Northern Sun Announces Year End Awards

NSIC Player of the Year
#4 Katie Crogan (1b, 5-9,  Gr., R/R, Watertown, Wis. / Watertown HS)
Upper Iowa University
- Finished third in the NSIC in batting average (.473) and second in slugging (.903), on-base percentage (.541), and OPS (1.444)
- Also finished second in RBI (41) and home runs (10) while ranking T-third in hits (44), T-sixth in runs (29), and T-seventh in doubles (10)
- Tallied 12 multi-hit games over the NSIC slate and notched a hit in 22 games
- Added 11 multi-RBI games, reaching a season-high of five RBI on three occasions
- Had a pair of multi-HR games and four-hit outings
- Anchored first base with a .978 fielding percentage while contributing to six of UIU’s NSIC-high 12 double plays

NSIC Pitcher of the Year
#17 Mackenzie Ward (RHP, Sr., R/R, Clive, Iowa / Valley HS) 
Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Named NSIC Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season
- Became the second Maverick in program history to record 1,000 career strikeouts (1,068 in career)
- Won her last 13 starts of the regular season and went 14-0 in 16 appearances during that stretch
- Has allowed an earned run in just eight of her 35 appearances in the circle this season
- Has struck out at least 10 batters in 14 games this season
- Owns a 27-3 record with a 0.69 ERA to go along with 288 strikeouts, while holding batters to a .145 batting average
- Has posted 13 shutouts this season
- Went 48.0 consecutive innings in NSIC action without allowing an earned run
- Named NSIC Player of the Week eight times this season

NSIC Freshman of the Year
#11 Cheyenne Behrends (INF, Fr., R/R, Clarksville, Iowa / Clarksville HS) 
Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Played in 52 games and made 49 starts at third base
- Recorded at least two hits in 14 games
- Notched a season-high with three hits, three runs and three RBI against Upper Iowa (4/12)
- Is second on the team in RBI with 36 and third in both hits with 50 and runs scored with 32

NSIC Newcomer of the Year
#16 Christin Hartman (RHP, 5-8, So., Bettendorf, Iowa / Pleasant Valley HS / Grinnell College)
University of Minnesota Duluth
- In nine appearances, finished her freshman season with a perfect 5-0 record
- Notched two saves, which was tied for best on UMD and fourth best in the conference
- Second best ERA on the team at 2.16
- Recorded 18 strike outs in 35.2 innings pitched
- Struck out seven batters and gave up one earned run in 5.1 innings of work during UMD’s 10-7 victory over Winona State on April 15 

NSIC COACH of the Year
Gretta Melsted
Augustana University
- Led Augustana to its second straight and fifth overall NSIC Regular Season Championship
- Coached 10 All-NSIC players, including seven first team members
- Claimed her 700th career win this season and 600th win at Augustana
- Earns her fifth NSIC Coach of the Year award
 

Upper Midwest Atheltic Conference

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Following a program-first Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season softball championship win, the University of Wisconsin-Superior was well-represented in the postseason awards taking two of the top major awards and leading with six total all-conference honorees, it was announced Monday. 

The Yellowjackets' dynamic duo topped the honorees with Kaela Kramer picking up Player of the Year and sister Tayler Kraemer being named Pitcher of the Year. Postseason tournament champion Bethany Lutheran College saw first-year Kaija Mork named Rookie of the Year, while regular season runner-up University of Northwestern Head Coach Alicia du'Monceuax was tabbed Coach of the Year by her peers. 

Wisconsin-Superior won the conference title with an impressive 18-3 overall conference record behind the high-powered offense from K. Kraemer. In conference play, the junior dominated leading the league in average (.548), on-base percentage (.605), hits (40) and stolen bases (39). She also ranked in the UMAC top 10 for slugging (.712), OPS (1.317), runs (29), RBI (24), at bats (73) and walks (12). 

Even more impressive, though, K. Kraemer leads the nation in stolen bases (67) and stolen bases per game (1.72). She also sits ninth in overall hits with 60. Against UMAC teams, the shortstop had 13 multi-hit games including seven with at least three hits. Three times this season K. Kraemer was selected as the UMAC Player of the Week. 

On the mound, T. Kraemer was just as impressive as her sister was at the plate. The sophomore hurler won a UMAC-best 12 games and boasted a conference-leading 1.82 earned run average (ERA). She pitched 80.2 regular season UMAC innings and was third in strikeouts with 50. Four times this season T. Kraemer held UMAC opponents to two hits or less including a no-hitter performance against North Central University on April 20. She was four times selected as the UMAC Pitcher of the Week. 

Mork was one of the top hitters in the postseason-champion Vikings' lineup throughout the season. The rookie ranked in the top 10 in UMAC contests for batting average (.431), slugging (.679), OPS (1.116), runs (37), hits (59), RBI (46), doubles (16), triples (3), home runs (4), at bats (137) and sacrifice flies (7). In 10 UMAC games this season, Mork tallied two or more hits and had four games with three. She was selected as the UMAC Player of the Week twice this season.

Northwestern compiled its best finish since 2016 placing second in the conference standings and just one win away from the conference title under du'Monceaux's leadership. The Eagles recorded a 17-4 conference record and 23-13 overall mark for one of the program's best finishes. du'Monceaux's squad was the only UMAC team to defeat Wisconsin-Superior twice this season which included a 5-4 walk off win on April 23 after a two-hour weather delay. The Eagles recorded two shutout wins this season against UMAC teams and had seven games with two or fewer runs allowed. 

The all-conference lists were highlighted by six selections for the Yellowjackets and five each for Bethany Lutheran and Northwestern. The Vikings' Zoe Kinakin leads all honorees as the only individual selected First Team three times in her career. T. Kraemer and Briggs Carlson of Northwestern were both back-to-back First Team honorees, while Northwestern's Telma Roesler has been a First Team honoree twice in her career. 

Seven players have been named to one of the two teams twice in their careers including Olivia Bancroft-Hart (Wisconsin-Superior), Lisa Hoffer (Martin Luther College), Elena Hoffman (Martin Luther), Liz Kemp (Crown College), Tiffany Kirk (Wisconsin-Superior), K. Kraemer (Wisconsin-Superior) and Jenna Reyes (Northland College). 

Northwestern won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches and awarded to the team that best represents sportsmanship throughout the entire season. Each team also had one representative named to the individual sportsmanship award list. 

Player of the Year - Kaela Kraemer, Jr., Wisconsin-Superior
Pitcher of the Year - Tayler Kraemer, So., Wisconsin-Superior
Rookie of the Year - Kaija Mork, Fy., Bethany Lutheran
Coach of the Year - Alicia du'Monceaux, Northwestern
 
First Team UMAC All-Conference

UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention

UMAC All-Defensive Team

UMAC Sportsmanship Awards
Team Award - Northwestern
Bethany Lutheran – Elizabeth Cizek, Jr., Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South
Crown – Ally Adams, Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper
Martin Luther – Jordyn Heckendorf, So., Kewaskum, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran
Minnesota Morris – Grace Penke, Sr., Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson
North Central – Emma Cochran, Fy., Chewelah, Wash.
Northland – Lenisa Tomasini, So., Ulvalde, Texas/Ulvalde
Northwestern – Ally Ehnstrom, Fy., Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin
Wisconsin-Superior – Zoe Thomson, Fy., Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson

2022 NorthStar Athletic Association Softball Awards Announced

WATERTOWN, S.D. – The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) announced its 2022 Softball All-Conference Teams, Gold Glove team and postseason awards Wednesday evening on the eve of the postseason tournament.  The awards recognition was held at the Watertown Civic Arena.

The NSAA Softball All-Conference Teams, Gold Glove Team and postseason awards were voted by the league coaches.  The 2022 NSAA All-Conference Teams consists of 32 recipients, 20 athletes on the first team and 12 athletes on the second team.  The Champions of Character recipients are also announced. 

Bellevue (Neb.) landed nine recipients on the All-Conference Teams, eight recipients on the First Team.  Valley City State (N.D.) has a total of eight individuals on the All-Conference teams. 

The North Star also announced its 9-member Gold Glove team for displaying their outstanding defensive performance.

In NSAA postseason awards, Katie Cunningham of Bellevue was selected as Pitcher-of-the-Year.  Joelle Aiello of Valley City State chosen as the league's Player-of-the-Year.  Reese Floro of BU also was selected as the Newcomer-of-the-Year.  Michala Cimino of Bellevue was named to the NSAA Softball Coach-of-the-Year after guiding her squad to an impressive 24-2 conference record.

The 2022 NSAA Softball Postseason Tournament begins with four opening round games on Thursday, starting with a pair of games at 10 a.m. followed by another pair of games at 12:30 p.m.  The three-day postseason conference tournament is being held at the PREMIER Softball Complex in southeast area of Watertown.

Below are the complete listings of all All-Conference Teams selections, postseason awards and Gold Glove Team:

2022 North Star Athletic Association Softball All-Conference First Team
 

2022 North Star Athletic Association Softball All-Conference Second Team
 

2022 North Star Athletic Association Softball Postseason Awards
Pitcher-of-the-Year:  Katie Cunningham – Bellevue (Neb.)
Player-of-the-Year:  Joelle Aiello – Valley City State (N.D.)
Newcomer-of-the-Year:  Reese Floro – Bellevue (Neb.)
Coach-of-the-Year:  Michala Cimino – Bellevue (Neb.)

2022 North Star Athletic Association Champions of Character recipients
Bellevue (Neb.):  Ashley Young
Dakota State (S.D.):  Madison Aldendifer
Dickinson State (N.D.):  Emilie Sicker
Mayville State (N.D.):  Hayle Boechler
Presentation (S.D.):  Cassy Loa
Valley City State (N.D.):  Riley Perryman
Viterbo (Wis):  Jacky Mathews
Waldorf (Iowa):  Paige Piereson

2022 North Star Athletic Association Softball Gold Glove Team:
 

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

 
RMAC Player of the Year: Ashley Bradford, Colorado Mesa
RMAC Pitcher of the Year: Paige Adair, Colorado Mesa
RMAC Freshman of the Year: Kylie Harpman, Regis
RMAC Coach of the Year: Larry Hays, Colorado Christian
 
2022 RMAC Softball First Team All-Conference

 
2022 RMAC Softball Second Team All-Conference

*A tie in voting resulted in one extra shortstop position on the second team
 
2022 RMAC Softball Gold Glove Team

 
 
2022 RMAC Softball Honorable Mention

Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics 2022 All-Tournament Team