Greenville, SC – The NCCAA is pleased to recognize Keara Mattingley of College of the Ozarks (CofO) as the 2026 Kathy Freese-Peabody Award recipient for Division I Women’s Basketball.  

A standout junior on the floor for the Bobcats, Mattingley has been a machine on the glass. Pulling down 7.4 rebounds per game this season, with 123 defensive boards and 84 offensive rebounds, the seventh-most in the NCCAA, she helped guide CofO to a runner-up finish in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Archie, Missouri native has also averaged 14.4 points per game, shooting 48% from the field. She has also been a force on defense for the Bobcats, recording 34 steals and swatting away 16 shots. 
 
Mattingley was a member of the 2025 NCCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship team for College of the Ozarks, and this year, she earned a spot on the 2026 SAC Women’s Basketball All-Tournament Team, along with being named Second Team All-Conference and was selected to the SAC All-Defensive Team.
 
Off the court, Mattingley holds a 3.48 GPA while majoring in human and molecular biology, earning a spot on the College of the Ozarks’ Dean’s List and on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, while also earning NCCAA and NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors. Mattingley leads team Bible studies and is a campus FCA leader. She does all of this while working multiple jobs on campus and in the summer, using the money to pay not only for her expenses, but to go on a mission trip every year. 
 
College of the Ozarks Head Women’s Basketball Coach Becky Mullins says, “Keara is a selfless leader. Her upbringing of meeting the needs of her family as the oldest of four siblings in a single parent home has positively impacted her leadership skills. She cares for her teammates by speaking into their lives in a real, honest manner. She leads team Bible studies every Monday morning, and takes her younger teammates under her wing, providing wisdom beyond her years to them. She is one of the best leaders I have ever coached. Keara maintains our team culture by the expectations she has for herself and teammates.”


Other Finalists
Mariah Claywell, Bethel University
Abigail Hoogland, Redeemer University
Regan Hubert, Cedarville University
Crysta LaCrosse, Houghton University
Emily Sizemore, Asbury University
 
Award Description 
The purpose of the award is to enhance the Christian purpose of athletic excellence in Christian athletic competition, and to perpetuate the Christian philosophy and faith in evangelical Christian institutions across our nation. Kathy Freese-Peabody led her team to three NCCAA National Championship appearances, while also emphasizing the importance of spiritual growth. She assisted with growing the sport of women’s basketball in the NCCAA during her tenure and served the association in a variety of roles, including national chairperson.