LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced on Thursday that Butler's Makena Alexander and Hailey Conger have been selected to the 2026 NFCA DI All-Region Team (Great Lakes). Alexander was chosen for the First Team while Conger earned Third Team recognition. This was the first All-Region honor for either student-athlete. NFCA All-Region athletes are nominated by their NFCA-member head coach and are voted for by the coaches in their region.
Alexander, a junior from Frankton, Ind., was an All-BIG EAST First Team selection this season. She led the BIG EAST and ranked nationally in multiple categories: 1.28 RBI/game (20th in the NCAA), a .547 on-base percentage (29th), an .867 slugging percentage (35th), and a .430 batting average (53rd). Her 14 home runs this season were fourth in the conference and matched Butler's single-season record, while her 59 total RBI's smashed the program's previous single-season record of 45.
Conger, a senior from Gurnee, Ill., was also an All-BIG EAST First Team honoree in 2026. She ranked among the BIG EAST and national leaders in multiple categories: first in the BIG EAST and 26th nationally with 1.20 runs/game, second/35th with a .536 on-base percentage, and second/94th with a .410 batting average. Her 55 runs scored this season broke Butler's previous single-season record, which was 42.
Alexander is only the second Bulldog to be selected for the All-Region First Team, joining Melissa Lamrick who received the honor in 2004. While Butler has had nine total representatives on one of the teams, this is the first year that the program has had two representatives in the same season.
Butler finished the 2026 season with an overall record of 25-21. The Bulldogs finished fourth in BIG EAST play (15-9) and qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament for the sixth consecutive season. Butler knocked off No. 1 seed Providence before bowing out with losses to Creighton and eventual champion, UConn.
