All-RSC Softball Teams recognized at RSC Softball Tournament
VIENNA, W.Va. -- The 2018 All-River States Conference Softball Teams & Awards were recognized this past weekend at the RSC Softball Tournament at Jackson Memorial Park in Vienna, W.Va. After the voting of the conference's 10 softball head coaches was conducted, the top players in the league were selected for the honors.
The All-RSC Softball First Team consisted of 20 players with three pitchers, two catchers, five infielders, four outfielders, a designated player, a utility player and four at-large selections for the next-highest vote getters regardless of position. The All-RSC Second Team featured 16 players from the previously mentioned positions and no at-large mentions.
Individual awards were also named for RSC Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Coach of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. University of Rio Grande led the way with sophomore shortstop Michaela Criner named RSC Player of the Year, junior pitcher Kesley Conkey named RSC Pitcher of the Year and third-year head coach Chris Hammond was named RSC Coach of the Year.
Criner and Conkey both earned a spot on the All-RSC First Team in addition to their big awards. Criner is leading the NAIA and the RSC in hitting. She is tops in the country with a .533 batting average, 89 hits and 147 total bases entering the national tournament. She has 13 homers and 49 RBIs and ranks third in the NAIA in slugging percentage at .880. She has started all 46 games for the RedStorm (35-11).
Conkey was named RSC Pitcher of the Year and takes a record of 17-2 with 15 complete games and a 1.56 ERA into the national tournament. In 121.1 innings pitched, she has struck out 107, walked just 16 and allowed 82 hits. Opponents are hitting .191 off of Conkey.
Rio Grande head coach Chris Hammond was the RSC Coach of the Year once again after leading the RedStorm to the RSC regular-season and tournament championships. Rio Grande has been receiving votes nationally in the NAIA Top 25 for the whole season and enters the national tournament 35-11 overall, 16-2 RSC and on an 11-game win streak.
Carlow University sophomore pitcher Abby Stroud was named the RSC Newcomer of the Year after transferring into the league this year. She earned a spot on the All-RSC Second Team at pitcher are compiling a record of 13-7 with a 1.94 ERA across 129.2 innings.
Also named for the year was the RSC Softball Champions of Character Team with one representative from each school who best represents the five character values of NAIA Champions of Character, which are respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.
The 20-member All-RSC First Team is represented by eight different schools. Rio Grande led the way with five players selected first team followed by IU Southeast with four and Cincinnati Christian with three. The 16-players on the second team come from nine different schools with Midway, Cincinnati Christian and Carlow getting three each and IU Southeast two.
The following are the All-RSC Softball Teams and award winners.
2018 ALL-RSC SOFTBALL TEAMS & AWARDS
RSC Player of the Year—Michaela Criner, Rio Grande, SS
RSC Pitcher of the Year—Kelsey Conkey, Rio Grande, P
RSC Newcomer of the Year—Abby Stroud, Carlow, P
RSC Coach of the Year—Chris Hammond, Rio Grande, 3rd Year
ALL-RSC SOFTBALL FIRST TEAM
P—Kelsey Conkey, Rio Grande
P—Emily Weiss, IU Southeast
P—Mallory Powell, Rio Grande
C—Kelsey Gravens, Midway
C—Abby Tatgenhorst, Carlow
IF—Michaela Criner, Rio Grande
IF—Sydney Seger, IU Southeast
IF—Ashtyn Sharp, IU Southeast
IF—Alexis Rouse, Cincinnati Christian
IF—Michaela Waugh, WVU Tech
OF—Kindly Olds, IU Southeast
OF—Kelly Fuchs, Rio Grande
OF—Syklar Connelly, WVU Tech
OF—Maddie Horn, Point Park
DP—Faith Harris, Cincinnati Christian
UTL—Deana Phillips, Asbury
At Large—Katie Tarr, Point Park
At Large—Kayla Slutz, Rio Grande
At Large—Emma Kawaiaea, Cincinnati Christian
At Large—Carly Benz, Midway
ALL-RSC SOFTBALL SECOND TEAM
P—Abby Stroud, Carlow
P—Becca Schoenung, IU Southeast
P—Alyssa Yates, Midway
C—Jess Beitler, Point Park
C—Faith Day, Asbury
IF—Michaela Barga, Cincinnati Christian
IF—Katelynn Mogelberg-Kauffman, Midway
IF—Sam Wampler, Carlow
IF—Ashleigh Campbell, Cincinnati Christian
IF—Mary Pica, Rio Grande
OF—Alysa Fairman, Carlow
OF—Courtney Klueppel, Brescia
OF—Marissa Walker, Midway
OF—Valerie Hudepohl, Cincinnati Christian
DP—Maggie Lubbehusen, IU Southeast
UTL—Lauren Oxord, WVU Tech
RSC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER TEAM
Asbury -- Emmy Gillis
Brescia -- Rileigh Bobo
Carlow -- Abby Stroud
Cincinnati Christian -- Kaila Sturgell
IU Southeast -- Sidney Chumbler
Midway -- Lynsie Clark
Ohio Christian -- Whitney Fiedler
Point Park -- Brittany Zeigler
Rio Grande -- Mallory Powell
WVU Tech -- Hannah Calhoun