FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Florida Gulf Coast University softball team continued to strengthen its roster through the Southwest Florida transfer pipeline, securing a commitment from Florida SouthWestern State College outfielder Makayla Jakubuwski.

Jakubuwski, a Lehigh Acres, Florida, native, remains in her hometown with three seasons of eligibility remaining under the NCAA’s newly implemented 5-in-5 rule model. The local standout made the announcement via social media on July 1, stating, “Blessed to continue chasing my dreams in the place I call home.” With the move, she joins fellow Bucs teammate and standout catcher Stephanie Basso, who signed with the Eagles on June 29.

The local standout prepped at Evangelical Christian School, where she teamed up with FSW teammate Zoe Yzaguirre to lead the Sentinels to a 2A State Championship in 2023. During her stellar senior high school campaign, she hit .505 with 11 doubles, nine triples, and 41 RBIs.

The transition to the collegiate level saw Jakubuwski make an immediate impact as a freshman in 2025. She appeared in 39 games for the Buccaneers, posting a .311 batting average with 13 RBIs and 10 runs scored in 45 at-bats. She collected her first collegiate hit in her very first career at-bat—a single during an Opening Day victory over No. 5 Walters State. Her top freshman performance came against Hillsborough, where she went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in a 16-2 FSW rout.

Jakubuwski improved in her sophomore campaign in 2026. She appeared in 43 games and logged 84 at-bats for the Buccaneers. She raised her batting average to a stellar .369 mark, racking up 31 hits, seven doubles, and 29 RBIs.

She maintained efficiency over her 97 plate appearances, drawing eight walks and was hit by two pitches to post a .423 on-base percentage, alongside a .452 slugging percentage and three sacrifice flies. Highly effective at putting the ball in play, she recorded 16 groundouts to 12 flyouts for a 1.33 GO/FO ratio. Once on the base paths, Jakubuwski proved to be an active threat, swiping six stolen bases on the year.

The daughter of Danny and Lisa Jakubuwski, the rising junior joins an FGCU squad looking to reload its outfield depth ahead of the 2027 campaign. Her high-contact bat and local championship pedigree give head coach Lindsay Fico another proven, battle-tested asset from right next door.