GREENWOOD, Ind. - Bethany College softball student-athletes sophomore utility player Trinity Edge (Franklin, Pa.), senior third baseman Emma Jackson (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington), sophomore catcher Olivia Kidd (Akron, Ohio/Mogadore), and sophomore second baseman Caitlin O'Farrell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) have all been named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.

In order to qualify for Academic All-District, a student-athlete must be a sophomore academically and athletically, must carry a 3.50 or higher grade point average and must have competed in 90 percent of the institution's games.

Edge earns her first Academic All-District award after appearing in and starting 41 games in her first season for the Bison. She led the Bethany pitching staff with a 17-6 record and pitched 150.1 innings that included 19 complete games and two shutouts. Edge finished the year with a 2.61 ERA and struck out a team-leading 136 batters. Offensively, Edge was fourth among qualified hitters with a .348 batting average and 49 hits that included nine doubles, a triple, and four home runs. She drove in 27 RBI and scored 34 runs while also leading the team with 11 stolen bases. Edge was named to the All-PAC first team, the NFCA All-Region VII third team, earned PAC Pitcher of the Week on April 13, and was also selected to the 2026 PAC All-Tournament Team. Academically, Edge has earned a 3.66 grade point average as an interdisciplinary studies/education major.

Jackson is also named to her first Academic All-District team after appearing in and starting all 42 games for the Bison. She led the Bison in most statistical categories including hits with 60, RBI with 51, doubles with 14, home runs with 10, and batting average with .455. Jackson's 10 homers and 51 RBI led the conference and are new single-season program records as well as her .788 slugging percentage on the year. She also scored 30 runs and finished the year with a team-best .535 on-base percentage. Jackson earned All-PAC first-team honors, NFCA All-Region VII first-team honors, was named PAC Hitter of the Week on March 16, and also earned a spot on the 2026 PAC All-Tournament Team. 

In her Bethany career, Jackson has appeared in and started 56 games for the Bison over two seasons. She has a lifetime average of .462 which is the best career average in Bethany softball history. Jackson has recorded 78 hits including 18 doubles and 16 home runs: just one shy of tying the all-time home run record. She has also driven in 66 RBI and has scored 38 runs. Jackson is a two-time All-PAC selection, an NFCA All-Region selection, a former PAC Hitter of the Week, and is an Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athlete. Off the field, she is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. Academically, Jackson has earned a 3.64 grade point average as a computer science major.

Kidd earns a spot on the CSC Academic All-District team after appearing in and starting all 42 games as the Bison's backstop. She batted .404 on the year to finish second on the team and recorded 59 hits with 33 RBI which were both also second-best marks for the Bison this year. Kidd tallied 13 doubles, a team-best two triples, and two home runs while also scoring 35 runs and stealing a team-leading 11 bases. From behind the plate, she caught 12 runners stealing which was the best in the PAC. Kidd was named to the All-PAC first team and was a NFCA All-Region VII third-team selection. 

In her career, Kidd has appeared in and started 81 games where she has a lifetime average of .392 which is currently the fifth-best in Bethany softball history. She has recorded 111 hits which includes 25 doubles, four triples, and two home runs and has added 74 RBI. On the basepaths, Kidd has scored 68 runs and has stolen 27 bases while throwing out 12 opposing runners. She is a two-time All-PAC selection, an NFCA All-Region honoree, and an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. Academically, Kidd has earned a 3.95 grade point average as a psychology major.

O'Farrell receives CSC Academic All-District honors in her first season eligible after appearing in 41 games and making 39 starts. In 2026, she recorded 32 hits which included six doubles to finish with a .248 batting average. O'Farrell also drove in 20 RBI, scored 11 runs, and stole two bases as the Bison's second baseman. 

In her career, O'Farrell has appeared in 76 games and has made 73 starts. She has a career average of .256 with 58 hits including nine doubles and one triple. O'Farrell has recorded 31 RBI in her career and has scored 24 runs along with six stolen bases. She is an Academic All-PAC honoree and an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. Academically, O'Farrell has earned a 3.73 grade point average as a chemistry major.

The four student-athletes now advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot, which will be announced on June 16.

The Bison finished the 2026 season in the PAC Tournament Semifinals with an overall record of 30-12 and a 15-7 record in the PAC.