CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced its postseason awards Wednesday morning, with three members of the Fighting Irish softball earning honors. Freshman Addison Amaral and seniors Carlli Kloss and Karina Gaskins each earned All-ACC honors.
Its the first All-ACC honors for the freshman, while being Kloss’s second and Gaskins’s fourth career honor. Amaral was named Second Team All-ACC as an infielder, and was also named to the All-Freshman team. Kloss is another Second Team selection after being named the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, as well as being named Third Team All-ACC a year ago. Gaskins earned Third Team honors in 2024 after having been a two-time First Team All-ACC selection, and a Second Team honoree as a freshman.
With Amaral’s selection, the Irish have had at least one player named to the ACC All-Freshman team for the past five editions of the team. Amaral also earned second team honors, becoming the first Notre Dame freshman to be named on the second team since Jane Kronenberger’s freshman season in 2022. This season, Amaral has hit for a .327 average, leading the team with 14 doubles, 10 homers and 52 RBI. She would become the first freshman to lead the team in homers since Gaskins hit 10 in 2021, and the first freshman to lead the team in RBI Heather Johnson drove in 35 runs in 2007. The program’s record for home runs and RBI by a freshman were set by Cait Brooks in the 2016 season as she hit 11 and drove in 55, respectively.
Kloss leads the Irish with a .372 batting average this season, scoring a team-best 44 runs to go with nine doubles, three triples, a home run, 23 RBI, and 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts. Defensively, Kloss is one of the top catchers in the country. She’s allowed one passed ball for the season, catching all but one inning. Kloss has a ,990 fielding percentage, committing just three errors in 304 chances. She’s also thrown out 12 base runners, allowing just 29 successful stolen base attempts.
Gaskins has earned All-ACC honors in all four seasons of her Notre Dame softball career, as this is her first time earning third team honors. This season, Gaskins owns a .325 batting average, hitting three doubles, eight home runs, 34 RBI and setting a new program record with 54 walks this season. Her current .557 on-base percentage would break the program’s single season record, one she set in her 2022 ACC Player of the Year campaign when she earned a .555 on-base percentage.
Amaral, Kloss, Gaskins and the rest of the Irish open the ACC Tournament Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. as the team will take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
All-ACC Selections
Player of the Year: Claire Davidson, Duke, Sr., OF^
Pitcher of the Year: Jala Wright, Duke, Sr., P^
Defensive Player of the Year: Aminah Vega, Duke, So., 2B
Freshman of the Year: Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State, Fr., 3B^
Coach of the Year: Marissa Young, Duke
First Team All-ACC
Michaela Edenfield, Florida State, Jr., C***
Alia Logoleo, Clemson, RSr., INF****
Maddie Moore, Clemson, Jr., INF
Aminah Vega, Duke, So., INF**
Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State, Fr., INF
Claire Davidson, Duke, Sr., OF
Kaley Mudge, Florida State, Sr., OF**
Emma Ritter, Virginia Tech, Sr., OF***
Cassidy Curd, Duke, So., P**
Jala Wright, Duke, Sr., P**
Eden Bigham, Virginia, So., P**
Kalei Harding, Florida State, Sr., DP***
Jade Hylton, Virginia, So., SS
Addy Greene, Virginia Tech, Sr., OF
Cori McMillan, Virginia Tech, Jr., OF
Second Team All-ACC
Alex Brown, Clemson, Jr., INF
McKenzie Clark, Clemson, Sr., OF***
Regan Spencer, Clemson, Sr., P
Ashtyn Danley, Florida State, Fr., P
Devin Flaherty, Florida State, Sr., 2B****
Isa Torres, Florida State, Fr., SS
Jin Sileo, Georgia Tech, Sr., SS
Autumn Owen, North Carolina, Gr., C
Abby Settlemyre, North Carolina, Gr., SS
Addison Amaral, Notre Dame, Fr., 2B
Carlli Kloss, Notre Dame, Sr., C**
Cameron Fagan, Virginia Tech, Sr., 2B****
Emma Lemley, Virginia Tech, Jr., P***
Emma Mazzarone, Virginia Tech, Fr., P
Bre Peck, Virginia Tech, Jr., 2B***
Third Team All-ACC
Abby Dunning, Boston College, Jr., P
Hannah Slike, Boston College, Jr., C**
Valerie Cagle, Clemson, R-Sr., P/UTL****
Millie Thompson, Clemson, Sr., P***
Amiah Burgess, Duke, Fr., OF
Jahni Kerr, Florida State, R-Jr., OF**
Mallorie Black, Georgia Tech, Sr., 3B
Riley Frizell, Louisville, Sr., 1B
Daisy Hess, Louisville, Sr., SS**
Karina Gaskins, Notre Dame, Sr., 1B****
Lindsey Hendrix, Syracuse, Sr., P
Madelyn Lopez, Syracuse, So., OF
Shelby Barbee, Virginia, Jr., 1B
Michelle Chatfield, Virginia Tech, Fr., 1B
Majia Louko, Virginia Tech, Sr., DP
All-Freshman Team
Amiah Burgess, Duke, Fr., OF
Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State, Fr., INF^
Ashtyn Danley, Florida State, Fr., P
Kennedy Harp, Florida State, Fr., OF
Isa Torres, Florida State, Fr., SS
Sanaa Thompson, North Carolina, Fr., OF
Addison Amaral, Notre Dame, Fr., 2B
Bella Cabral, Virginia, Fr., 2B
Michelle Chatfield, Virginia Tech, Fr., 1B
Emma Mazzarone, Virginia Tech, Fr., P
^denotes unanimous
*denotes career all-ACC honors