BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Juniors Lily Hinkle, Kaylee Clarkson, and Jen Rodriguez of the Long Island University softball team, the NEC regular season champion, all earned major awards from the conference, the NEC announced on Wednesday.
Hinkle was named the NEC Player of the Year, while Clarkson received Golden Glove honors, and Rodriguez earned the Most Improved Player award. In addition, Hinkle and sophomore Ava Fairbanks were both listed as First-Team All-NEC, while Rodriguez, senior Nyae' Villalta, and senior Sarah Wall were all Second-Team All-NEC selections. Freshman Anais Soto was named to the NEC All-Rookie list.
A native of La Crescenta, California, Hinkle led the conference in several statistical categories during NEC play, including hits (38), runs scored (28), and stolen bases (19). The junior outfielder also finished top 10 in the conference in on base percentage (4th, .526), doubles (5th, eight), slugging percentage (6th, .690), OPS (6th, 1.216), batting average (6th, .452), walks (6th, 13), and home runs (T-8th, four).
A three-time NEC Player of the Week, Hinkle posted career-best marks in batting average, OBP, slugging percentage, OPS, at-bats, hits, runs scored, doubles, and stolen bases this season. Hinkle becomes LIU's first NEC Player of the Year in the Sharks era of the program, and the seventh overall in program history, which leads the NEC.
Hinkle's success on the base path is ranked high in Division I, with the junior checking in at 17th nationally in stolen bases, 28th in stolen bases per game (.55), and 31st in stolen base percentage (.853).
Hailing from Newbury Park, California, Clarkson becomes the fifth Golden Glove winner in program history, and the first since the 2024 season (Mari Narvaiz). The junior catcher/utility player appeared in all 53 games for the Sharks this spring, including making 49 appearances behind home plate, recording career-best marks in putouts (215), fielding percentage (.988), and baserunners caught stealing (13, ranked 23rd in Division I).
Clarkson's strong fielding season ranked highly across the conference, including a 1.000 fielding percentage during NEC Play (T-1st), while ranking fourth in putouts (134) and seventh in caught baserunners stealing (four). In overall games, Clarkson's 13 baserunners caught stealing were the second-most in the NEC, while her 215 putouts were the third-most in the conference.
Rodriguez, a native of Sylmar, California, saw an increase in several statistical categories this season compared to her 2025 campaign, including games started (53), batting average (.329), OBP (.464), slugging percentage (.469), at-bats (143), runs scored (22), hits (47), doubles (14, career-high), home runs (two), and RBI (33, tied career-high).
During NEC play, the junior utility player led the NEC in batting average (.493), on base percentage (.602), doubles (10), and fielding percentage (1.000, tied), while also checking in highly ranked in walks (T-3rd, 25), RBI (4th, 25), OPS (5th, 1.283), hits (T-5th, 34), and slugging percentage (7th, .681).
Playing her first season of Division I softball, Fairbanks took the NEC by storm, leading the conference in ERA (1st, 1.68), saves (1st, three), sacrifice bunts allowed (1st, one), and earned runs allowed (1st, 15) during NEC play. The East Greenwich, Rhode Island native also ranked in the top three in the conference in wins (2nd, 10), strikeouts (3rd, 69), and opposing batting average (3rd, .239).
Wall remained busy in the circle this spring, setting new career highs in both appearances (45) and starts (41), which were both the second-most in Division I. During conference play, Wall led the NEC in opposing batting average (.232), while also ranking in the top five in ERA (5th, 2.83), innings pitched (5th, 71.2), and strikeouts (5th, 49).
Villalta on the diamond during her senior season, recording career-highs in batting average (.354), on base percentage (.488), slugging percentage (.525), hits (35), runs scored (25), doubles (eight), home runs (three), walks (16), RBI (17), and stolen bases (12). The Upper Marlboro, Maryland native ranked top in the NEC in fielding percentage (T-1st, 1.000), stolen bases (eight), and on base percentage (.507) during NEC play this spring.
Soto made an immediate impact in her first season in Brooklyn, finishing the regular season with 48 appearances and 41 starts, a batting average of .252, an on base percentage of .358, 26 hits, 18 RBI, 22 runs scored, four doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 10 stolen bases. Her six stolen bases in NEC play were the 10th-most in the NEC.
Top-seeded LIU will host the NEC Softball Championship this week, with its opening-round matchup scheduled against No. 4 seed Le Moyne College at 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 7.
