ORLANDO, Fla. – Emma Chisholm headlined Florida Tech softball's SSC postseason honors as the Panthers earned multiple all-conference selections following a strong 2026 campaign. Chisholm was named SSC Player of the Year and All-SSC First Team, while four Panthers landed on the Second Team and two earned All-Defensive Team recognition.
Emma Chisholm highlighted Florida Tech's postseason honors with an All-SSC First Team selection at first base and being names Player of the Year, while Sammy Murphy (pitcher), Miranda Schwartz (third base), Chloe Fariello (utility/pitcher), and Malaya Nelson (designated player) earned All-SSC Second Team recognition. Fariello and Nelson each secured their second straight all-conference selections, becoming the first Panthers to accomplish the feat at the same positions since Jolie Miracle and Cheyenne Nelson in 2022-23, and the first to do so during their freshman and sophomore seasons since Rachel Pence in 2014-15.
Schwartz and Ella Niles also collected SSC All-Defensive Team honors at third base and outfield, respectively, becoming the only Panthers to earn multiple selections to the defensive team since the award was introduced in 2022.
Emma Chisholm captured Florida Tech's third-ever SSC Player of the Year honor after producing one of the best seasons in program history. The junior led the conference in batting average (.434), home runs (19), home runs per game, on-base percentage (.511), slugging percentage (.882), and total bases (134), while also ranking second in RBI (61) and hits (66).
In her first season in Melbourne, the Lake Sumter transfer rewrote the Panther record book, setting single-season program marks in home runs, RBI, extra-base hits (30), slugging percentage, and total bases while also moving into the top five in batting average and on-base percentage. Nationally, the Valrico native ranked among the Division II leaders in home runs, home runs per game, and slugging percentage. Her 19 home runs are the second most in a single season in SSC history and the highest total by a conference player since 2005.
Chisholm dominated SSC competition with a .417 batting average and 10 home runs in conference play, homering against eight of the league's 10 opponents. Defensively, she was also a steady presence at first base, recording 280 putouts and a .976 fielding percentage.
Moving up the First Team this year, Chloe Fariello proved to be one of the toughest outs in the SSC all season long, turning in three perfect games at the plate and recording 15 multi-hit performances, highlighted by a five-hit outing against Palm Beach Atlantic. The sophomore finished with a .402 batting average, the ninth-highest single-season mark in program history, while her .471 on-base percentage ranked third all-time at Florida Tech. Her .465 average in conference play led the entire SSC. At the plate, the Lake Worth native totaled nine doubles, four triples, 21 RBI, 18 walks, and 17 stolen bases. Fariello also contributed significantly in the circle, appearing in 14 games with 10 starts, posting a 6-4 record across 60.2 innings while striking out 32 batters and issuing just 11 walks. Defensively, Fariello made an impact both as a pitcher and outfielder, finishing the season with 72 putouts and 18 assists while posting a .938 fielding percentage.
Miranda Schwartz put together a career season in her fourth year with the Panthers, earning All-SSC Second Team recognition after excelling both at the plate and in the field. The Lutz native posted career highs in batting average (.303), home runs (11), doubles (10), and RBI (39) while cementing her place in program history. Her 11 home runs pushed her career total to 25, breaking Florida Tech's all-time home run record that had stood for 24 years. Schwartz delivered in some of the Panthers' biggest matchups of the season, including a 4-for-4 performance with a home run and three RBI against No. 9 Angelo State, while also homering against No. 18 Rogers State and No. 11 Indianapolis.
Defensively, Schwartz was one of the top third basemen in the SSC, totaling 100 assists and 63 putouts with a .970 fielding percentage. Her consistency in the field earned her a second career SSC All-Defensive Team selection.
Malaya Nelson continued her strong start to her collegiate career, earning All-SSC Second Team honors for the second consecutive season after another consistent year at the plate and in the field. The sophomore was one of the toughest hitters to strike out in the conference, going down just three times all season and never striking out during SSC play. Nelson finished the year batting .313 with six doubles and two triples while making 49 starts across multiple positions for the Panthers. Defensively, she was reliable wherever she was placed, recording 32 putouts and an assist without committing an error all season.
Sammy Murphy earned the first All-SSC honor of her career after a standout redshirt sophomore campaign in the circle. The Deerfield Beach native consistently kept hitters off balance, finishing the season with a 2.14 ERA, a 16-7 record, 18 complete games, three shutouts, two saves, and 118 strikeouts across 154 innings in 26 appearances and 22 starts. Murphy ranked among the SSC leaders in ERA, starts, and innings pitched while delivering several key performances throughout the year, including major wins over No. 6 North Georgia and No. 9 Angelo State. She also showcased strong awareness and defensive instincts, catching six runners stealing during the season.
Ella Niles earned SSC All-Defensive Team honors in the outfield for the second time in her career, previously receiving the recognition in 2024. The junior recorded 53 putouts and three assists while committing just one error all season for a .982 fielding percentage, while also batting .261 at the plate.
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SCHOLARS. CHAMPIONS. LEADERS.
