Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

UNC Wilmington Athletics

Scoreboard

Events/Results

Relay and Biddle at Elon

Softball Brandon Sans

CAA Tabs Biddle as Preseason Player of the Year

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – UNCW junior infielder Madison Biddle headlined Coastal Athletic Association Softball Preseason accolades as the league's Preseason Player of the Year following a vote of the CAA's 11 head coaches.

Biddle is joined on the Preseason All-CAA team by junior outfielder Cassidy Relay, while junior right-hander Makayla Huddleston earned Honorable Mention notice.

The Seahawks were projected to finish third in the CAA South Division, behind reigning league champion Elon and two-time runner-up Campbell. Stony Brook and Hofstra were picked to finish tied atop the North Division.

The 2025 All-CAA First Teamer and NFCA All-Region Second-Teamer finished a breakout second-year campaign with a .397 batting average, eight home runs, 33 RBI and 22 stolen bases. Biddle recorded three or more hits in five games one year ago, including a two-homer game against Queens.

As a freshman in 2024, Biddle was named to the All-CAA Tournament Team after helping UNCW to the league title.

Relay, like Biddle, earns her first preseason honor after hitting .343 with 34 stolen bases while starting all 50 games atop the Seahawk lineup. The Colts Neck, N.J., native collected 16 multi-hit games and was one of three UNCW players to fashion a double-digit reached base streak in 2025.

A Michigan State transfer, Huddleston turned in a phenomenal debut season with the Seahawks, posting a 13-9 record with a 2.09 ERA across 130.2 innings. The Kent, Ohio, native limited opponents to a .197 batting average and struck out 103 batters.

Huddleston authored the sixth no-hitter in UNCW history on Mar. 28, 2025, at Monmouth with a five-inning, three-strikeout effort.

UNCW opens the 2026 season with the first of three home tournaments this season. The Seahawks will host Appalachian State, Kennesaw State and George Washington from Feb. 6-8.

2026 CAA SOFTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
CAA Preseason Coaches Poll
North Division
Team (1st place votes) Points
Stony Brook (3) 14
Hofstra (2) 14
Towson 10
Monmouth 8
Drexel 4
South Division
Team (1st place votes) Points
Elon (4) 23
Campbell (1) 20
UNCW 17
Charleston (1) 15
N.C. A&T 8
Hampton 7
 
CAA Preseason Player of the Year
Madison Biddle, UNCW
 
2026 Preseason All-CAA Team
Player Team Pos. Class Hometown
Grace Franczyk Towson C Sr. Blue Bell, Pa.
Hannah Cornetto Campbell 1B So. Suwanee, Ga.
Greta Hessenthaler Elon 2B Jr. Liberty, N.C.
Amber DeSena Campbell 3B Grad. Concord, Calif.
Madison Biddle UNCW SS Jr. Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
Chloe Hatzopoulos Elon OF R-Sr. Huntersville, N.C.
Charlie Montgomery Campbell OF Sr. Lumber Bridge, N.C.
Cassidy Relay UNCW OF Jr. Colts Neck, N.J.
Allyiah Swiney Campbell OF Sr. Hamlet, N.C.
Kayla Wilson Elon UTIL (non-P) So. Graham, N.C.
Crimson Rice Stony Brook UTIL/P So. Spokane, Wash.
Emma Falen Hofstra P Sr. Folsom, Calif.
Mackenzie Mathis Charleston P So. Lexington, S.C.
 
Honorable Mentions: Alyssa Armijo, Campbell (2B) / Carmynn Bonner, Hampton (OF) / Madison Ford, Campbell (C) / Trinity Glover, N.C. A&T (3B) / Lauren Hardy, N.C. A&T (P) / Makayla Huddleston, UNCW (P) / Ryley Kutter, Charleston (P) / Austy Miller, Charleston (SS) / Alanna Morse, Hofstra (SS) / Kylah Reading, Drexel (OF) / Briyana Wright, Towson (3B)
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Madison Biddle

#14 Madison Biddle

IF
5' 4"
Junior
R/R
Makayla Huddleston

#52 Makayla Huddleston

P
5' 4"
Junior
R/R
Cassidy Relay

#33 Cassidy Relay

OF
5' 2"
Junior
L/L

Players Mentioned

Madison Biddle

#14 Madison Biddle

5' 4"
Junior
R/R
IF
Makayla Huddleston

#52 Makayla Huddleston

5' 4"
Junior
R/R
P
Cassidy Relay

#33 Cassidy Relay

5' 2"
Junior
L/L
OF