CEDARVILLE, Ohio - The NCCAA has released the honorees of the Midwest Regional awards. The Malone University softball teams had several representatives listed as 2026 All-Regional award winners.
 
NCCAA Midwest Regional Coach of the Year went to Malone Softball Head Coach Jeff Hite. The veteran Hite just completed his fifth season with the program and compiled a record of 25-19 in 2026. It is the team's third consecutive year with 20 or more victories. Hite is one win away from 100 in his collegiate coaching career and has the second-most wins in Malone softball history.
 
Mia Rose was voted the Midwest Regional Pitcher of the Year after a very successful junior season in the circle. She was third in the NCCAA with a 2.01 ERA over 150.0 innings of work. She compiled a 14-11 record with 20 complete games, four shutouts and one save with 137 strikeouts. Rose broke the school record for most strikeouts in a career as a junior. Along with her efforts as a pitcher, Rose was also a member of the First Team for the second time with her work in the batter's box. She had a .308 batting average with three homeruns and a team-high 30 RBIs.
 
For the first time in her career, sophomore outfielder Morgan Cantrell was selected as a First Team All-Midwest Region. Cantrell's .347 batting average led the program in 2026. She also had the most total hits (43), triples (5) and stolen bases (18). She scored 26 runs and drove in 16 runs with just nine strikeouts as an every day member of the starting lineup for the Pioneers.
 
Sophomore Jessie Crookston was chosen as a First Team All-Regional student-athlete as well. The outfielder hit .296 with 21 runs scored, 24 RBIs and had 12 stolen bases. Crookston tied for the team-lead with nine doubles and was one of five players with at least one homerun. It is her first time being selected as an NCCAA Midwest Region Student-Athlete.
 
Marlee Pireu was a First Team All-Midwest Region choice for the first time in her career. The sophomore infielder led the way in the power department with five homeruns in 2026. She had a .311 batting average with a team-high 35 runs scored and 24 RBIs. Pireu was a key piece defensively at third base with just one error in 80 chances (.988 fielding percentage).