ITHACA, N.Y. - Senior catcher
Lauren Holt has been named Ivy League Co-Player of the Year and headlines Cornell's All-Ivy selections alongside first-year utility
Tarisa Frans, sophomore infielder
Charlize Cai, and first-year infielder
Sofia Hernandez. Junior pitcher
Laney Freiband also earned Academic All-Ivy honors. Holt becomes just the third player in program history to be named Ivy League Player of the Year and the first since Alyson Intihar '10 earned her second consecutive honor in 2010.
"Im genuinely thrilled and so excited for Lauren. This is a huge honor that reflects her hard work and the respect she has earned across the league. She's put together one of the most remarkable seasons in Cornell and Ivy League history and we couldn't be prouder to see her recognized for everything she has accomplished," said
Tara Smith, the interim Jan Rock Zubrow '77 Head Coach of Softball.
Cornell saw two first-year athletes in Frans and Hernandez make the All-Ivy list. "To have two first-years recognized on All-Ivy, with Tarisa earning unanimous first-team honors and Sofia on the second team, says a lot about their impact right away. It's only the beginning for both of them, and we're excited to see what's ahead.", Smith added.
Holt's outstanding career ends with a unanimous first-team selection, along with Frans claming a unanimous first-team selection as a first-year. "Lauren and Tarisa were unanimous first-team selections, and it's a reflection of how steady they were all season. The game never got too big for them, they approached every inning with confidence and composure."
Cai put on a strong season herself, proving her flexibility and consistency in big moments throughout the year. "Charlize was as consistent and dependable as they come. She moved between multiple positions throughout the season and never skipped a beat.", Smith said.
"I'm genuinely so proud of all of our athletes. This group is a great representation of what our program is about, both on and off the field.", Smith concluded with.
Lauren Holt - Ivy League Co-Player of The Year
Holt put together a historic season, leading Cornell in batting average (.474), runs scored (48), hits (64), home runs (19), RBI (66), total bases (137), slugging percentage (1.015), walks (30), and on-base percentage (.565). She started all 43 games and was the centerpiece of the Big Red lineup, combining elite contact ability with overwhelming power. Holt's 19 home runs and 66 RBI were the clear top marks on the team, and her 14 doubles and one triple helped her produce a massive 1.580 OPS. She also showed strong plate discipline, striking out only nine times in 135 at-bats while drawing 30 walks.
Holt went 12-for-14 in stolen base attempts, making her one of Cornell's most complete offensive threats. She recorded 76 putouts, 19 assists, and a .950 fielding percentage while also handling catching duties for part of the season.
Holt's senior season was filled with historic moments, rewriting both the Cornell and Ivy League record books. The Big Red slugger finished second in Ivy League history in career home runs with 46, trailing only Cornell alum Lauren May '05. In the final game of the season, Holt launched a two-run homer that proved to be the difference in Cornell's 8-6 victory over Brown, setting a new Ivy League single-season record with 19 home runs.
Tarisa Frans - First Team All-Ivy
Frans had an outstanding all-around season and was one of Cornell's most consistent offensive performers. She hit .450 across 40 games and 39 starts, finishing second on the team in batting average, runs scored (46), hits (59), and on-base percentage (.510). Frans also added six doubles, two triples, one home run, 28 RBI, 72 total bases, and a .550 slugging percentage. Her ability to reach base and create pressure was a major part of Cornell's offense, and she went 11-for-12 on stolen base attempts. Frans struck out only 11 times in 131 at-bats, showing a strong contact profile while also drawing 17 walks.
She was dependable in the field, posting a .970 fielding percentage with 63 putouts, one assist, and only two errors.
Frans' stellar freshman campaign earned her a spot on the NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 25 list, making her the lone Ivy League representative recognized nationally. She also became the first player in Cornell softball history to earn a place on the prestigious watch list, further cementing one of the most impactful freshman seasons the program has seen.
Sofia Hernandez - Second Team All-Ivy
Hernandez delivered a strong power-hitting season while also providing reliable infield defense. She hit .351 over 39 games and 37 starts, totaling 33 hits, 20 runs, five doubles, seven home runs, 26 RBI, and 59 total bases. Hernandez's .628 slugging percentage ranked among the best on the team, behind only Holt, and her seven home runs were second on the roster. She also showed strong plate discipline, drawing 18 walks while posting a .437 on-base percentage. Hernandez was efficient on the bases, going 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts.
Defensively, she recorded 105 total chances with 37 putouts, 64 assists, four errors, two double plays turned, and a .962 fielding percentage, making her a productive two-way contributor throughout the season.
Charlize Cai - Second Team All-Ivy
Cai was one of Cornell's most productive and versatile players, starting 42 of 43 games while ranking near the top of the team in several offensive categories. She hit .377 with 55 hits, 41 runs, 12 doubles, one triple, one home run, and 30 RBI. Cai led the team in at-bats with 146, showing her steady presence in the lineup, and she finished tied for second on the team in total bases with 72. Her .493 slugging percentage and .400 on-base percentage reflected a strong combination of contact, gap power, and run production. She also went 8-for-10 in stolen base attempts.
Cai handled one of the heavier defensive workloads on the roster with 157 total chances, 64 putouts, 82 assists, and five double plays turned, finishing with a .930 fielding percentage. She also made one pitching appearance, throwing one inning and allowing three runs, all unearned.
2026 Ivy League Awards and Teams:
CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Lauren Holt, Cornell
CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Jade Montgomery, Penn
PITCHER OF THE YEAR:
Mads Lawson, Columbia
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Mads Lawson, Columbia
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR:
Princeton
FIRST TEAM^
P – Mads Lawson, Columbia*
P – Cassidy Shaw, Princeton*
C –
Lauren Holt, Cornell*
1B – Jade Montgomery, Penn*
2B – Graciela Dominguez, Princeton*
3B – Sonia Zhang, Princeton
SS – Sophie Sun, Harvard
OF –
Tarisa Frans, Cornell*
OF – Audrey Szollosi, Harvard
OF – Gigi Ganje, Penn
UTIL – Libby Peoples, Yale
P/UTIL – Nicolette Hunter, Harvard
DP – Karis Ford, Princeton
SECOND TEAM^
P – Riley Flynn, Harvard
P – Ellie Joseph, Yale
C – Maddie Ratcheson, Princeton
1B – Sarah Mikami, Columbia
2B – Finley Payne, Harvard
3B –
Sofia Hernandez, Cornell
SS – JuJu O'Brien, Columbia
SS – Julia Dumais, Princeton
OF – Olivia Schramm, Dartmouth
OF – Abby Hornberger, Princeton
OF – Mia Valenzuela, Princeton
UTIL –
Charlize Cai, Cornell
P/UTIL – Macy Borowski, Brown
DP – Delaney Smith, Penn
HONORABLE MENTION:
P – Kelly Zybura, Penn
P – Emma Taylor, Yale
C – Quinn Salazar-Stewart, Harvard
1B – Abby Bettencourt, Brown
2B – Faby Serna, Dartmouth
3B – Hannah Ziecik, Harvard
OF – Jasmine Hsiao, Brown
OF – Eleni Katsivalis, Columbia
OF – Sheila Forbes, Harvard
OF – Julieta Roa, Princeton
UTIL – Lexi Youngren, Penn
DP – Caylene Nguyen, Columbia
