Nation-Leading Eight Razorbacks Earn NFCA All-Region Honors

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.– Highlighted by senior pitcher Robyn Herron and sophomore third baseman Ella McDowell’s first-team selections, eight Razorbacks earned NFCA All-Central Region honors, the organization announced Thursday afternoon.

The Razorbacks’ eight honorees tie a program record set in 2022 and 2025 and were tied for the national lead this season.

Joining Herron and McDowell as All-Central Region selections were outfielders Dakota Kennedy and Kailey Wyckoff and designated player/utility Brinli Bain on the second team, while first baseman Tianna Bell, second baseman Karlie Davison, and shortstop Atalyia Rijo garnered third-team selections.

Herron leads Arkansas with a 15-6 record this season with four saves, a 1.98 ERA, and 166 strikeouts while allowing just 30 earned runs on 69 hits and 39 walks in 106 innings of work. She is limiting opposing hitters to a .177 batting avg. The Tampa, Fla., product recently took home First-Team All-SEC honors and ranks among the national leaders in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (15th, 4.56), saves (22th, 4) and strikeouts per seven innings (4th, 11.0). Herron’s four saves rank fourth in the SEC. She has registered six complete games and four shutouts this season, while her 16 career 10+ strikeout games are tied for the most in program history alongside Mary Haff (2018-2022).

McDowell landed on the region’s top team after earning second-team accolades a year ago. The Richmond, Texas product is batting .340 with nine doubles, 11 homers, and 50 RBI while scoring 55 runs to go along with 22 walks this season. She has recorded 16 multi-hit games, including five three-hit performances and 12 multi-RBI games this season. She was recently named second-team All-SEC and All-SEC defensive team at third base. Defensively, McDowell has recorded a .967 fielding percentage with 34 putouts and 83 assists at third base.

Kennedy has made an immediate impact in left field during her lone season as a Hog. The AUSL draftee is hitting .353 .353 with 10 doubles, a triple, 14 homers, 43 RBI, 21 walks, and 46 runs scored. She has a career-high 43 RBI and 14 home runs while posting 13 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI games. Kennedy recently earned First-Team All-SEC recognition and was named to the league’s All-Defensive Team. Defensively, she has posted a .959 fielding percentage with 46 putouts and 1 assist in left field.

Wyckoff took home second-team recognition for the second straight season at Arkansas. The Katy, Texas product has posted a .350 batting average with 49 hits, 10 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 37 RBI, 82 total bases, and 17 walks while scoring 33 runs and posting a .586 slugging percentage and a .437 on-base percentage. She has recorded 11 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI games while posting a team-best 10-game hitting streak. Defensively, Wyckoff has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 38 putouts in left field.

Bain is having one of the greatest rookie campaigns in program history. The Eagleville, Tennessee product led the team in batting average for most of the season and is currently hitting .355 with 49 hits, a team-leading 17 doubles, three home runs, and 33 RBI while posting 42 walks and scoring 39 runs in addition to registering a .508 on-base percentage. Entering the week, Bain is the only freshman nationally to draw 40+ walks and strikeout 20 times or less this season. Additionally, she is one of three freshmen nationally with 40+ walks this season alongside Addy Waits (Missouri) and Irys Kline (Boston). She was the first freshman nationally to draw 40+ walks and strikeout 20 times or less in a regular season since Alabama’s Bailey Hemphill (47 BB, 14 K) in 2017.

Bell leads Arkansas with a .377 batting average and 61 hits while registering 55 RBI, nine doubles, a team-leading 15 homers, 37 runs scored, and 20 walks. The Antioch, Calif., product leads the team in multi-hit and multi-RBI games this season with 17 and 16, respectively. Bell joined Bri Ellis as the only two Hogs in program history with 15+ multi-hit and multi-RBI games in the first 44 games of a season. Defensively, she has recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage with 311 putouts and two assists at first base.

Davison is batting .350 this season with 47 hits, six doubles, a triple, eight homers, 37 RBI, and 27 runs scored while posting a .446 on-base percentage and a .610 slugging percentage. She has set career highs in RBI (37), hits (47), walks (14) and total bases (75) this season while also recording 11 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI games. It marks her first NFCA All-Central Region selection in her career. Defensively, she has posted a .963 fielding percentage with 72 putouts and 82 assists.

Rijo rounded out the Hogs’ selections with third-team recognition at shortstop. The Horseheads, N.Y. product is batting .325 with 41 hits, 11 doubles, seven home runs, 38 RBI, and 73 total bases while drawing 26 walks and scoring 32 runs this season. She currently owns a .456 on-base percentage and a .579 slugging percentage. While registering 11 multi-hit and eight multi-RBI games.

Arkansas finished the 2026 regular season with a 42-11 record and 15-9 mark in SEC play, with 21 wins coming by run-rule. The Razorbacks are coming off a 1-1 showing at the SEC Tournament last week with a 3-1 win over No. 19 Mississippi State on Wednesday and a 7-1 loss against No. 3/4 Alabama on Thursday. The No. 5 National Seed Razorbacks open up regional play tomorrow against Fordham at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.