Lebanon, IL - The Great Lakes Valley Conference has continued to roll out its end-of-year awards, recently announcing all the league's Scholar Athlete of the Year awards for each of its Winter and Spring sports. Coming off an extensive season of awards as NCAA Division II National Runners-Up, the second-ranked Bearcat Softball team tacked on one more award with Lauren Harris representing the conference as the Softball Scholar Athlete of the Year. 

LAUREN HARRIS | Sr. | Shortstop | Woodlawn, Ill. | Exercise Science Major

• Named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Unanimous First Team All-American and D2CCA First Team All-American.
  • Also garnered NFCA First Team All-Region and D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year.
• Voted GLVC Player of the Year and selected to the All-GLVC First Team.
• Batted .478 with 97 hits, 21 doubles, 21 home runs, 71 RBIs, and an .876 slugging percentage.
  • Also posted a .979 fielding percentage while striking out just 12 times.
• Ranked second nationally in hits and home runs, third in runs scored, ninth in slugging percentage, 10th in RBIs, 11th in batting average, and 14th in doubles.
• Helped Bearcats capture the NCAA Midwest Regional and Super Regional championships before advancing to the NCAA DII Championship Finals.
  • Named to the NCAA DII Championship All-Tournament Team.
• Claimed GLVC Player of the Week honors twice.
• Started all 68 games for McKendree.
• Achieved a perfect 4.0 semester GPA, holding a 3.828 cumulative mark.
• Earned CSC First Team Academic All-America and Academic All-District recognition, along with President's List honors.

THE HARRIS AWARD PROFILE - FULL ATHLETIC AWARD LIST
2026 (SENIOR)
NFCA National Player of the Year Watchlist (2nd Time)
NFCA Unanimous First Team All-American (2nd Time)
GLVC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
CSC Academic All-American First Team
CSC Academic All-District
NFCA First Team All-Region (4th Time)
D2CCA First Team All-American (3rd Time)
D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year (3rd Time)
D2CAA First Team All-Region (3rd Time)
GLVC Player of the Year (3rd Time)
Unanimous First Team All-GLVC (4th Time)
2-Time GLVC Player of the Week (9th Career)

2025 (JUNIOR)
NFCA National Player of the Year Watchlist
NFCA Third Team All-American
D2CCA First Team All-American
D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year
Unanimous First Team All-GLVC

2024 (SOPHOMORE)
NFCAA/NCAA Division II National Player of the Year
D2CCA National Player of the Year
NFCA First Team All-American
D2CCA First Team All-American
D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year
GLVC Player of the Year
Unanimous First Team All-GLVC

2023 (FRESHMAN)
NFCA Third Team All-American
GLVC Player of the Year
GLVC Freshman of the Year
Unanimous First Team All-GLVC