Florida outfielder Taylor Shumaker (21) walks up to home plate during their game against the University of Tennessee at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (Delia Rose Sauer/WRUF)

Taylor Shumaker Earns SEC Player of the Week Honors

Gator Softball’s Taylor Shumaker continues a stellar season, receiving SEC Player of the Week honors on Tuesday. It comes after a standout performance against then-No. 1 Tennessee this weekend.

Florida won the series 2-1 led by Shumakers heroics. She put up an impressive batting average of .500 in the series, a team-best, including a first inning home-run in Florida’s 3-2 win on Sunday.

This marks Shumaker’s second Player of the Week honor from the SEC this season. She earned her first on March 2 after leading Florida to a 4-1 weekend at the Judi Garman Classic in her hometown of Fullerton, California.

Shumaker has been a star player for the Gators since her freshmen year. She ranked first on the team in home runs (22), RBI (86), runs (72), doubles (17), and slugging percentage (.808) last season. She also recorded a team high of 23 multi-RBI games. At the conclusion of her freshmen season, she was a unanimous selection for NFCA Freshman of the Year. This made her only the second Gator in program history to earn this honor.

As for this season, Shumaker continues to produce outstanding performances. In the NCAA, she is ranked first in both runs scored and hits. She is ranked third in batting with a .496 average. In 29 out of 33 games this weekend, she has recorded a run.

Florida is currently ranked fifth nationally in Monday’s USA Softball rankings after the series win over Tennessee. Shumaker and the Gators will return to action at home tomorrow versus Stetson.

Category: College Softball, Feature Sports News, Gators Softball, SEC