WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Softball America and D1 Softball announced their preseason honors this week, with five Boilers earning nods, including three freshmen, earning their first-career awards.
Returning players Julia Gossett and Moriah Polar earned spots on both lists, while freshmen Anna Moore made Softball America’s watch list, Kendyl Rainey earned a spot on D1 Softball’s, and Brianna Fontenot made an appearance on both.
During the 2025 season, both Gossett and Polar turned heads, both earning spots on the NFCA All-Region team.
Gossett was also tabbed All-Big Ten Tournament team after going 4-for-5 with four home runs in the Big Ten Tournament, tying the tournament record. She was also named Co-Big Ten Pitcher of the Week during the season, the first Purdue pitcher to earn the honor in seven years.
After her stellar 2025 campaign on both sides of the ball, Gossett was named the No. 100 preseason player in the country in both the Softball America and the D1 Softball rankings. She also earned the No. 6 two-way player in the country honor in both polls as well.
Polar was the only Boiler to earn All-Big Ten honors during the 2025 season, landing a spot on the second-team after batting .444 on the season with 68 hits, and earning a spot on Softball America’s position rankings in back-to-back months. Polar had to sit out the Big Ten Tournament due to injury, but is back to make a full return for the 2026 season.
During 2025, she eclipsed 100 career-hits with 19 multi-hit games, three of which she went 4-for-4. On the other side of the ball, Polar held a team-leading .981 fielding percentage with 102 putouts, two assists, and just two errors in all of the games she played.
Polar was tabbed the No. 26 outfielder in the country in Softball America’s preseason outfield rankings, and the No. 24 outfielder in the country according to D1 Softball’s own rankings.
In addition to the success of the returners, three rookies found their names in the preseason honors, with Moore, Rainey, and Fontenot each earning nods.
Moore and Fontenot earned spots on the D100 Freshman watch list from D1 Softball, while D1 Softball's Freshmen to Watch List included Fontenot and Rainey.
Fontenot, a native of Louisiana, is a three-time All State honoree, a four-time All District pitcher, a 2024 PGF tournament finalist, and a SWLA honoree.
Moore, a native of Indiana, is a 2025 State Champion, a two-time captain, three-time All City selection, and a 2024 First-Team All State selection.
Rainey, a native of Indiana, is an All-Conference honoree, a varsity captain, an IHSA State Track and Field qualifier, and a school record holder in the 4x200.
All three freshmen bring different skill sets to the Boilers, and are ready to make their mark alongside the rest of the 2026 squad.
Purdue is set to open the 2026 season of Feb. 6 in Las Vegas against Cal Baptist.
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