ROSEMONT, Ill. — A trio of Illinois softball players, Adisyn Caryl, Eileen Donahue, and Megan Nuechterlein were named 2026 Big Ten Softball Players to Watch, as announced by the conference office on Thursday afternoon.
Caryl, a junior infielder from Topeka, Kansas, was previously named a Big Ten Softball Player to Watch in 2025. Last season, she started all 50 games for the Illini, batting .321 with 14 multi-hit games and seven home runs. The 2025 team captain also added three outings with three hits, including on March 15 against Wisconsin.
Donahue, also a junior infielder, registered the best batting average for the Illini in 2025 (.331) and paced the squad with 35 RBI. The Chicago native logged a pair of grand slams, ten home runs, and 12 multi-hit games in 44 starts during her sophomore campaign. In the field, she led the Illini with 270 putouts, along with contributing to six double plays.
In the circle, Nuechterlein, a junior from Macomb, Michigan, appeared in 26 games, making 14 starts. She tossed six complete games, recording a 3.31 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 91 innings of work.
The Fighting Illini open the 2026 season Feb. 6-8 at the Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge, La.
