McGinnis Earns First-Team Academic All-America® Honors

TAMPA, Fla. – University of Tampa softball standout Gwen McGinnis has been named a First-Team Academic All-America® selection, as announced by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).

McGinnis, a senior pitcher majoring in Allied Health, owns a 3.92 grade point average and was one of only two pitchers selected to the NCAA Division II Academic All-America® First Team. She joined 10 other student-athletes on the first team and was one of just 33 players recognized across all three Division II Academic All-America® teams.

The honor caps a historic senior season for McGinnis, who established herself as one of the nation's premier pitchers. She became the first player in University of Tampa softball history to earn National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Pitcher of the Year honors and was also named the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Ron Lenz National Pitcher of the Year. McGinnis garnered First-Team All-America recognition from both the NFCA and D2CCA after a dominant 2026 campaign.

Among her many accomplishments this season, McGinnis tossed a perfect game in an 8-0 victory at Palm Beach Atlantic on March 21, becoming one of the few pitchers in program history to accomplish the feat. She also earned South Region Pitcher of the Year honors and helped lead the Spartans to another NCAA postseason appearance while ranking among the nation's leaders in numerous pitching categories throughout the year.

Since 1952, the College Sports Communicators (CSC), formerly known as CoSIDA, has recognized the nation's top student-athletes for excellence both academically and athletically through its Academic All-America® program. Sponsored by Capital One, the honor requires student-athletes to be at least in their second year of residence, maintain a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA, and be a starter or significant contributor. Student-athletes are first selected to Academic All-District® teams before advancing to the national Academic All-America® ballot, which is voted on by CSC members from across the country.

McGinnis becomes the 64th Academic All-American in University of Tampa history and the fourth softball student-athlete to earn the prestigious distinction. She is the first Spartan softball player to earn Academic All-America® honors since 2014 and the first to receive first-team recognition since Kayla Cox in 2014. Her selection continues the tradition of academic and athletic excellence among Tampa student-athletes, who have now produced Academic All-Americans in 14 different sports.

Tampa Softball Academic All-America® History

• 2026 – Gwen McGinnis (First Team)
• 2014 – Kayla Cox (First Team)
• 2014 – Meagan Burke (Third Team)
• 2013 – Kayla Cox (Third Team)

University of Tampa Academic All-Americans by Sport