CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – This weekend, three male and three female finalists will be honored at the 2026 Barron Bremner Outstanding Athlete Awards, presented by the Coe College athletic department and a selection committee. Brayden Parke, Luke Schumacher and Jack Walsh have been named the male finalists and Sophia Fain, Caydee Kirkham and Maddy Maahs have been named the female finalists. 
 
The awards, made possible by Life Trustee John Strohm '79 and Mary Pat Link, annually honor the top three Coe female athletes and the top three Coe male athletes. Each spring, head coaches at Coe nominate candidates for this award before a committee votes to select the outstanding male and female athletes. The designation of "Outstanding Athlete" reflects achievement in athletics within the philosophy of NCAA Division III and is a fitting way to recognize the accomplishments of the young people nominated. The award was renamed after Barron Bremner in honor of his many years of outstanding service to the college, its students, and the community as a beloved coach and Athletic Director. The 2026 Outstanding Athlete Awards winners will be announced on Homecoming Sunday, October 5, at the annual award ceremony. 
 
2026 Finalist Profiles
 
Female Finalists
 
Sophia Fain - Tennis
Fain turned in another impressive season for Coe women's tennis, finishing the year 18-9 overall in team matches while winning the A-R-C Individual Championships A Flight title. A three-time A-R-C Female Tennis Athlete of the Week, Fain was 15-8 at the top spot for the Kohawks in singles and 17-10 in doubles with a 3-0 record at both the number one and number three spots. 
 
Caydee Kirkham - Basketball
Kirkham ended her Kohawk career in style, leading the Coe Women's Basketball team to the A-R-C Postseason title and the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. Kirkham became the program's leader in career points and assists during her senior season and was named the American Rivers Conference MVP for the second time in her career. Caydee averaged 19.4 points and 5.8 assists in conference games and posted 15 20-point performances and five 30-point performances, while recording the program's first triple-double since 2009. She became the second All-American in program history, earning recognition from the WBCA and D3hoops.com. 
 
Maddie Harris - Softball & Volleyball
Harris made an impact on two programs in her senior season, earning all-conference honors for both the volleyball and softball teams. Harris helped Coe back to the NCAA tournament in volleyball, playing in all 31 matches while averaging 2.17 kills/set. Maddie then followed up with a standout season on the diamond, earning NFCA Third Team All-Region after finishing with a .423 average, 1.105 OPS and 58 hits. 
 
Male Finalists
 
Brayden Parke - Wrestling
Parke put together another strong season for the Kohawk Wrestling team, earning All-American honors for the second time in his career. Brayden was runner-up at the NCAA Regional Championships and then defeated the third, sixth, and seventh seeds at the national championships to finish as the national runner-up. A 2026 all-conference selection, Parke recorded 10 falls, six tech falls and five major decisions in his sophomore year. 
 
Luke Schumacher - Football
Schumacher capped a decorated Coe career with his best season yet, earning three All-American honors after being a key leader for the Kohawk offensive line and team overall. A four-year starter, Schumacher's senior season was highlighted by his third straight trip to the NCAA Playoffs as he helped the Kohawks win their first postseason game since 2016. Luke was honored by the AFCA and the Associated Press following the season, being named second-team and third-team All-American. 
 
Jack Walsh - Baseball
Walsh had a dominant junior season on the mound for the Kohawk baseball team, going 9-2 overall while earning a slew of conference, regional, and national honors. Jack posted a dominant 2.77 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in a team-high 81 innings, striking out a program record 102 batters along the way. Following the dominant year, Walsh was named ABCA Region 9 Pitcher of the Year and first team all-region. Nationally, Jack was honored with a pair of all-American awards, picking up third team honors from D3baseball.com and second team honors from the ABCA. Additionally, Jack was selected as the gold glove recipient for all of Division III, cementing his all-around ability on the mound and in the field. 
 
HISTORY OF THE AWARD
 
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