Sophia Kardatzke soars her way into being named Big South Softball Player of the Week
4/6/2026 3:00:00 PM | Softball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Big South Conference Office has announced the Softball Weekly awards where Sophomore Outfielder, Sophia Kardatzke was named the Big South Player of the Week for the first time in her collegiate career. Â
From patiently waiting to reminding everyone of her presence, Sophia Kardatzke's sophomore season has been a roller coaster missing the first 28 games due to a knee injury that occurred in the fall. Kardatzke officially made her return to the lineup on March 20, 2026, for the conference opener against the 2025 Big South Regular Season Champions, Radford. Kardatzke batted went 5-for-9 in the weekend series while adding two doubles, one run, a stolen base and finished with a .556 batting average. Kardatzke continued shaking off the rust in the following week, hitting her first home run of the season in the midweek doubleheader against Western Carolina. Kardatzke continued the week adding her second home run of the season in the weekend series at Longwood, which helped the Spartans secure the series on the road. Heading into the first weekend in April, Upstate Softball had a key matchup with Gardner-Webb that would help seeding as the 2026 Big South Softball Championships are less than a month away. Sophia Kardatzke had her best weekend since returning from injury in the series against Gardner-Webb where she batted .857 through three games going 6-for-7 at the plate, scoring two runs, three RBI, swiping a base and secured the series in a valiant comeback in game two with a walk-off RBI single. Sophia Kardatzke's collegiate resume continues to build being a six-time Big South Freshman of the Week (2025), Big South Co-Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-American, and being named to the 2026 Big South Preseason All-Conference Team. Kardatzke now adds her first weekly honor of the 2026 season, marking her first player of the week award. Â
USC UPSTATE TO HOST 2026 BIG SOUTH SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPÂ Â Â
Buy your tickets now for 2026 Big South Softball Championship to be held at Hawkins Field at Cyrill Stadium.  The event will be held May 6-9 and for more information and tickets, click here. (A clear bag policy will be enforced for this event.) Â
TICKETS ON-SALE FOR SPARTY'S BALL – MAY 15th  Â
Support USC Upstate student-athletes at Sparty's Ball, the largest fundraising event of the year for the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF), to be held Friday, May 15, 2026 at The Piedmont Club. For tickets, sponsorship and auction information, click here!   Â
