MARSHALL, Texas – Winning the past three American Southwest Conference Tournaments, East Texas Baptist University has been chosen as the favorite for 2026. ETBU went 43-5 last season winning the NCAA Marshall, Texas Regional Tournament and hosting the Super Regional finishing ranked ninth in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll.
 
ETBU received 32 points and all eight first-place votes as the favorite this year. They were 15-1 last year winning their third-straight ASC Tournament Championship. They hosted both the NCAA Marshall, Texas Regional and Super Regional. Avery Holland, Katelynn Jones, and Izabella Morales are on the ASC Players to Watch list.
 
Holland, who was a NFCA All-American Third-Team selection, leads the returners as a two-time All-ASC First Teamer. Morales was a 2025 NFCA All-Region First-Team member and on the NCAA Marshall, Texas All-Regional and ASC All-Tournament teams while being named All-ASC First-Team. Jones made the NFCA All-Region Third-Team and was also All-ASC First-Team as a freshman.
 
Mallory Pyle was voted onto the All-ASC Third-Team as a catcher and is a three-time All-ASC selection as she is the lone senior on the team. Ava 'Bevo' Rodriguez also made the All-ASC Third-Team at first base and is a two-time All-ASC selection.
 
ETBU opens the 2026 season on Saturday, February 7, hosting Austin College in a double header at 1:00 p.m.