MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The 2026 season will go down as a historic season for the Montevallo softball program. From record-breaking performances to national recognition, the Falcons rewrote the program record book and were one of the top teams in the Gulf South Conference and South Region.
"This season has been incredibly successful due to the commitment and hard work of the team throughout the year," said Head Softball Coach Beth Wade. "Each and every person got better. I truly believe that's what pushed our success throughout the year."
Montevallo set a program record for wins in a single season, finishing the year with a program-best 39-18 overall record. The Falcons also set a program record for conference victories in a single season with 20 GSC wins during the 2026 campaign. Montevallo put together one of the most impressive stretches the program has ever seen with seven consecutive GSC series victories.
The season was filled with milestone moments, including the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Along the way, the Falcons earned the first national ranking in school history and climbed as high as No. 16 in the NFCA/GoRout Division II Coaches Poll.
Montevallo earned four ranked wins on the season which included a 2-0 victory over No. 7 AUM, marking the third-highest ranked win in program history. The Falcons also achieved the first series victory over UAH since 2022 and rattled off a 12-game winning streak — the longest winning streak by any team in Montevallo softball history.
Many Falcons also picked up accolades throughout the 2026 season. Taylor Lloyd and Taylor Rogers were both named to the NFCA Division II Player of the Year Watchlist in April, highlighting their impact among the nation's elite players. Lloyd and Rogers earned First Team All-GSC recognition, while Becca Benton and Emma Faulk were named to the Second Team All-GSC. Riley Tyree was selected to the GSC Gold Glove Team.
Lloyd and Rogers also earned regional recognition, being named D2CCA Second Team All-South Region selections after standout campaigns.
Many program records were broken throughout the historic season, including several all-time marks. Taylor Lloyd set single-season program records for wins and strikeouts while also becoming the program's all-time career leader in both categories. Taylor Rogers established a new single-season record for triples, while Bentlee Stiner became Montevallo's all-time RBI leader. Ariana Pinder set the career record for sacrifice flies, and Emma Hawkins became the program's all-time leader in sacrifice hits.
"While we didn't achieve every goal we set out to achieve, this team has a ton to be proud of, as the first in program history to make an NCAA Tournament, first nationally ranked team, and all while achieving very high academic accolades in the classroom," said Coach Wade. "The leadership provided by the nine seniors was incredible. They all have bright futures ahead of them and have built the framework for the success of this program."
From firsts to records to national recognition, the 2026 Falcons season established a new era for Montevallo softball and laid the foundation for continued success in the years ahead.
