Two Mississippi State pitchers earned Top 100 honors for their 2026 seasons on Monday.
Softball America named Peja Goold and Alyssa Faircloth as two of the country’s top players for what they did in the circle in 2026. Faricloth came in at No. 21 while Goold landed at No. 42.
Faircloth is coming off a junior season where she started 25 games with a 2.58 ERA. She was named a second-team All-American by D1Softball, second-team All-SEC and the SEC Newcomer of the Year.
The highlight of her season came in the regional round against Oregon. She threw a 10-strikeout no-hitter against the Eugene Regional host, sending MSU to the regional final. She is set to return to Starkville with one more year of eligibility.
Goold led the Bulldogs in starts with 26, and boasted a 2.50 ERA and 182 total strikeouts. She finished her career with one year in Starkville, after transferring in from the University of Chattanooga.
Her college career is over, but her softball career isn’t. Goold is now playing in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League with the Oklahoma City Spark. She’s pitched in four innings across three games.
Jake is the Mississippi State athletics reporter for The Dispatch.
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