The Temple College Leopards were well-represented in the 2026 North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference postseason awards that were announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Temple College head coach Kadie Berlin-George was named NTJCAC Coach of the Year. Berlin-George, in her seventh season, surpassed the 400th career win mark, led TC to a 50-6 overall record and Region V-best 30-2 mark.
Izzy Garcia was named NTJCAC Most Valuable Player and First Team All-NTJCAC Pitcher. The first-year Leopard from Troy, Texas, Garcia appeared in 30 games, having started 20, went 23-1 with a 1.81 ERA, pitched 139 innings, allowed 45 runs (36 earned), struck out 150 and walked 38. Having eight complete games and four shutouts, opponents hit .165 against her.
Garcia hit .411 in 46 games, drilled five homers and drove in 32 runs.
Second-year Leopard Reese Cottrell was named NTJCAC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-NTJCAC Infielder. The Franklin, Texas native hit a team-best .463, had an on-base percentage of .542, clubbed 25 doubles, 12 homers, and 67 runs batted in, to go with 33 walks. Cottrell committed just one error in 193 chances for a fielding percentage of .995.
Jasmine Benavidez was named NTJCAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-NTJCAC Infielder. The second-year Leopard from Jarrell, Texas, hit .422 with seven home runs, 60 runs batted in, stole 23 bases, and committed just three errors in 164 chances, good for a fielding mark of .982.
Kat Kram joined Garcia on the First Team All-NTJCAC Pitcher list. The first-year Leopard from Cypress, Texas, pitched in 24 games, having started 21, went 17-3 with five shutouts, and compiled on ERA of 2.36. In 112 2/3 innings, Kram allowed 45 runs (38 earned), struck 138 and walked 42. Opponents hit .204 against her.
Kaiyah Ratu joined Cottrell and Benavidez on the First Team All-NTJCAC Infield list. Ratu, the first-year Leopard and native of Christchurch, New Zealand, hit .385 with a .449 on-base percentage with 12 doubles, a team-high 14 homers, and 48 runs batted in. Ratu was excellent defensively, converting on 187-of-188 total chances, for a fielding percentage of .995.
The Leopards had two outfielders making the First Team All-NTJCAC outfield squad.
Lexi Dudeczka, the second-year Leopard from Salado, Texas, hit .432 and had an on-base percentage of .488 out of the leadoff position, hit one homer, drove in 38 runs, had a team-high 80 base hits and stole 27 bases.
Brooklyn Walton, the first-year Leopard from Angleton, Texas, hit .445 and had an on-base percentage of .471 hitting out of the nine-slot. Walton hit one homer, 27 runs batted in, and stole 27 bases.
Temple also had two players on the Second Team All-Conference Infield Team and one on the Second Team All-Conference Outfield Team.
Angie DeLeon, a second-year Leopard from Belton, Texas, hit .300 and had an on-base percentage of .406. DeLeon crushed six homers, drove home 27 runs, and was hit ten times on the season.
Ryley Litchfield, a first-year Leopard from Salado, Texas, hit .344 and had an on-base percentage of .363 with two homers, 31 runs batted in, 23 stolen bases, and was 161-of-162 total chances on defense for a fielding percentage of .994.
Marli Kennedy, a second-year Leopard from Plano, Texas, hit .359 and had an on-base percentage of .437. Kennedy hit three homers, drove in 25 runs, 13 doubles, and stole 37 bases.
In 56 games this season, the Leopards hit .387, had an on-base percentage of .454, and slugging percentage of .616. TC had staff earned run average of 2.09, and a national-best .981 fielding percentage with just 25 errors in 1,290 chances.