Bringing you news and notes coming from the American Athletic Conference in women's sports from both the athletic field and in the classroom as soon as news breaks.
The American Athletic Conference directors of athletics have approved the venues and host cities for the American Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships for the next three seasons.
The 2026 Championships will be held at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama. The 2027 and 2028 championships will be held at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.
Both venues will host the American championships for the first time.
“We are thrilled to bring our basketball championships to Birmingham and Tampa,” said American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti. “Our top priority when we began this bid process was to deliver the best possible experience for our student-athletes. The ability of Birmingham and Tampa to accommodate both championships and the year-round support that we will receive from their respective local committees will help to make these events an unforgettable experience for our players and fans.”
Legacy Arena at the BJCC is an 18,000-capacity arena that hosts national and international touring concerts, productions and sporting events each year and underwent a $125 million modernization in 2021. Most recently, the venue hosted the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Regionals and the 2025 SEC Women’s Gymnastics Championships. The arena previously hosted the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds and will host that event again in 2028.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome the American Athletic Conference to Legacy Arena,” said Tad Snider, executive director & CEO of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. “With the recent NCAA Women’s Regionals, the 2023 Men’s First and Second Rounds, and another set of Men’s Rounds scheduled for 2027, Birmingham has firmly established itself as a premier destination for championship basketball. We’re proud to showcase our vibrant city and world-class venue, and we look forward to delivering an unforgettable experience for student-athletes, fans, and the entire American Athletic Conference community.”
The Yuengling Center hosts more than 300 events each year, including sporting events, concerts and family shows. It includes a 10,500-seat arena and has undergone more than $43 million in renovations since 2000. The Tampa Bay area has hosted the 1999 NCAA Men’s Final Four, four NCAA Women’s Final Fours (2008, 2015, 2019, 2025), NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds (1983, 2003, 2008, 2011) and NCAA Men’s Regional Semifinals and Finals (1998).
“Tampa Bay has a rich tradition for hosting amazing college basketball events and this announcement in tandem with our friends at the American Athletic Conference is an exciting next chapter for us,” said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. “Coming off the heels of our record-setting fourth NCAA Women’s Final Four in April and in anticipation of hosting the 2026 NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds next March, our community is ready to roll out the red carpet for the members of the American Athletic Conference for an exciting run of men’s and women’s championship basketball at the Yuengling Center.”
The American’s membership in men’s and women’s basketball includes UAB, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, UTSA, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. The American has produced four NCAA championship teams in basketball (three women, one men) as well as two Men’s Final Four teams, six Women’s Final Four teams and an NIT championship team. Five current members of The American (Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Temple, Wichita State) have reached the Final Four in men’s basketball, most recently Florida Atlantic in 2023.
American Athletic Conference Players of the Week
The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly softball awards for the week ending Sunday, May 4.
Player of the Week
Alex Wilkes, So., OF, South Florida
Wilkes helped secure the No. 2 seed in The American Softball Championship and a bye to the semifinals with a nine RBI week in the sweep over UTSA. Wilkes recorded a hit and RBI in every game against the Roadrunners.
Pitcher of the Week
Jaden Martinez, Jr., Florida Atlantic
Martinez tossed a perfect game on Saturday, not allowing a baserunner in seven innings in the circle. It was the first perfect game since 2022 for the Owls and the first in The American since 2023. It marks the sixth perfect game in conference history.
Honorable Mention
Kari Shedrick, Sr., DP, Charlotte
Shedrick held an impressive 2.000 slugging percentage with four extra base hits and two home runs in the sweep against UAB.
Taylor Apple, So., P, East Carolina
Apple tied a season-high with nine strikeouts in East Carolina’s series-clinching win over North Texas.
Morgan Johnson, Gr., 1B, East Carolina
Johnson recorded a hit and scored a run in every game of the series sweep over North Texas.
Kiley Shelton, So., OF/DP, Florida Atlantic
Shelton recorded a hit in every game, including two home runs in the American championship-clinching win against Tulsa on Friday.
Anne Long, Fr., P, South Florida
Long earned a pair of wins in the sweep over UTSA, not allowing an earned run in 7.0 innings across three appearances.
American Athletic News and Notes From the Diamond
The 2025 American Athletic Conference Softball announced its regular-season awards, including major individual honors, All-Conference teams, and the All-Freshman team, as selected by the conference’s 10 head coaches.
Charlotte’s Jenna Lord made history as the first 49er to be named American Player of the Year, while Autumn Courtney of Florida Atlantic earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Florida Atlantic’s Jesiana Mora was named Defensive Player of the Year, and the Owls’ coaching staff was recognized as the Coaching Staff of the Year for the second consecutive season. Jaylah Jarrell of Charlotte and Ryley Nihart of Wichita State were honored as the Freshmen of the Year.
In total, 24 players from seven member institutions earned All-Conference recognition. Six additional players were selected to the All-Freshman Team. Florida Atlantic led all programs with seven players named to the first and second All-Conference teams, including three first-team selections. Courtney and North Texas’ Madison Conley were unanimous first-team honorees.
Jenna Lord was a force at the plate, finishing in the top five in The American in multiple offensive categories: second in slugging percentage (.844), hits (38), RBIs (30), triples (2), and home runs (10); third in runs scored (28); fourth in batting average (.422); and fifth in OPS (1.329). She tallied multiple hits in 12 conference games and drove in at least one run in 19 contests.
Autumn Courtney anchored the Owls' rotation and led them to the outright American regular-season title and No. 1 tournament seed. In conference play, she posted a league-high 14 wins across 18 appearances, with a 1.85 ERA over 90.2 innings. Courtney struck out a conference-best 80 batters (26 looking) and held opposing hitters to a .161 average. She did not allow an earned run in eight of her 18 conference outings.
Jesiana Mora became the first Owl to receive Defensive Player of the Year honors. Starting all 27 conference games, she was flawless in the field, compiling a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 34 putouts and 38 assists on 72 total chances.
Jaylah Jarrell impressed in her freshman campaign at second base for Charlotte, slashing .419/.443/.645 in conference action. She drove in 19 runs, scored 13 times, and ranked fifth in the league in batting average (.419).
Ryley Nihart, a freshman pitcher for Wichita State, joined Jarrell in earning Freshman of the Year accolades. Nihart emerged as the Shockers’ ace, finishing conference play with 10 wins (tied for second most in the league), a 3.08 ERA, and 49 strikeouts.
Under head coach Jordan Clark, Florida Atlantic captured its second straight American regular-season title. The Owls led the conference in nearly every major offensive category, including hits (250), doubles (46), RBIs (172), and on-base percentage (.433). Defensively, the team committed just three errors all season, posting a .955 fielding percentage. In the circle, FAU led the league in ERA (2.35), wins (23), strikeouts (137), home runs allowed (12), and opposing batting average (.192).
2025 American Athletic Conference Softball Regular-Season Awards
Player of the Year
Jenna Lord, Charlotte
Pitcher of the Year
Autumn Courtney, Florida Atlantic*
Defensive Player of the Year
Jesiana Mora, Florida Atlantic
Freshmen of the Year
Jaylah Jarrell, Charlotte
Ryley Nihart, Wichita State
Coaching Staff of the Year
Florida Atlantic
Head Coach Jordan Clark, Assistant Coach, Nicole Newman, Assistant Coach Shelby Petik, Assistant Coach Katelynn de Leon, Graduate Assistant Elizabeth Hightower, Graduate Assistant Dezarae Maldonado, Graduate Assistant Trinity Schlotterbeck
All-Conference First Team
P – Autumn Courtney, Florida Atlantic*
P – Payton Dixon, South Florida
P – Belle Sardja, South Florida
C – Chloe Yeatts, Florida Atlantic
1B – Morgan Johnson, East Carolina
2B – Cierra Simon, North Texas
SS – Maci Cole, Tulsa
3B – Jenna Lord, Charlotte
OF – Kylie Hammonds, Florida Atlantic
OF – Kailyn Bearpaw, North Texas
OF – Lauren Lucas, Wichita State
DP/U/Non-P – Madison Conley, North Texas*
All-Conference Second Team
P – Ainsley Lambert, Florida Atlantic
P – Ryley Nihart, Wichita State
C – Annie Kate Dalton, East Carolina
1B – Bella Cimino, Florida Atlantic
1B – Celeste Wood, Tulsa
2B – Jaylah Jarrell, Charlotte
SS – Kiley Channell, Florida Atlantic
3B – Jesiana Mora, Florida Atlantic
OF - Emma Jackson, East Carolina
OF – Bella Foran, Florida Atlantic
OF – Olivia Elliott, South Florida
DP/U/Non-P – Kari Shedrick, Charlotte
All-Freshman Team
P – Kendall Frost, East Carolina
P – Ryley Nihart, Wichita State
1B – Ausha Moore, North Texas
2B – Jaylah Jarrell, Charlotte
2B – Destiny Johns, Florida Atlantic
OF – Bella Foran, Florida Atlantic
DP – Brookelyn Livanec, Wichita State