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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Follow Lehigh Softball on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Follow Lehigh Softball on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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