(Story courtesy of Texas Lutheran University Athletics Communications)
SEGUIN, Texas -- Texas Lutheran Softball earned three 2026 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Americans as announced by the organization on Wednesday, May 27. NFCA All-American Release
Seniors Caelee Clark and Katelyn Howard were named NFCA First Team All-Americans while Taylor Vannett earned a spot on the second team. The three honorees tie with Trine and WPI for the second most honorees while Virginia Wesleyan led with six All-Americans.
Calee Clark, the NCAA's all-time stolen base leader with 306 in her career, was named the New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe recipient for the third time in her career. Clark is the first player on any level or in any organization to win the honor three times. The Golden Shoe honor is the fourth straight for Texas Lutheran and fifth overall, passing Virginia Wesleyan for the most Golden Shoe award honors in the award's history and is the longest such streak for one program in the award's history.
Texas Lutheran has 21 NFCA All-Americans all-time, 19 of which have come during head coach Wade Wilson's tenure. TLU has had at least two first team honorees every year since 2024 and at least two on the NFCA All-American team for the past six years. Historically, the SCAC has produced 25 NFCA All-Americans in conference history.
Clark is an All-American for the third time in her career after making the first team in 2024 and the second team in 2023. The senior was tabbed as the second baseman after leading the team with a .494 average and leading the nation with 76 runs scored and a Division-III record 89 stolen bases. The lefty bat recorded 81 hits, finishing fourth in Division-III, 26 RBI, 22 walks, five doubles, and two triples. In 2026, Clark became the first player in NCAA Division-III history to post a 70-70-70 season with 70+ hits, runs, and stolen bases.
Historically, Clark cemented herself as one of the best Division-II players ever. In addition to her program and conference records, Clark leaves Seguin ranking fifth in D-III history in career runs scored (246) and in the top 25 in hits (263) while leading all three levels in stolen bases.
Howard has stacked up awards in her senior season, adding to SCAC Pitcher of the Year, All-SCAC First Team, and All-West Region First Team honors. The righty pitcher was named SCAC Pitcher of the Week four times this year and NFCA National Pitcher of the Week twice, with her first honors coming after her Opening Day no-hitter against Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Waller, Texas, native finished 22-2 with a 1.03 ERA, 91 strikeouts, 17 complete games, a save, and a .239 batting average against in 149.0 innings pitched. Howard will leave the program with the highest winning percentage in program history, finishing her career 33-2 (.943).
Vannett was stellar with the bat and the glove this season, holding down the catcher position and the middle of the order to become the first catcher in program history to be named an NFCA All-American. The senior was a All-SCAC First Team and All-West Region Second Team honoree. She was also named SCAC Hitter of the Week on April 27. The Kingwood, Texas, native set the TLU and SCAC single-season record for RBI with 66 in 2026. With 46 games played and 45 starts, Vannett produced three homers, 66 RBI, 17 doubles, a triple, 33 runs, a .438 batting average and led the nation with 13 sacrifice flies. In the field, Vannett threw nine runners out in 2026 and finished with a .346 runner caught stealing percentage. She only made one error in 165 total chances and only had two passed balls behind the plate for the Bulldogs.
The Golden Shoe recognizes the nation's most prolific base stealer when accounting for strength of schedule and other statistical categories. Clark led NCAA Division-III with her record 89 stolen bases during the 2026 campaign. She finished the season eight stolen bases ahead of Pfeiffer's Landry Stewart, 20 stolen bases clear of the highest athlete at the Division-II level and 43 clear of the Division-I leader, Avery Dinges of Mount St. Mary's. Clark is the first three-time Golden Shoe winner in the award's history since the award began in 2014. The Montgomery, Texas product became the first athlete in NCAA history to steal 80+ bases twice in a career. Clark swiped her 89 bases in 92 attempts (1st in NCAA), and also led the country in stolen bases per game (1.85), which ranks eighth in NCAA Division-III history.
