LOUISVILLE, KY – University of Rochester softball senior right-handed pitcher Molly Broccolo and junior utility Riley Laygo were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's (NFCA) 2026 NFCA Division III Pitcher and Player of the Year watchlists, as announced by the NFCA on Thursday.
 
Broccolo and Laygo were both named to the list for the third time in their careers, with Laygo having earned the honor three-straight seasons, while Broccolo was selected as a first-year in 2023 and as a junior in 2025.
 
A three-time First-Team All-Liberty League selection, Broccolo leads the 'Jackets in the circle with a 5-4 record and 2.96 ERA in 54.1 innings pitched. The Webster, NY native has made 10 starts and 14 total appearances for URochester this season, allowing just 23 earned runs on 60 hits, while walking 22 and striking out 56.
 
Broccolo has pitched three complete games and three shutouts, and has notched one save this season, compiling a 1.51 WHIP and .264 opponent batting average. The senior leads the Liberty League in strikeouts, shutouts, games started and appearances, and ranks second in wins and fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio.
 
Laygo has been Rochester's top hitter at the plate, appearing in and starting all 18 games and batting .492/.507/.877 with eight doubles, a triple, five home runs, 21 runs scored and 26 RBI. In 65 at-bats, the Hacienda Heights, CA native has tallied 32 hits, drawn four walks and struck out just four times. While on the base paths, Laygo has stolen 11 bases in 12 attempts.
 
Within the Liberty League, Laygo ranks first in batting average, hits, home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and total bases, second in home runs, runs and RBI per game and third in on-base percentage. While nationally, Laygo is top-75 in NCAA Division III in batting average, home runs, RBI, slugging and total bases, ranking 32nd in DIII in slugging and 52nd in batting average.
 
Compiled by the elected members of the NFCA Division III All-America Committee, the list is separated into the 10 NCAA regions and headlined by 16 returning NFCA All-Americans.
 
Voted on by the NFCA's Division III All-American Committee, the 2026 NFCA Player and Pitcher of the Year winners will be announced on May 27 prior to the start of the NCAA Division III World Series. All student-athletes are eligible for the end-of-the-season awards and do not have to be on this list to be considered.