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Arizona’s Sydney Stewart, Rylie Holder receive Big 12 Softball weekly honors
TL;DR
Arizona softball players Sydney Stewart and Rylie Holder received Big 12 honors after their strong performances in a series win against Houston. Stewart was named Big 12 Player of the Week, while Holder earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week.
Key points
- Sydney Stewart named Big 12 Player of the Week
- Rylie Holder named Big 12 Freshman of the Week
- Arizona softball won 3-0 series against Houston
- Stewart had limited hitting opportunities
- Holder had her best conference weekend
Sydney StewartRylie HolderArizona WildcatsBig 12
Arizona softball pitcher Rylie Holder delivers the ball against Long Beach State on Mar. 1, 2026 | Photo by Ryan Kelapire
It was a great weekend for Arizona softball’s battery. Senior catcher Sydney Stewart didn’t get a lot of opportunities to hit last weekend against Houston, but she was a danger every time she stepped into the box. Freshman pitcher Rylie Holder had her best conference weekend so far. Both were honored for their performances.
Stewart was named Big 12 Player of the Week and Holder was honored as Big 12 Freshman of the Week after the Wildcats’ 3-0 series win over the Cougars.
Stewart went 3 for 3 at the plate. All three hits left the yard, accounting for eight RBI. She reached base every time she came up to bat with seven walks, six of the intentional variety. The other came on five pitches. She finished with a 5.000 OPS and 4.000 slugging percentage in three games.
“I know they walked me a lot, but at the end of the day, I still get to be in the box,” Stewart said. “I have something to play for, so it’s a blessing.”
Heading into the final week of the regular season, Stewart leads the conference in slugging percentage (1.055), on-base percentage (.584), OPS (1.639), RBI (73), and walks (41). She ranks second in home runs (19), needing just one more to tie for the lead. She is sixth in batting average (.431) and runs scored (50).
Holder earned Arizona’s third Freshman of the Week honor of the season with the other two going to first baseman Kez Lucas. She threw 8.0 innings of shutout ball across two games. She threw a five-inning complete game while striking out five on Saturday then returned on Sunday for three more innings in relief. She earned the win in both games to improve to 11-4 on the season.
Q&A
What awards did Sydney Stewart and Rylie Holder receive?
Sydney Stewart was named Big 12 Player of the Week, and Rylie Holder was honored as Big 12 Freshman of the Week.
How did Arizona softball perform against Houston?
Arizona softball achieved a 3-0 series win against Houston.
What were Sydney Stewart's contributions during the series?
Sydney Stewart was a significant threat at the plate, despite having limited hitting opportunities during the series.
When did Rylie Holder have her best conference weekend?
Rylie Holder had her best conference weekend during the series against Houston.