Polk State Athletics 2025-26 in review: Women’s superlatives
It was another exciting year for Polk State Athletics. Throughout the course of the athletic year, however, there were players, moments and performances that stood out above the rest.
As Polk State looks forward to another year of excellence on the courts and fields, and in the classrooms, here’s a look back at the best from the 2025-26 Athletics Year in women’s sports. The selections were made by the Polk State Athletics Eagle of the Month Committee.
Team of the Year: Volleyball
In its second year under Head Coach Jessica Beal, Polk State overcame a slow start to make a return trip to the FCSAA Tournament. Led by All-Citrus Conference performer Alexia Ortiz, libero Isabella Ramos, setter Addison Phillippe and outside hitter Marina Santos, the Eagles doubled their win total from the previous year and picked up their first win over a nationally ranked opponent under Beal with a thrilling 3-2 win over then No. 17 Eastern Florida State College to open October. With the final spot in the FCSAA Tournament down to the final match of the regular season and the Eagles battling a teamwide illness, Polk State rose to the occasion and took down Santa Fe College in straight sets on the road. The Eagles gave nationally ranked Daytona State College all it wanted in the FCSAA Tournament quarterfinals before falling in three hard-fought sets.
Athlete of the Year: Janessa Crespo, Midfielder, Soccer
A native of Davenport, Janessa Crespo finished her sophomore season as the FCSAA leader in assists with 10. For the year, Crespo added seven goals and led Polk State with 24 total points – good for fifth in the FCSAA. On Sept. 18, Crespo returned to the place where her college career started – Saint Leo University. In a 9-1 win for Polk State, Crespo enjoyed a career night, finishing with two goals and three assists. Her 10 assists in 2025 ranked in the top 20 nationally and ninth for a single season in Polk State history.
Freshman of the Year: Kirsten Aldridge, Infielder, Softball
The first Polk State player in 12 years to reach double digits in home runs, Kirsten Aldridge finished with a team-high 10 homers. Aldridge also led the Eagles in several other categories, including batting average (.356), RBIs (36), on-base percentage (.447) and slugging (.631). She tied for the team lead in doubles with 14. A native of Polk City, Aldridge appeared in 55 games for Polk State, finishing with 14 multi-hit games.
Most Improved Athlete of the Year: Makenzie Foster, Infielder, Softball
After batting just .232 with eight RBIs in 35 games as a freshman, first baseman Makenzie Foster emerged as one of the big bats in the Polk State Softball lineup. Hitting in the middle of the order for most of the season, Foster hit .283 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs. Foster finished third on the team in home runs and second in RBIs and triples (2).
Academic Athlete of the Year: Savanah Ford, Infielder, Softball
A native of Winter Haven, Polk State Softball second baseman Savanah Ford was sure handed in the field for the Eagles. She was equally steady in the classroom. Previously a graduate of Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School, Ford boasted a 3.4 grade-point average in the classroom and walked across the RP Funding Center stage with her Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management in May. She completed her bachelor’s degree in just two years of college.
Coach of the Year: Jessica Beal, Volleyball
When Jessica Beal took over the tradition-rich volleyball program in late-May 2024, she didn’t have a single returning player and had less than three months to put together an entire roster. By year two, however, Jessica Beal had Polk State Volleyball back in the FCSAA Tournament. Under Beal’s leadership, the Eagles doubled their win total in 2026, which included a thrilling five-set victory over nationally ranked Eastern Florida State College on Oct. 1. After sweeping Santa Fe College in the regular season finale to clinch a postseason berth, Beal and Polk State gave nationally ranked Daytona State College all it wanted at the FCSAA Tournament. With just three sophomores graduating, Beal has Polk State looking ahead to a bright future.
Performance of the Year: Alexia Ortiz at Santa Fe College (Oct. 29, 2025)
With several members of the Polk State Volleyball team battling illness, the final spot in the FCSAA Tournament came down to one game. In the regular season finale, Polk State made the trip to Gainesville to take on Santa Fe College for a trip to the postseason. With a shorthanded roster, sophomore Alexia Ortiz was forced to play out of position as the team’s setter. In an unfamiliar role, Ortiz shined. Ortiz set career-highs with 26 assists and seven aces as Polk State rolled to a sweep of the Saints and an FCSAA Tournament berth. The Eagles clinched the win with a dominating 25-12 victory in the third set.
Game of the Year: Polk State Soccer’s thrilling upset of No. 6 Eastern Florida State College (Sept. 16, 2025)
Although Polk State Soccer had already shown it could be competitive against the nation’s best teams under Head Coach Dee Shivraman, the Eagles had not won a Region 8 match since 2022 as No. 6 Eastern Florida State College came to Lakeland in mid-September. After goals by Janessa Crespo and Natasha Muchakati gave Polk State a 2-1 second-half lead, the Titans drew even in the 69th minute.
Following a lengthy weather delay and with daylight dwindling, freshman Marie Narewski came through in the 87th minute with the winning goal as the Eagles picked up their first Region 8 win in four years, 3-2. Crespo, Jordan Robert and Paula Cortijo each added assists. Ashley Miller came up big in goal with four saves.
Moment of the Year: Aldridge, Osborne hit back-to-back homers to walk-off St. Petersburg College (March 5, 2026)
After an 0-5 start to Citrus Conference play, Polk State Softball was looking for its first conference win as it played the second game of a home doubleheader against St. Petersburg College on March 5. The Eagles trailed by three runs in the first, five runs in the second and four runs in the fifth but had found a way to draw even each time. After the Titans scored a run in the top of the seventh, Polk State was again forced to rally. In the bottom of the seventh, however, the Eagles needed just two swings to prevail.
Trailing 13-12, Kirsten Aldridge drew Polk State even with a game-tying solo home run. On the very next pitch, Lacey Osborne followed with a home run of her own – her second walk-off blast of the year – to give the Eagles a thrilling 14-13 win and their first conference victory. Aldridge and Osborne each scored four runs in the win. Makenzie Foster also homered and drove in a career-high five runs.