Houston softball players received multiple postseason honors in the region and conference for the 2026 season.
Six Lady Tigers were selected to the All-Class 2 Region 2 softball team, which represents districts 3 and 4. Ashley Gilbert and Gracyn McNiell were named the top infielder and top catcher, respectively, on the first team along with Katy Evans, who was the DP/utility. Teammates Lilly Kincaid, Ava Koch and Izzy Cook were members of the second team.
Gilbert and Evans were named to the first team of the all-SCA team. McNiell and Koch were second team selections. Kincaid, Cook, Claire Benoist and freshman Ember Green were honorable mention.
Ashley Gilbert
A left-handed hitting first baseman, Gilbert tied the program record with 43 hits her senior campaign. Her .524 batting average was second on the team. Gilbert tied for the team lead with 39 RBIs while homering 4 times, tied for second on the team, with 11 doubles, 33 runs and a .577 on-base percentage.
Katy Evans
Evans, the program’s all-time leading home run hitter, went deep 7 times her senior season to finish with 23 in her career. She batted .500 with a .627 on-base percentage while tying for the team lead in total bases (73) and RBIs (39). Evans was also second on the team in doubles (13) and runs scored (47).
Evans, who got her 100th career hit during the season, walked a team-leading 24 times. She finished with 76 in her career – the 10th most in state history.
Gracyn McNiell
The Lady Tigers’ leadoff hitter and catcher, McNiell had a breakout offensive season. She led the team in hitting (.549), on-base percentage (.689), triples (6), runs scored (56), stolen bases (31) and hit by pitches (14). She and Evans both had 73 total bases. McNiell homered 4 times and drove in 24 runs.
McNiell, who turned 7 double plays and picked off 5 runners defensively, ended her career with 30 hit by pitches to rank fourth all-time in state history. Dating to her sophomore season, she stole 65 consecutive bases successfully to rank third all-time. McNiell’s run total was the most in program history.
Lilly Kincaid
The team’s ace pitcher and No. 2 hitter, Kincaid batted .372 her senior campaign with a .505 on-base percentage. Kincaid led the team with 14 doubles to go with 3 homers, 29 RBIs, 44 runs and 19 steals. One of Kincaid’s homers was a walk-off line drive to beat conference foe Salem in extra innings.
On the mound, worked a team-high 77 2/3 innings with a 4.06 ERA. She struck out 48 while giving up 45 earned runs.
Ava Koch
A sophomore shortstop and two-year starter, Koch batted .360 with a .451 on-base percentage. She had 5 triples, 32 runs, 16 RBIs and 12 steals.
Also a pitcher, Koch had a 7.27 ERA in 42 1/3 innings with 45 strikeouts.
Claire Benoist
A first-year starter at third base, Benoist hit .354 her sophomore campaign with 9 doubles. She ranked third on the team in RBIs (29) and stolen bases (13). Benoist scored 32 times.
Izzy Cook
A sophomore outfielder, Cook entered the starting lineup early in the season and stayed. She batted .274 with 17 runs scored, 19 RBIs and 6 steals.
Ember Green
A pitcher and outfielder, Green was 6-for-12 at the plate with a pair of triples, 3 runs and 5 RBIs. She also stole 2 bases.
Green had a team-best 3.82 ERA in 11 innings of work with 18 strikeouts and just 6 hits allowed.