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10 Award-Winning Mid-Major Pitchers Find New Homes Through the Transfer Portal

Maren Angus-Coombs|
Former New Mexico State and UTEP two-way star Faith Aragon is transferring to Nebraska.
Former New Mexico State and UTEP two-way star Faith Aragon is transferring to Nebraska. | NMSU Athletics

There are 10 college softball pitchers who were outstanding during the 2026 season.

However, all them opted to enter the transfer portal. The two-week window opened on June 8 and closes on June 22.

Here are the 10 award-winning mid-major pitchers who have found new homes.

Avery Arwood, Ohio State

Avery Arwood played two seasons at SIUE and was named the the OVC Pitcher of the Year. She finished her sophomore season with 14 victories, a 3.23 earned run average and 97 strikeouts.

As a freshman, Arwood was named the 2025 OVC Freshman of the Year. She led the team with 11 wins, a 3.08 ERA and 83 strikeouts.

Arwood is a two-time All-OVC First Team selection.

Ryley Harrison, Arizona

The Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 Sun Belt Conference tournament has committed to Arizona.

Ryley Harrison spent three seasons at South Alabama where she compiled a 31-25 record with a 2.90 ERA in 349.2 innings and 311 strikeouts.

Harrison was named First Team All-SBC in 2026 and was 18-14 with a 2.41 ERA and 204 strikeouts in 206 innings.

Mackenzie Mathis, Clemson

Mackenzie Mathis was named the 2026 CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player while in the circle for Charleston.

As a sophomore, she 16-9 with an ERA of 3.35. She made 33 appearances, with 24 of those being starts, and threw 13 complete games. She struck out 137 while walking just 35.

Mathis has two years of eligibility remaining with Clemson.

Madison Azua, Texas A&M

After three seasons at Texas State, Madison Azua is transferring to Texas A&M.

Across three years, the lefty has compiled 116 appearances, 80 starts, 35 complete games, and 511.1 career innings, and a 55–26 record.

As a junior, Azua was named the 2026 SBC Pitcher of the Year. She finished the season 26-13 with an ERA of 1.95 ERA over 244.2 innings, striking out 236 and issuing just 57 walks.

Marley Goluskin, Fullerton

As a junior at Idaho State, Marley Goluskin was named the Big Sky Pitcher of the Year.

Goluskin finished the season with a record of 12-5 and a team-best ERA of 2.72. She appeared in 24 games and made 21 starts with nine complete games.

Faith Aragon, Nebraska

Faith Aragon will finish her collegiate career as a Nebraska Cornhuskers after spending the last two seasons at New Mexico State.

Aragon earned All-CUSA First Team honors as a junior in 2026 after going 21-10 with a 2.62 ERA and a school-record 244 strikeouts in 195.1 innings.

In her career, including a freshman season at UTEP, Aragon is 45-28 with one save, seven shutouts and a 3.30 ERA across 454.0 innings.

Jacy Harrelson, South Carolina

Jacksonville transfer and ASUN Pitcher of the Year Jacy Harrelson has committed to South Carolina out of the transfer portal.

Harrelson had a 2.26 ERA over 186 innings in 2026 and led the ASUN in innings pitched (186.0), strikeouts (119), batters struck out looking (45), total wins (22), opposing batting average (.202) and was second in overall ERA (2.26).

Gracie Goeway, Saint Mary's

Gracie Goeway, the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, from Siena is transferring to Saint Mary's.

Goeway, a two-way star at Siena, led the Saints with a 2.78 ERA and also batted .372 with seven home runs and nine doubles.

Mattison Buster, Baylor

After a successful junior season at Northwestern State, Mattison Buster has transferred to Baylor.

The Sulphur Springs, Texas, native was named the 2026 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and tied a program record with 21 wins.

Buster led the conference in complete games (22), games started (34), innings pitched (210.0), appearances (39), shutouts (6), strikeouts (116) and wins (21). She finished the regular season as one of 12 pitchers in the country with 20 or more wins and became just the fifth Southland pitcher in the past five years to record 20 wins in a season.

Before NSU, Buster spent two seasons at Louisiana Tech.

Katelyn Hubley, Auburn

As a freshman at Campbell, Katelyn Hubley earned All-CAA First Team and All-Rookie Team honors.

Hubley led the Camels with a 19-6 record and a 2.16 ERA across 163 innings. She finished second in the league in ERA, sixth in opposing batting average at .237, and led the conference with 144 strikeouts. She also ranked second in wins.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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