May 18, 2026

Ferris State softball players Alexis Kozlowski, Ava Gardner earn back-to-back regional, conference honors

Two Ferris State softball players earned NFCA All-Midwest Region honors Monday, capping a historic season for the Bulldogs program. Junior first baseman Alexis Kozlowski of Gaylord landed on the All-Midwest Region First Team, and freshman outfielder Ava Gardner of Hudsonville earned second-team recognition from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

The 2026 all-region squads include 205 student-athletes from 108 programs across eight regions. Both players are now eligible for the 2026 NFCA Division II All-America teams, to be announced May 27.

The honors extend a decorated postseason for both players. Kozlowski claimed GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year, and Gardner took home the GLIAC Freshman of the Year. Both earned All-GLIAC First Team recognition earlier this spring.

Their individual performances fueled Ferris State’s best season in nearly 30 years. The Bulldogs went 21-7 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play under head coach Jake Schumann — the program's best conference finish since 2013 — and reached the GLIAC Tournament Championship game for the first time since 2012. FSU's 37 wins rank fourth in school history.

Kozlowski led the team with 70 hits, 54 RBIs and a .383 average across 57 games. She also set a school single season record with 20 doubles, adding seven home runs, three triples, and 42 runs scored.

Gardner matched her pace in her first collegiate season, hitting .382 with 68 hits, 45 RBIs and 44 runs in 57 games. She added 10 home runs, 15 doubles, and two triples.