DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The No. 4-seeded Columbus State University softball team closed out a strong 2026 season Friday afternoon, falling 9-2 to No. 1-seeded University of North Georgia in an NCAA Division II Southeast Regional elimination game at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
Columbus State finished the year 35-23 overall after earning a berth in the NCAA Division II Softball Championships and making another postseason run under head coach
Brad Huskisson. The Cougars also advanced to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship game, reached the 30-win mark for the 11th time under Huskisson, and continued to show why they remain one of the top programs in the Southeast Region.
The 2026 season also included a major milestone for Huskisson, who earned his 700th career coaching victory earlier in the year. Under his leadership, Columbus State remained competitive throughout Peach Belt Conference play and carried that momentum into the postseason.
North Georgia took an early lead with two runs in the first inning, but Columbus State continued to battle and kept the game within reach through the middle innings.
The Cougars broke through in the fifth inning when
Izzy Ripatti doubled to get into scoring position.
Mary-Catherine Sorrell followed with a sacrifice bunt to bring Ripatti home and cut the deficit to 2-1.
After North Georgia extended the lead in the sixth, Columbus State answered again in the bottom half of the inning.
Anna Waites doubled to spark the offense, and
Nova Wright drove her in with an RBI double to right center.
Ansley Collins led the Cougars offensively, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Waites, Wright, Ripatti and
Abrianna Green each added hits, while Wright and Sorrell recorded RBI's for Columbus State.
Khloe Shears closed out a standout season in the circle, throwing 7.0 innings in the elimination game and finishing the year with 19 wins. Shears was a steady presence for the Cougars throughout the season and played a key role in Columbus State's run to the NCAA Tournament.
Columbus State's 2026 campaign featured another NCAA postseason appearance, a trip to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship game, Huskisson's 700th career win, and another 30-win season, marking a successful year for the Cougar softball program.
