Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina softball is just about a week away from its season-opening doubleheader in Greensboro against North Carolina A&T, opening the season in the Piedmont Triad on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
CatamountSports.com is previewing the 2026 softball team ahead of the season, continuing with the largest position group, the infielders.
Western Carolina's infield is led by a pair of preseason All-Southern Conference selections in juniors Lily Bell and Maya McPherson. Bell and McPherson are joined by returners in senior Tate Stewman and sophomore Ava Giglio. Head coach Jim Clift welcomes four newcomers to the infield in 2026, which includes Sydnee Bumgarner, Emily Murphy, Kayden Lyda, and Kimber Shambley.
Bell, a two-time first-team All-SoCon selection and 2025 NFCA All-Region third-team selection, replicated her efforts in 2025 with an encore season, finishing with a program-record 75 base hits, seven more than the second-place individual. She did so with a program and SoCon-record setting .455 batting average (75-of-165), surpassing the previous benchmark set in 2010.
The Woodstock, Ga. native also set the program record for on-base percentage (.524), finished tied for second in runs scored (47), and was third in the single-season record book for stolen bases (28), six off the single-season best – a mark she set in her freshman season with 34. She additionally ranked among the nation's leaders in numerous categories in 2025, as she finished eighth in batting average (.455), 39th in base hits (75), 36th in stolen bases (28), 33rd in on-base percentage (.524), and 46th in toughest to strike out (23.6), all of which rank in the top two in the SoCon.
A regular at third base throughout her first two seasons in Cullowhee, Maya McPherson looks to repeat a strong sophomore campaign that saw her see action in all 53 games in 2025. She finished with a .305 average, third on the squad, while recording a team-best 51 RBIs on 50 hits.
McPherson tied for fourth in the SoCon with a team-best 14 doubles, and was also tied for second in WCU's single-season record book for most doubles by a Catamount since Hunter Gibbons finished with 16 in 2017. The Lancaster, Calif. native finished 11th in the nation with a program-record six sacrifice flies. She garnered SoCon Player of the Week honors last March following a 10-for-22 (.455) performance at the dish, including two doubles and a homer to go along with tying for a national leading 16 RBIs.
Senior Tate Stewman opens her final season in Cullowhee coming off a 2025 campaign that saw her appear in 39 games with 33 starts at first base. Stewman helped WCU set a program record in April for team stolen bases as she swiped her lone bag of the season to help WCU surpass a previous benchmark set in 2022 (71 steals).
Stewman recorded a pair of doubles with eight runs scored and 11 RBIs and two homers throughout the 2025 season with her big flies coming against NCCU and Chattanooga. She added multi-hit games against NCCU, UNCG & ETSU, while carrying a .985 fielding percentage with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in SoCon action.
Sophomore Ava Giglio serves as the final returner to the WCU infield as the Irvine, Calif. native appeared in just 11 games during her debut season, serving as a pinch-runner eight times. She scored her first collegiate run in nonconference action against Presbyterian (March 1) while also adding a run in action against NCCU & Tulsa. Giglio's first collegiate hit came in the first of a doubleheader in nonconference action against NCCU.
The first of four freshman to join the 2026 infield is Emily Murphy, who earned all-conference plaudits each of her four years and all-district honors in three seasons.
In the final two years of her prep career, Murphy totaled a .400 average as a junior and a .432 average as a senior. She closed her career by receiving North Carolina honorable mention All-state recognition, joined by fellow WCU freshmen Kimber Shambley, Kayden Lyda, and Sydnee Bumgarner, who each were also mentioned throughout the list of honorees.
"Emily brings power and athleticism to the plate, making her a serious offensive threat. She's a great outfielder who can also play multiple other positions, providing valuable versatility and depth to our defense," said Clift.
Sydnee Bumgarner, who comes to Catamount Country by way of South Caldwell High School in Granite Falls, N.C., concluded her high school career with a bang, posting a .464 batting average as a senior with 51 runs scored, 13 homers, and 44 RBIs.
She totaled 100 starts at shortstop with 124 base hits, including 36 career doubles and 21 home runs, while amassing 126 career RBI. She was a four-time all-conference recipient, along with three times earning all-district honors, and a two-time all-state award winner. During her junior season, she received the Hot Stove Rising Star Award. She closed her career receiving second-team all-state recognition, joined by the trio of her freshman teammates.
"Sydnee is a stellar defensive player who brings consistency and athleticism to the field. She hits for both power and average, and her solid speed makes her a threat on both sides of the ball," Clift said.
Kimber Shambley is the third newcomer to the WCU infield, as she finished her prep career with a .427 batting average that included batting .449 as a junior and carrying a .452 batting average in her senior campaign. In her 89 career games, she recorded 112 hits and 105 RBI, and hit 16 home runs. Shambley's high school career saw her post a 1.303 on-base percentage plus slugging percentage. She was a two-time all-conference honoree, in addition to being named an all-district and all-state recipient as a junior. Shambley closed her career receiving honorable mention All-state recognition, joined by fellow WCU freshman class.
"Kimber Shambley brings a lot of power to the plate and can change the game with one swing. She's also a great defensive first baseman who adds stability and strength to our infield," said Clift.
The final newcomer to the infield dirt in Cullowhee is Kayden Lyda, the younger sister of current WCU baseball sophomore infielder Jackson Lyda, who posted an impressive career stat line at the plate throughout her prep career. Lyda finished with a .508 mark as a junior with a .934 slugging percentage.
She totaled 59 steals over her time at West Henderson High with a career-best 20 as a sophomore. Lyda was a multi-time all-conference honoree while garnering all-district honors throughout her prep career.
As a junior, Lyda received 3A State Player of the Year honors, while also being named Mount 7 Conference Player of the Year as a senior. Lyda closed her career by receiving honorable mention All-State recognition, joined by fellow WCU freshmen class.
"Kayden swings a great bat and is a dynamic hitter. She brings high energy and grit every time she steps on the field, and her athleticism gives her the ability to play multiple positions confidently," Clift said.
The Catamounts begin the 2026 season with a doubleheader on Wednesday, Feb. 11, against North Carolina A&T in Greensboro. After the opening day, WCU heads to the Low Country Classic for a three-day, five-game tournament. The Catamounts will play Penn, host College of Charleston, Akron, and UConn starting on Friday, Feb. 13.
WCU opens its home schedule in doubleheader fashion against Winthrop on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the on-campus Catamount Softball Complex. Admission to each of WCU's home games throughout the 2026 season is free of charge, courtesy of First Bank.
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