Lehigh University Athletics
Neiswender Named Patriot League Rookie of the Week
2/16/2026 3:09:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh first-year Kyra Neiswender has been named Patriot League Rookie of the Week, the league announced Monday afternoon. Neiswender batted .500 (6-for-12) over four games at Gardner-Webb's Red and Black Classic over the weekend and drove in seven runs across a 2-2 weekend for the Mountain Hawks.
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Neiswender started all four games for Lehigh in Boiling Springs, N.C. splitting her time between catcher and third base. She opened the tournament by going 1-for-1 with a pair of RBIs in Lehigh's 11-0 victory over Tennessee Tech Friday morning. Later that day, Neiswender went 3-for-5 with four RBIs as the Mountain Hawks defeated host Gardner-Webb 11-10. Neiswender delivered a two-run single in the third inning, tying the game at 2-2 and added two more RBI hits later in the contest as the Mountain Hawks built a 10-2 lead. On Saturday, Neiswender went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in Lehigh's game against Queens University.
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The Perkiomenville, Pa., product is hitting .385 (10-for-26) over her first nine games in the Brown and White, with four runs scored, four doubles and a team-leading 11 RBIs.
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Also on Monday, junior shortstop Peyton Sward picked up honorable mention recognition. Sward batted .417 over the weekend and had a monster day Saturday, going 5-for-6 across the two games with six RBIs. She went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and four RBIs against Gardner-Webb, including a two-run triple that gave Lehigh a 4-2 lead it would not relinquish, and a two-run double that put the Mountain Hawks up 9-2 in the sixth.
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Lehigh (5-4) will be off from competition this weekend, with the Mountain Hawks returning to action at NC State's Wolfpack Classic Feb. 27-Mar. 1 in Raleigh, N.C.
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Follow Lehigh Softball on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Neiswender started all four games for Lehigh in Boiling Springs, N.C. splitting her time between catcher and third base. She opened the tournament by going 1-for-1 with a pair of RBIs in Lehigh's 11-0 victory over Tennessee Tech Friday morning. Later that day, Neiswender went 3-for-5 with four RBIs as the Mountain Hawks defeated host Gardner-Webb 11-10. Neiswender delivered a two-run single in the third inning, tying the game at 2-2 and added two more RBI hits later in the contest as the Mountain Hawks built a 10-2 lead. On Saturday, Neiswender went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in Lehigh's game against Queens University.
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The Perkiomenville, Pa., product is hitting .385 (10-for-26) over her first nine games in the Brown and White, with four runs scored, four doubles and a team-leading 11 RBIs.
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Also on Monday, junior shortstop Peyton Sward picked up honorable mention recognition. Sward batted .417 over the weekend and had a monster day Saturday, going 5-for-6 across the two games with six RBIs. She went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and four RBIs against Gardner-Webb, including a two-run triple that gave Lehigh a 4-2 lead it would not relinquish, and a two-run double that put the Mountain Hawks up 9-2 in the sixth.
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Lehigh (5-4) will be off from competition this weekend, with the Mountain Hawks returning to action at NC State's Wolfpack Classic Feb. 27-Mar. 1 in Raleigh, N.C.
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Follow Lehigh Softball on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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