KIAC Softball All-Conference Teams & Awards: Rio Grande leads accolades
OWENSBORO, Ky. -- The KIAC Softball All-Conference teams and awards were presented Friday, April 29 at an awards ceremony at the KIAC Softball Tournament in Owensboro, Ky.
Regular season champion the University of Grande led the honors with a conference-high seven first-team selections and three of the big awards going to the RedStorm. Rio Grande is ranked No. 22 in the NAIA Softball Top 25 and is the No. 1 seed at the KIAC Tournament.
Rio Grande's Jenna Jones was named KIAC Pitcher of the Year, first baseman Ariel Roder the KIAC Player of the Year and first-year coach Chris Hammond the KIAC Coach of the Year.
The other individual awards went Point Park University freshman pitcher Ashley Iagnemma as the KIAC Newcomer of the Year and WVU Tech first baseman Genna Trippett as KIAC Comeback Player of the Year.
Voting was conducted for the KIAC Softball All-Conference teams by the 10 KIAC softball head coaches. There were 17 players named to the KIAC Softball All-Conference First Team and 18 named to the Second Team.
The 17-player KIAC Softball All-Conference First Team included three pitchers, two catchers, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, left field, center field, right field, a utility player, a designated player and three at-large selections that were open to all positions.
Rio Grande led the first team with seven selections. IU Southeast, which is receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 and is the No. 2 seed in the KIAC Tournament at 32-15 overall, was next with three awardees on the first team.
Four teams had two players each make the first team, which were Point Park, WVU Tech and Ohio Christian.
Asbury led the second team with six selections followed by Point Park and Carlow with three each.
KIAC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS & AWARDS
KIAC Pitcher of the Year—Jenna Jones, Rio Grande
KIAC Player of the Year—Ariel Roder, Rio Grande
KIAC Newcomer of the Year—Ashley Iagnemma, Point Park
KIAC Comeback of the Year—Genna Trippett, WVU Tech
KIAC Coach of the Year—Chris Hammond, Rio Grande
KIAC Softball All-Conference First Team
P—Jenna Jones, Rio Grande
P --Emily Weiss, IU Southeast
P-Ashley Iagnemma, Point Park
C—Bailey Blair, Cincinnati Christian
C --Jessica Beitler, Point Park
DP—Tayler Arndt, Rio Grande
1B—Ariel Roder, Rio Grande
2B—Becca Shoenung, IU Southeast
3B—Carol Rice, Ohio Christian
SS—Cheyenne Hamaker, Rio Grande
LF—Brooke Barnett, IU Southeast
CF—Brittany Walk, Rio Grande
RF—Megan Blythe, WVU Tech
UTL—Megan Hatfield, Ohio Christian
1B—Genna Trippett, WVU Tech (At-Large Selection)
3B—Gabby Gregg, Rio Grande (At-Large Selection)
P—Kelsey Conkey, Rio Grande (At-Large Selection)
KIAC Softball All-Conference Second Team
P—Jenna Grogan, Carlow
P --Summer Ratliff, Asbury
C—Kateland Hunter, Asbury
1B—Brookelyn Visker, IU Southeast
2B—Marla Small, Carlow
3B—Rachel Tanner, Brescia
3B --Sydney Seger, IU Southeast
SS—Madi Adair, Asbury
SS --Kelsey Geyer, Carlow
SS--MaKayla Waugh, WVU Tech
LF—Dee Lewis, Midway
LF --Kendall Anderson, Asbury
CF—Taylor Geary, Point Park
RF—Chelsea Rogel, Point Park
DP—Delaney Baumis, Point Park
DP --Kylee Gorby, Asbury
UTL—AnnaBeth Hill, Asbury
UTL--Skyler Connelly, WVU Tech