Pierson and Mayhue Claim Top Honors as Softball Lands Six on All-BIG EAST Teams
5/6/2026 10:00:00 AM | Softball
Pierson ties Maranada Gutierrez as three-time Defensive Player of the Year recipient
OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton shortstop Ashten Pierson made history as she was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year for the third straight season and Keegan Mayhue earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors to highlight the Bluejay awards haul of BIG EAST Softball honors on Wednesday, May 6.
In addition to Pierson and Mayhue taking home major awards, Bluejays Lily West, Tara Vandewater, Erika Perez and Audrey Gilman were all recognized on the All-BIG EAST First Team, while Pierson and Kaelan Schultz took home All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.
This year's six all-conference selections are the most by a Bluejay squad since joining the league prior to the 2014 season and its most honorees since Creighton had seven all-conference selections in 2012.
Pierson become just the second player in BIG EAST history to be named Defensive Player of the Year three times, joining former DePaul great Maranada Gutierrez. Earning the nicknamed, the Wizard of Wamego, Pierson owned a .952 fielding percentage on 88 putouts, while ranking second in the BIG EAST with 110 total assists and combining on eight of the Bluejays' 20 double plays this season.
In addition, Pierson also earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team after logging a .352 batting average at the plate in league play, racking up 19 hits, two triples and a team-best 13 stolen bases.
Mayhue, meanwhile, became Creighton's first BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honoree, while joining Tara Oltman (2007) and Alexis Cantu (2012) as the only Bluejays to ever earn conference Freshman of the Year accolades.
The Elm Mott, Texas product was a two-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week recipient, finishing league play with a .348 batting average on 23 hits, while owning a team-high tying five home runs and 26 RBI. Overall, Mayhue leads the team and ranks sixth in the BIG EAST with 12 homers and is second on the team and seventh in program history with 45 RBI while hitting at a .315 clip.
West earned All-BIG EAST plaudits for the second time in as many season but was recognized as a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection for the first time in her career. The senior from Choctaw, Okla., led the conference with a .450 batting average, also ranking second in hits (36), seventh in runs (23), seventh in on-base percentage (.521) and eighth in slugging percentage (.675). West, one of the most consistent players in the BIG EAST over her four years, finished her career ranked third all-time in BIG EAST history with 118 career hits in league play.
In total, West has started all 54 games for the Bluejays, ranking second on the team with a .355 batting average on a team-best 60 hits with nine doubles, five home runs, 34 RBI and 36 runs scored. The standout catcher enters the BIG EAST Tournament as the all-time school record holder for at-bats (715), is second in career runs scored (133), third in career hits (242), fourth in career RBI (126), tied for sixth with a .338 career batting average, seventh in career total bases (320) and is tied for eighth in career doubles (35), all while starting all 220 games of her Bluejay career.
Joining West as a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST pick was sophomore Tara Vandewater. The Winterset, Iowa product finished the regular season ranked fourth in the league in batting average (.423) and ninth in hits (30), while driving in the second-most runs with 30 RBI in league play. In all games, Vandewater leads the Bluejays with a .372 batting average on 58 hits, including 11 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 53 RBI. Her 53 RBI this season are the third-most in a single season, while her 104 total bases are the eighth-most in a single season in program history.
Perez garnered All-BIG EAST First Team honors for the first time in her collegiate career. The Madera, Calif. native has had a huge season, ranking eighth in BIG EAST play with a .400 batting average with six doubles, two triples, a team-high tying five home runs and 24 RBI. The senior third baseman is one of six Bluejays to start all 54 games this season, ranking fourth on the team with a .338 batting average, second in doubles with 12 and third with eight home runs and 36 RBI.
Rounding out Creighton's first team selections was Gilman, who made quite a splash in her first season with the Bluejays. The Kampsville, Ill. product is the first Bluejay freshman to earn First Team All-BIG EAST honors since Sam Dellinger in 2017.
The standout right-hander led the BIG EAST with a perfect 10-0 record in the circle, logging two shutouts, a 4.12 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 83.1 innings of work during league action. Gilman's 10 BIG EAST wins this season are the second-most by a Bluejay pitcher since joining the league in 2014 as she became the first Bluejay to record a perfect 1.000 winning percentage with more than five wins in the circle during league play since at least 1998.
Schultz took home All-BIG EAST Second Team honors for the season straight season, boasting a .366 batting average on 26 hits, including six doubles, three home runs and a team-high 15 walks in league play this season. The Hastings, Neb. native has started all 54 games this season, ranking third on the team with a .348 batting average and tied for second with 12 doubles, while leading the team with 27 walks this spring.
In addition to Pierson's recognition as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and Mayhue as Freshman of the Year, other major award winners were UConn's Cat Petteys being named Player of the Year, Providence's Alyssa Twomey earning Pitcher of the Year, and Providence taking home the Coaching Staff of the Year honor.
Creighton (29-25, 17-7 BE) opens the 2026 BIG EAST Softball Championships presented by JEEP as the No. 3 seed and will play second-seeded UConn on Thursday at 3 p.m. CT at the Parkway Bank Softball Complex in Rosemont, Ill.
Below is a complete list of the All-BIG EAST teams and specialty award winners.
2026 BIG EAST Softball Major Awards & All-Conference Teams
BIG EAST Player of the Year: Cat Petteys, So., SS, UConn
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year: Alyssa Twomey, Jr., P, Pitcher
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year: Ashten Pierson, Jr., SS, Creighton
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year: Keegan Mayhue, Fr., 1B, Creighton
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year: Providence
All-BIG EAST First Team^
Makena Alexander, Jr., 1B, Butler
Hailey Conger, Sr., OF, Butler
Cate Lehner, Sr., OF, Butler
Cat Petteys, So., SS, UConn
Jessica Walter, Gr., P, UConn
Audrey Gilman, Fr., P, Creighton
Erika Perez, Sr., 3B, Creighton
Tara Vandewater, So., 2B, Creighton*
Lily West, Sr., C, Creighton*
Dayanara Campos, Sr., DP, Georgetown
Emily Jonte, Sr., OF, Providence
Alyssa Twomey, Jr., P, Providence*
Ana Serafinko, Sr., P, St. John's
Maranda Runco, Jr., 1B, Villanova
All-BIG EAST Second Team^
Maren Berger, RS-So., P, Butler
Katie Petran, Jr., P, Butler
Caprice Bohmer, Fr., P, UConn
Kaitlyn Kibling, Sr., CF, UConn
Savannah Ring, Sr., 2B, UConn
Ashten Pierson, Jr., SS, Creighton
Kaelan Schultz, Jr., DP, Creighton
Jolie Adams, So., OF, DePaul
Cameron Dunn, Jr., 2B, Providence
Hailey Frantz, Fr., C, Providence
Sofia Peterson, Sr., 3B, Providence
Julia Renny, Sr., 1B, Providence
Angelina Benitez, So., OF, Seton Hall
Erin Howard, Sr., C, Seton Hall
^Denotes a tie in voting
*Denotes a unanimous selection
In addition to Pierson and Mayhue taking home major awards, Bluejays Lily West, Tara Vandewater, Erika Perez and Audrey Gilman were all recognized on the All-BIG EAST First Team, while Pierson and Kaelan Schultz took home All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.
This year's six all-conference selections are the most by a Bluejay squad since joining the league prior to the 2014 season and its most honorees since Creighton had seven all-conference selections in 2012.
Pierson become just the second player in BIG EAST history to be named Defensive Player of the Year three times, joining former DePaul great Maranada Gutierrez. Earning the nicknamed, the Wizard of Wamego, Pierson owned a .952 fielding percentage on 88 putouts, while ranking second in the BIG EAST with 110 total assists and combining on eight of the Bluejays' 20 double plays this season.
In addition, Pierson also earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team after logging a .352 batting average at the plate in league play, racking up 19 hits, two triples and a team-best 13 stolen bases.
Mayhue, meanwhile, became Creighton's first BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honoree, while joining Tara Oltman (2007) and Alexis Cantu (2012) as the only Bluejays to ever earn conference Freshman of the Year accolades.
The Elm Mott, Texas product was a two-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week recipient, finishing league play with a .348 batting average on 23 hits, while owning a team-high tying five home runs and 26 RBI. Overall, Mayhue leads the team and ranks sixth in the BIG EAST with 12 homers and is second on the team and seventh in program history with 45 RBI while hitting at a .315 clip.
West earned All-BIG EAST plaudits for the second time in as many season but was recognized as a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection for the first time in her career. The senior from Choctaw, Okla., led the conference with a .450 batting average, also ranking second in hits (36), seventh in runs (23), seventh in on-base percentage (.521) and eighth in slugging percentage (.675). West, one of the most consistent players in the BIG EAST over her four years, finished her career ranked third all-time in BIG EAST history with 118 career hits in league play.
In total, West has started all 54 games for the Bluejays, ranking second on the team with a .355 batting average on a team-best 60 hits with nine doubles, five home runs, 34 RBI and 36 runs scored. The standout catcher enters the BIG EAST Tournament as the all-time school record holder for at-bats (715), is second in career runs scored (133), third in career hits (242), fourth in career RBI (126), tied for sixth with a .338 career batting average, seventh in career total bases (320) and is tied for eighth in career doubles (35), all while starting all 220 games of her Bluejay career.
Joining West as a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST pick was sophomore Tara Vandewater. The Winterset, Iowa product finished the regular season ranked fourth in the league in batting average (.423) and ninth in hits (30), while driving in the second-most runs with 30 RBI in league play. In all games, Vandewater leads the Bluejays with a .372 batting average on 58 hits, including 11 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 53 RBI. Her 53 RBI this season are the third-most in a single season, while her 104 total bases are the eighth-most in a single season in program history.
Perez garnered All-BIG EAST First Team honors for the first time in her collegiate career. The Madera, Calif. native has had a huge season, ranking eighth in BIG EAST play with a .400 batting average with six doubles, two triples, a team-high tying five home runs and 24 RBI. The senior third baseman is one of six Bluejays to start all 54 games this season, ranking fourth on the team with a .338 batting average, second in doubles with 12 and third with eight home runs and 36 RBI.
Rounding out Creighton's first team selections was Gilman, who made quite a splash in her first season with the Bluejays. The Kampsville, Ill. product is the first Bluejay freshman to earn First Team All-BIG EAST honors since Sam Dellinger in 2017.
The standout right-hander led the BIG EAST with a perfect 10-0 record in the circle, logging two shutouts, a 4.12 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 83.1 innings of work during league action. Gilman's 10 BIG EAST wins this season are the second-most by a Bluejay pitcher since joining the league in 2014 as she became the first Bluejay to record a perfect 1.000 winning percentage with more than five wins in the circle during league play since at least 1998.
Schultz took home All-BIG EAST Second Team honors for the season straight season, boasting a .366 batting average on 26 hits, including six doubles, three home runs and a team-high 15 walks in league play this season. The Hastings, Neb. native has started all 54 games this season, ranking third on the team with a .348 batting average and tied for second with 12 doubles, while leading the team with 27 walks this spring.
In addition to Pierson's recognition as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and Mayhue as Freshman of the Year, other major award winners were UConn's Cat Petteys being named Player of the Year, Providence's Alyssa Twomey earning Pitcher of the Year, and Providence taking home the Coaching Staff of the Year honor.
Creighton (29-25, 17-7 BE) opens the 2026 BIG EAST Softball Championships presented by JEEP as the No. 3 seed and will play second-seeded UConn on Thursday at 3 p.m. CT at the Parkway Bank Softball Complex in Rosemont, Ill.
Below is a complete list of the All-BIG EAST teams and specialty award winners.
2026 BIG EAST Softball Major Awards & All-Conference Teams
BIG EAST Player of the Year: Cat Petteys, So., SS, UConn
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year: Alyssa Twomey, Jr., P, Pitcher
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year: Ashten Pierson, Jr., SS, Creighton
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year: Keegan Mayhue, Fr., 1B, Creighton
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year: Providence
All-BIG EAST First Team^
Makena Alexander, Jr., 1B, Butler
Hailey Conger, Sr., OF, Butler
Cate Lehner, Sr., OF, Butler
Cat Petteys, So., SS, UConn
Jessica Walter, Gr., P, UConn
Audrey Gilman, Fr., P, Creighton
Erika Perez, Sr., 3B, Creighton
Tara Vandewater, So., 2B, Creighton*
Lily West, Sr., C, Creighton*
Dayanara Campos, Sr., DP, Georgetown
Emily Jonte, Sr., OF, Providence
Alyssa Twomey, Jr., P, Providence*
Ana Serafinko, Sr., P, St. John's
Maranda Runco, Jr., 1B, Villanova
All-BIG EAST Second Team^
Maren Berger, RS-So., P, Butler
Katie Petran, Jr., P, Butler
Caprice Bohmer, Fr., P, UConn
Kaitlyn Kibling, Sr., CF, UConn
Savannah Ring, Sr., 2B, UConn
Ashten Pierson, Jr., SS, Creighton
Kaelan Schultz, Jr., DP, Creighton
Jolie Adams, So., OF, DePaul
Cameron Dunn, Jr., 2B, Providence
Hailey Frantz, Fr., C, Providence
Sofia Peterson, Sr., 3B, Providence
Julia Renny, Sr., 1B, Providence
Angelina Benitez, So., OF, Seton Hall
Erin Howard, Sr., C, Seton Hall
^Denotes a tie in voting
*Denotes a unanimous selection
Players Mentioned
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INF
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INF
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INF
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UTL
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C/UTL
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