Bearcats looking to go to NCAA College World Series for the third stragith season
By JOHN ANDERSON
After winning a state championship for Wellsville softball and being named the New York State Most Valuable Player, Makenzie Cowburn had a lot of choices to continue her college career.
For two seasons, she pitched at Bellamine University in Louisville, Kentucky and earned American Sun Conference honors.
For her junior year, she’s coming home — or at least much closer — and Binghamton University softball coach Jessica Bump is pleased to have Cowburn joining the staff.
“We knew going into the summer that we were in need of a pitcher with experience to round out our pitching staff,” Bump said. “When we got into contact with Makenzie, we were excited for a number of reasons. First, we are always looking to keep the best players in New York lose to home, and second, her pitching arsenal is exactly what we were looking for to compliment our other pitchers.”
Cowburn needed just one season to show she belongs at the Division I level. After spending time as a relief pitcher, Cowburn was a starter her sophomore year at Bellamine, posting a shutout and complete games. It’s that toughness that impressed Bump.
“She has a great presence on the mound and is a great competitor,” Bump said. “We expect her to do great things in a Bearcat uniform.”
Last season in the NCAA Tournament, Binghamton lost to Oklahoma and Michigan after winning the America East Conference for the second year in a row. champions. Bump and her staff have a solid incoming freshman class, solid upperclassmen and now Cowburn into the mix as a veteran newcomer.
“We are coming off back-to-back America East Championships and feel like this team can keep the winning tradition going,” Bump said. “We have a good mix of veteran leaders, and some really athletic freshmen who are going to make an impact right away. We have a challenging pre-season schedule, which we hope will prepare us for conference play. Our goal is to make history and three-peat, and the whole team is working hard everyday to complete the mission in May.”
Makenzie isn’t the only member of her family playing high level sports. Her brother, Aiden Cowburn, is going into his sophomore season at Alfred State College. Like his sister, Aiden won a Section V title pitching, it’s his hitting and defense that is shining at college.
Aiden Cowburn is a starting third baseman for the Pioneers and had an incredible run in the AMCC championship, falling in the finals, one game from the NCAA Division III World Series.
Here is the bio on Makenzie courtesy of Binghamton University Athletics:
Before Binghamton
- Pitched two seasons at Bellamine
- Named the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Pitcher of the Week on March 16, 2026
- Struck out a career-high eight batters against UMass on Feb. 28, 2026
- Fired a six-hit shutout against Siena on Feb. 27
- Scattered one run on seven hits to record the complete-game victory over Lipscomb on March 14, 2026
- Member of the 2025 and 2026 ASUN Honor Roll
Before College
- A five-year letterwinner at Wellsville
- Named the 2024 NYS Class B Player of the Year
- A four-time, first-team All-New York State (NYS) selection
- The NYS Section V Class B Championship MVP in both 2022 and 2024
- A four-time first-team All-Greater Rochester honoree
- The All-Greater Rochester Pitcher of the Year in 2024.
- Set the Wellsville career program records for wins (50), shutouts (30), strikeouts (733), hits (137) and RBI (104)
- Ranked second all time in Wellsville program history with an 0.72 ERA
- Wellsville won four NYS Section V championships during her career
- Her travel ball team was the Conklin Raiders Gold
- Also played soccer at Wellsville
Personal
- Parents are Kim and Casey Cowburn
- Majoring in human development
Below, Makenzie with her parents, Kimberly and Casey.
