SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Jillian Albayati and Daleah Cardenas took home All-America honors this season. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) named Albayati to the first team, while Cardenas was selected to the third team. Albayati was also named to the D2CCA first team.

Albayati, a finalist for National Player of the Year for both organizations, is the program's first-ever first-team selection in both NFCA and D2CCA. The senior shortstop set CSUSM single-season records for doubles (25), hits (104), total bases (177) and batting average (.528). Albayati also led the Cougars with a 1.499 OPS, .898 slugging percentage and .601 on-base percentage. Earlier this month, the Anaheim native was named D2CCA Player of the Year and CCAA Player of the Year, along with being named to the NFCA and D2CAA All-West Region first team and All-CCAA first team.

Cardenas ranks in the top 3 in the CCAA with a 1.64 ERA (2nd), 5.87 hits allowed per seven innings (3rd), four saves (3rd), 20 wins (3rd) and 1.09 WHIP (3rd). The freshman from La Habra received NFCA All-West Region first-team honors as well as an All-CCAA first team nod.

In 2022, Paige Donnelly and Savannah Coyle were named to the NFCA All-American third team with Donnelly also selected a D2CCA All-American honorable mention.

The Cougars will face West Texas A&M at 10:30 a.m. (PDT) on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Division II National Championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee.