Art: Ari Herrera-Ibarra
Author: Jourdan Ziff
Art Credit: Ari Herrera-Ibarra
Cal State San Marcos softball star Jillian Albayati is the 2025-26 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Female Athlete of the Year, and the numbers tell the whole story.
The Anaheim native set conference single-season records in batting average (.517), doubles (26), RBIs (80), and slugging percentage (.914), reaching base in 65 of 68 games.
She earned CCAA and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) West Region Player of the Year honors before being named an National Fastpitch Coaches Association and D2CCA First Team All-American. Her historic season helped lead the Cougars to a CCAA Championship, NCAA West Region title, and a spot in the Division II semifinals. From the first weekend of the season to the national semifinals, she never let up. That's not just a great season. That's a career-defining run that the CCAA won't forget anytime soon.
Photo Credits: CSUSM Athletics
