least one run, one hit, and one RBI in each contest. Her three hits in game one was a career-best. She also drew two walks, stole a base, and was perfect in the field at second base on 14 chances.
With one runner on in the bottom of the fifth, Vandewater launched her fifth deep fly of the year over the right field fence to secure the 10-1 run-rule victory for the Bluejays, improving to 7-2 in league play. In addition, Vandewater earned a spot on the weekly Big East Honor Roll for her efforts.
TARA VANDEWATER WITH THE WALK OFF HOMER!
— Creighton Softball (@BluejaySoftball) March 22, 2026
THAT'S THREE IN ROW FOR THE JAYS 🤯#GoJays pic.twitter.com/mW0QDF3X5f
Pitcher of the Week: Lyndsey Grein, Oregon
Lyndsey Grein is no stranger to the spotlight. The No. 16 Oregon Ducks went 2-1 in a three-game Big Ten matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers, both victories earned with their senior ace in the circle.
On the weekend, Grein compiled an ERA of 0.44. She tossed 16 innings, scattering eight hits and giving up a lone run. Grein fanned 20 and limited her free passes to just three.
The right-handed hurler went the distance in game one and three, the opener highlighted as a complete game, shut out (6-0). In the finale, Grein kept a no-hit bid through 5.1 innings. She faced three batters over the minimum, effectively keeping her pitch count below 100 in seven innings of play, thus securing a 2-1 nail biter.
As the Ducks improve to 24-8, Grein is now 13-3 on the year, leading the Big Ten in both strikeouts (118) and WHIP (0.86).
Two more strikeouts for Lyndsey!
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) March 22, 2026
E2 | Ducks 0, Purdue 0#GoDucks | #Version♾️ pic.twitter.com/eiSR8rko6d
Freshman of the Week: Abby Carr, Missouri
Remember the name Abby Carr. We all know how rare it is to find an athlete like Carr who can distinguish themselves in the circle and in the box, let alone to do it as a true freshman.
Missouri upset then-ranked No. 4 Alabama, 5-2, in game two of the three-game SEC series. Carr picked up the win on the rubber. She limited a strong Bama offense to zero hits in the 2.2 innings thrown and struck out three, before she was relieved by Cierra Harrison.
The 6-foot Missouri native also went 3-for-7 at the plate on the weekend, with three home runs, two of which came in one game, and four RBIs. She walked twice and scored three times.
Carr's second bomb in the series finale, and eighth of the season, cut the deficit to one, but the Tigers ultimately were unable to complete the comeback, 3-4.
Carr currently leads the team in RBIs (29) and sits in second in home runs (8), not shy from the lead. She has also recorded the lowest ERA (2.04) of any Tiger this campaign.
B6 | MIZ 3 🥎 Alabama 4
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) March 22, 2026
First Career Multi-Home Run Game For @abbycarr2025 🤩#MIZ 🐯🥎 | #OwnIt pic.twitter.com/eIK6JyswvJ
Team of the Week: Creighton Bluejays
The Creighton Bluejays are 9-4 so far in the month of March, coming off three walk-off wins over Big East opponent Villanova, not to mention, in a brand-new Creighton Softball Stadium. Despite a close 11-10 triumph in the opener, Creighton would go on to defeat the Wildcats with scores of 11-3 and 10-1, each in five-inning run-rules.
The Bluejays outhit Villanova 32-16 in the series, three hits in particular remaining extra special. Keegan Mayhue, Avery Barnard, and Vandewater were crowned hometown heroes for the city of Omaha for their game-winning theatrics.
The Bluejays cruise to 7-2 in the Big East with a midweek at Omaha on Wednesday and later host Seattle in a non-conference series from March 26-28.
Maddy Lewis was a four-year starting infielder for UC San Diego Softball (2015–19), helping lead the Tritons to two conference championships, a West Region title, and a trip to the Division II National Championship in her senior season. She graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Communication, where she also wrote for the student newspaper, The Guardian. After college, Maddy spent two years as a Sports Information Director, working closely with the softball, basketball and running programs, deepening her appreciation for the stories behind the stats. She has continued her playing career on the international stage as a member and captain of the Israeli Women’s National Softball Team for the past four years, facing top talent at European Championships, Canada Cups, and the Maccabi Games. Beyond competing, Maddy remains deeply committed to growing the game. She co-hosts the Jewish Softball: More Than A Game podcast, offers private instruction in the Bay Area and has coached teams at the Triple Crown Sports International Challenge and the JCC Maccabi Games. With a passion for storytelling and softball, she is dedicated to giving back to the sport that has shaped her both on and off the field and making an impact on the next generation in any way she can.
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