University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Panther softball’s Lappe, Johnson named MVC Player and Newcomer of the Week
3/24/2026 1:16:00 PM | Softball
ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) announced its weekly softball awards on Tuesday morning. Kate Lappe was named the MVC Player of the Week, while Peyton Johnson was named MVC Newcomer of the Week for the third consecutive time this season.
Kate Lappe batted .556 on the week, with five hits in nine at-bats. She hit a pair of home runs against Valparaiso to go along with a triple and a double for 14 total bases and five RBIs, giving her a 1.556 slugging percentage on the weekend.
Johnson had a dominant weekend at the plate with a .600 batting average. The junior outfielder recorded six hits and two runs in 10 at-bats, and she also walked once. She drove in four runs and tallied eight total bases for a .800 slugging percentage.
The Panthers head to Illinois to face the Fighting Illini on Tuesday Night on B1G+ before opening the home slate with a weekend series against Illinois State at Robinson-Dresser on Friday and Saturday.
UNI softball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Softball), X (@UNISoftball), and on Instagram (@unisoftball). The 2026 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
