Monji Named to NFCA Player Watchlist
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) - One-hundred-eighteen student-athletes from across the country were named to the 2026 NFCA Division III Pitcher and Player of the Year watchlist by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and Carnegie Mellon University senior Kira Monji is one player on the list.
The list is separated into the 10 NCAA regions and is compiled by the elected members of the NFCA Division III All-America Committee with one head coach representing each of the 10 NCAA regions.
Monji currently leads the Tartans with a .508 batting average and 31 hits. She also has 11 stolen bases. The senior second baseman his hit safely in 15 of 19 games, with two or more hits in 10 games. She has six games with three hits and currently has a six-game hitting streak with multiple hits in each game.
Voted on by the NFCA's Division III All-America Committee, the 2026 NFCA Player and NFCA/Portolite Pitcher of the Year winners will be announced on May 27 prior to the start of the NCAA Division III World Series.
Student-athletes do not have to be on this watchlist to be considered for end-of-season awards, which will be voted on by the members of the NFCA Division III All-America Committee. To be eligible to be selected for NFCA Player and NFCA/Portolite Pitcher of the Year honors, a student-athlete's head coach must be a member.
The NFCA Player of the Year award was created in 2016 to honor outstanding softball achievement in NCAA Division III. In 2019, the Association expanded the award to include separate Player and Pitcher of the Year honors.