Big South Announces Softball Players of the Week - Feb. 17
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) –- USC Upstate designated player
Mackenzei Bernal-Mahagan (Odessa, Texas) and Winthrop utility player
Darrah Nickens (Manassas, Va.) have been named the Big South Softball Co-Players of the Week, while Radford’s
Morgan Cooper (Man, W.Va.) is the Pitcher of the Week for games played Feb. 9-15, it was announced today. In addition, Presbyterian College infielder
Hali Duke (Bremen, Ga.) is the Freshman of the Week honoree.
Bernal-Mahagan led Upstate with a .545 batting average, going 6-for-11 at the plate with four runs scored, two home runs and six RBI in helping the Spartans go 4-0. She had a hit in each game, led the squad with a 1.091 slugging percentage and tallied three multi-RBI efforts. Bernal-Mahagan's best performance of the weekend was in the Friday matchup against Youngstown State where she went 3-for-3, scored two runs, knocked out a home run, and added two RBIs.
Nickens batted .615 (8-13) with four extra-base hits (three doubles, one homer), four runs scored and three knocked in as the Eagles went 3-1 in their home-opening weekend. She slugged 1.077 and posted a .643 on-base percentage. Nickens went 8-10 in the final three games, which included two 3-hit performances. She had two doubles and an RBI in a win over Le Moyne, had a double and homer in a victory over Robert Morris, and finished the weekend with three hits and a double against Kent State.
Cooper was nearly flawless on the weekend as she did not allow an earned run in her first action of the 2026 season. In Radford's season opener on Friday, Cooper went the distance as she tossed a complete game in defeating Central Arkansas, 6-1. She permitted just four hits and struck out five. In the weekend finale, Cooper held a strong Troy offense that entered the game averaging nine runs to zero runs over four innings of work. She went 11.0 innings in her two appearances and allowed just six hits and walked one.
Duke had a solid slugging weekend, leading the Blue Hose with five total RBI and a 6-of-14 effort at the plate for a .429 average. She slugged .571 in the four games, and batted in three runs on two doubles during a win over Mercyhurst in the weekend opener -- the first time this year that any PC player had three RBI in a game. Duke went 3-of-4 against Mercyhurst the next day with a run scored and RBI, and recorded an RBI against East Tennessee State on Friday.
Also nominated for Player of the Week:
Charlee Yourman (Charleston Southern),
Alli Stidham (Gardner-Webb),
Sophia Pisacano (Longwood),
Avery Robinson (Presbyterian) and
Amanda Lee (Radford).
Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week:
Maggie Chapin (Longwood),
Avery Robinson (Presbyterian),
Maddie Drerup (USC Upstate) and
Lonna Addison (Winthrop).
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week:
Gianna Deluco (Charleston Southern),
Glenna McLamb (Gardner-Webb),
Ava Abromavage (Longwood),
Malli Groves (Radford) and
Rebecca Amos (Winthrop).