The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its academic awards for the 2023-24 women's golf season. One-hundred and forty-two student-athletes from all 14 MIAA softball playing institutions were honored by the Association for their work in the classroom.

The league’s prestigious Academic Excellence Award was awarded to 23 softball players in the 2024 season. An Academic Excellence Award recipient must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of at least 4.00 at the certifying member institution. The honoree also must have at least two terms of grades reported at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms.

For the first time since 2021 and the third time in program history, head coach Diane Lokey and the West Chester University softball team (34-20) are PSAC Champions after defeating East Stroudsburg (45-15) 11-7 in a thrilling, back-and-forth affair on Saturday afternoon in Quakertown.

Today’s victory, which reached its conclusion right as rainfall forecast for the afternoon intensified, allowed West Chester to complete its second unbeaten run through Quakertown since 2010 as the 2024 Golden Rams join the 2017 squad as the other team to go 4-0 en route to the PSAC Tournament crown.

Danielle Ciliberto earned Tournament MVP honors after going a perfect 4-0 in the circle this week, including another complete-game victory on Saturday, while also hitting a pair of home runs (Wednesday vs Seton Hill; Friday vs Kutztown). On Saturday, Ciliberto went the distance in the circle again, allowing seven runs on eight hits while striking out five to pick up her 21st victory of the year.

Mairead Hopkins also had a tournament to remember, hitting five home runs, including a pair in the Championship game on Saturday to help guide the Golden Rams to the PSAC crown.

When asked about her two-home run afternoon, Hopkins said, “I stayed in the attack mode I was in all week. The whole team brought it all week, and today was no different, so I’m very proud of this entire group.”

West Chester found itself behind early on Saturday but never wavered, using a two-out rally in the fourth, which saw the Golden Rams score four runs to take a 7-5 lead into the fifth. This lead seemed as if it might be enough for West Chester to bring home its third PSAC Tournament crown, but East Stroudsburg was as resilient as ever, battling back to tie the score at 7-7. Grace Aguilar had perhaps the biggest hit of the day to start the home sixth, blasting a solo shot over the center field fence to give the Golden Rams an 8-7 lead they would never relinquish.

East Stroudsburg jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first after loading the bases and scoring its first run via a hit-by-pitch before a grand slam off the bat of Denva Shaw-Tait gave the Warriors the early advantage.

West Chester countered quickly in the home first as Aguilar worked a walk and scored moments later on Hopkins' fourth home run of the Tournament, cutting the deficit to 5-2.

In the home second, Paige Marabell nearly cut the deficit to 5-3 with a solo shot to left field, but East Stroudsburg left fielder Abigail Weirich used every bit of space in left to come up with the catch and keep the lead at three.

Madison Melvin laced a one-out single up the middle early in the third and moved to second on a wild pitch with just one out in the inning. This allowed her to score on an RBI single up the middle by Katelyn Rittenbaugh, cutting the ESU lead to 5-3. Aguilar kept the line moving with a bouncing single through the left side of the infield. The Warriors escaped the inning without any further damage, getting a big second out via a rare strikeout of Hopkins and a fly out off the bat off Casey Best to maintain a 5-3 lead into the fourth.

After two quick outs to begin the home fourth, West Chester got a two-out baserunner with a single to left from Ciliberto. Looking for a two-out spark, Lokey turned to her bench and summoned fifth-year Alexa Peterson to pinch-hit for Emma Zoldi. This move paid dividends immediately as Peterson drove the first she saw over the right-center field fence to tie the game at 5-5 in the fourth.

With the game tied and a renewed energy, Melvin kept the inning going with a single up the middle, bringing Rittenbaugh back to the plate as the graduate student looked to continue her big week. Rittenbaugh followed this up with a double down the left-field line, giving the Golden Rams runners on second and third with two away. Aguilar kept the pressure on with a line-drive single to left, which gave West Chester a 6-5 lead and closed the book on Sarah Davenport, who exited after allowing a season-high six runs. Hopkins continued her massive PSAC Tournament with a hard-hit single to third base, scoring another run and stretching the Golden Ram lead to 7-5.

Today’s outing marked just the third time this season that ESU's Sarah Davenport has allowed five or more runs and the second time this week, with both occurrences coming against the Golden Rams. Before this, Davenport had only allowed five runs or more once, with that occurrence coming on February 11 at Nova Southeastern.

After West Chester finished batting around in the fourth, Davenport’s final line showed seven runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out six.

Paige Zigmund escaped the inning with a big strikeout of Paige Marabell, keeping the deficit at 7-5 heading into the fifth.

After a scoreless fifth, Shaw-Tait led off the sixth with a single down the left-field line, which helped the Warriors tie the game at 7-7 after a two-run home run to left off the bat of Katie Master as the game went to the bottom of the sixth even at 7-7.

Aguilar untied the game with one swing in the sixth, working a long at-bat and eventually driving a home run to straightaway center, giving West Chester an 8-7 lead.

Hopkins continued her outstanding PSAC Tournament with her second home run of the day to straightaway center as well, giving West Chester a 9-7 lead with no outs in the sixth.

Best followed these back-to-back home runs up with a near home run of her own, doubling to right center before West Chester extended its lead on a fielders choice RBI off the bat of Melvin. West Chester stretched its lead to 11-7 after a bases-loaded walk by Rittenbaugh, thus bringing Aguilar back to the plate and allowing the Golden Rams to bat around for the second time in the game.

Ciliberto finished an outstanding complete-game effort in the circle in the seventh, working quickly to get her three outs and lift West Chester to an 11-7 victory. Ciliberto, the Tournament MVP, improved to 21-8 on the year, scattering eight hits and seven runs while striking out five in the Championship-clinching victory.

Zigmund suffered the loss for East Stroudsburg, allowing four runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out a pair to drop to 19-8 on the season.

Rogers State softball captured the MIAA tournament title for the second time in three years with a 2-1 walk-off , nine-inning championship game on Saturday, May 4.

The Hillcats won the 2024 MIAA Softball Championship and claimed the Association’s automatic berth into the NCAA postseason. The championship is Rogers State’s second tournament title since joining the MIAA in 2019-2020.

The showdown between the nationally ranked teams started with an intense pitching battle as neither starting pitcher allowed a run in the first four innings. The MIAA Pitcher of the Year Sara Llamas-Howell scattered one hit, with that being the only runner left stranded while the MIAA Freshman of the Year Ava Laurent scattered two hits and left four runners stranded.

Rogers State finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth to take a 1-0 advantage. The Gorillas quickly responded in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly to left to bring in the tying run and knot things at 1-1.

In the bottom of the ninth, Rogers State’s Chelsea Spain led off the frame with double down the left field line. McKayla Carney was responsible for the walk-off single as she blasted one to center field, allowing Spain to score the game-winning run.

Overall, the Hillcats offense out-hit the Gorillas 11-4. Rogers State’s shortstop Carney and second baseman Spain led all hitters in the box with three hits each. The field saw flawless defense on both ends. Rogers State’s Llamas-Howell pitched the complete game, allowing four hits and one run while delivering three strikeouts and zero walks.

Below is a list of players named to the 2024 MIAA Softball Championship All-Tournament Team. Rogers State’s Kaylee Lyon was honored as the Tournament MVP. The redshirt freshman third baseman was responsible for six of the Hillcats nine runs in the tournament and led all hitters with four RBI.

2024 MIAA SOFTBALL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Heather Arnett – Pittsburg State
Hannah Burnett – Pittsburg State
McKayla Carney – Rogers State
Paxtyn Hayes – Pittsburg State
Ava Laurent – Pittsburg State
Rylee Lemos – Central Oklahoma
Sara Llamas-Howell – Rogers State
Kaylee Lyon – Rogers State [Tournament MVP]
Abby Rogers – Rogers State
Jadyn Sanders – Rogers State
Gabby Schultz – Pittsburg State
Courtney Shorey – Pittsburg State
Callie Yellin – Rogers State

All-Conference teams and Major Award Winners

Awards winner are selected by PSAC coaches

In the Western Division, major award winners included California’s Caleigh Rister as Athlete of the Year, Gannon’s Maggie Lenda as Pitcher of the Year, Seton Hill’s Kassidy Wittig as Freshman of the Year, and Gannon head coach Michelle Wiley as Coach of the Year.

The Eastern Division awards went to Millersville’s Aleese Angelo as Athlete of the Year, East Stroudsburg’s Sarah Davenport as both Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, and East Stroudsburg head coach Jaime Wohlbach as Coach of the Year.

WESTERN DIVISION

Junior Caleigh Rister adds the 2024 Athlete of the Year award to her list of PSAC accolades that include Freshman of the Year and Pitcher of the Year awards back in 2022. The two-way player contributes everywhere on the field, logging a .444 average (third-best in the conference) , 33 runs, 37 RBIs, 12 doubles, and four home runs at the plate. In the circle, she added 132.2 innings pitched with an ERA of 3.32 and 115 strikeouts to help the Vulcans secure the West’s No. 3 seed in this year’s 2024 PSAC Softball Championship.

Gannon ace Maggie Lenda, a junior, claimed the Pitcher of the Year honors by tossing 109.2 innings with a 2.11 ERA (fourth-best in the PSAC and tops in the Western Division) along with a 15-2 record and 86 strikeouts.

Seton Hill’s Kassidy Wittig was voted Freshman of the Year after leading the entire conference in batting average at a .449 clip and adding 40 runs scored, 26 RBIs, 12 doubles, two triples, a home run, and 22 stolen bases to set the table for the Griffins, who secured the West’s No. 2 seed in the 2024 Softball Championship.

Michelle Wiley earns her second career PSAC Coach of the Year honor (the previous coming in 2019) after leading Gannon to a 25-6 conference record (30-11 overall) and the West’s top seed for this week’s PSAC championship. The Golden Knights ended the season by winning 21 of their last 23 games.

EASTERN DIVISION

Millersville senior catcher Aleese Angelo was voted the Eastern Division’s Athlete of the Year after a monster season at the plate, where she hit .447 (second-highest batting average in the PSAC and tops in the East) with 13 home runs, 13 doubles, 33 runs scored, and 47 RBIs. Her slugging percentage of .786 and OPS of 1.318 were both Eastern Division-leading marks.

East Stroudsburg’s Sarah Davenport burst onto the scene to earn both the Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards – an occurrence that has only happened five times in PSAC history. California’s Caleigh Rister accomplished the double in the West in 2022, and the last time a player won both in the East was in 2015 and West Chester’s Amanda Houck. Davenport led the PSAC in wins (22), ERA (1.00), strikeouts (273), and opposing batting average (.179).

East Stroudsburg head coach Jaime Wohlbach was honored with her first career Coach of the Year award after guiding the Warriors to a 23-9 conference record (41-13 overall) and the East’s top seed in this week’s upcoming 2024 PSAC Softball Championship.

A complete list of the 2024 PSAC Softball All-Conference Teams and major award winners is below.

WESTERN DIVISION

Athlete of the Year: Caleigh Rister, California
Pitcher of the Year: Maggie Lenda, Gannon
Freshman of the Year: Kassidy Wittig, Seton Hill
Coach of the Year: Michelle Wiley, Gannon

FIRST TEAM

POS.NAME INSTITUTION CL.

Catcher Mackenzie Zang^Seton HillSr.

First Base Natalia Mallozzi^GannonR-Jr.

Second Base Jules Ryan^GannonSr.

Shortstop Madison PikulaIUPSo.

Third Base Delaney Patella*IUPSo.

Outfield Camryn MurphySeton HillSo.

Outfield Emma SmerickGannonFr.

Outfield Kassidy WittigSeton HillR-Fr

Designated Player Gabi VasiGannon

Sr.Pitcher Maggie LendaGannonJr.

Pitcher Logan Hartman*Seton HillSr.

Utility/Pitcher Caleigh Rister*CaliforniaJr.

Utility/Non-Pitcher Maddie Fry-FachetMercyhurstGr.

*Prior PSAC Softball First Team Honors
^Prior PSAC Softball Second Team Honors

EASTERN DIVISION

Athlete of the Year: Aleese Angelo, Millersville
Pitcher of the Year: Sarah Davenport, East Stroudsburg
Freshman of the Year: Sarah Davenport, East Stroudsburg
Coach of the Year: Jaime Wohlbach, East Stroudsburg

FIRST TEAM

POS .NAME INSTITUTION CL

Catcher Aleese Angelo*MillersvilleSr.

First Base Gabi TurnerMillersvilleGr.

Second Base Kate RittenbaughWest ChesterGr.

Shortstop Caitlyn Martell*ShippensburgSo.

Third Base Reilly Vicendese^East StroudsburgSr.

Outfield Delaney Good^*Lock HavenSr.

Outfield Madison Melvin*^*West ChesterGr

.Outfield Taylor Myers*ShippensburgSr.

Designated Player Mairead HopkinsWest ChesterSo.

Pitcher Sarah DavenportEast StroudsburgFr.

Pitcher Callie Sowers*^BloomsburgJr.

Utility/Pitcher Katelyn MinneyShippensburgJr.

Utility/Non-Pitcher Delaney RidgellEast StroudsburgSo.

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*Prior PSAC Softball First Team Honors
^Prior PSAC Softball Second Team Honors

Abby Allnutt of the University of Central Missouri has been named the Association’s Mammoth “A Game” Scholar-Athlete of the 2024 Softball Championship.

The top ten teams from the regular season met in Edmond, Okla. May 1-4 for the Association’s postseason championship tournament. Among all the student-athletes competing in the tournament, Central Missouri’s Abby Allnutt was selected as the championship’s “A Game” Scholar-Athlete, presented by Mammoth.

Established by the MIAA in 2022, the Mammoth “A Game” Scholar-Athlete Award acknowledges the overall excellence of a student-athlete by recognizing one individual who has contributed to their team’s success, while also achieving the highest academic standard among peers. The student-athlete honored with the “A Game” Scholar-Athlete Award must be an active member of a qualifying team and must have a minimum of two terms completed at the institution.

Allnutt is a senior utility player from Warrensburg, Mo., on the Jennies softball team. In her fourth year academically, Allnutt owns a 4.00 grade point average as an art, humanities and social sciences major with 150 credits completed.

Playing mostly at left field, Allnutt started 47 of the Jennies 49 games in the regular season. In the field, Allnutt was responsible for 75 outs with an almost-perfect .987 fielding percent. At the plate, she owns a .226 batting average in 133 at-bats with 30 hits, 18 runs scored and 14 RBI. Allnutt and the Jennies enter the MIAA tournament as the No. 8 seed after finishing 12-14 in league competition.

Allnutt will be honored with the MIAA “A Game” trophy, presented by Mammoth, before the opening round of the 2024 MIAA Softball Championship on Wednesday, May 1. The No. 8-seeded Jennies take on No. 9 seed Missouri Southern at 3 p.m. on Central Oklahoma's Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond, Okla. For more information on the postseason tournament, visit theMIAA.com/SoftballChampionship.

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The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its postseason awards and All-MIAA teams from the 2024 softball season.

Forty-nine softball players earned All-MIAA honors in the 2024 season while five players from three different institutions were honored with the Association’s highest postseason awards.

Pittsburg State’s Heather Arnett and Central Oklahoma’s Terin Ritz share the MIAA Player of the Year title, Rogers State’s Sara Llamas-Howell was named the MIAA Pitcher of the Year, Central Oklahoma’s Shayleigh Odom was selected as the Association’s Defensive Player of the Year and Pitt State’s Ava Laurent was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. Gorillas head coach Jenny Fuller and the Pitt State coach staff was voted the MIAA Coaching Staff of the Year by their peers.

Pitt State’s center fielder Heather Arnett was dominant at the plate this season, helping lead Pitt State to a share of the MIAA regular season title for the first time since 1994. The sophomore from Pittsburg, Kan., led MIAA hitters with a .452 batting average. With a league-high 119 at-bats, Arnett produced an MIAA-leading 90 hits and 65 runs scored. The Gorillas leadoff hitter also led the league with seven triples and 49 stolen bases. Arnett was also responsible for 70 putouts and 10 assists with a .964 fielding percentage in the outfield.

Central Oklahoma’s Terin Ritz was a force at the plate and in the circle for the Bronchos. At the plate, the junior pitcher/first baseman led the MIAA with a .830 slugging percentage and a 1.325 OPS while her .381 also ranked in the league’s top ten. She blasted a league-high 17 home runs and ranked in the league’s top ten in on-base percentage (.495), RBI (54), runs scored (47) and walks (32). In the circle, Ritz’s 1.35 ERA led the MIAA while her 19 wins in the regular season tie for second. In 145.2 innings pitched, Ritz allowed just 28 earned runs scored and walked only 22 batters while striking out 80. She also ranked in the league’s top ten in opposing batting average (.213) and batter struck out looking (33). Splitting time between pitcher and first base, Ritz collected 168 putouts, 47 assists and five double plays with a .977 fielding percentage.

Sara Llamas-Howell tabbed the MIAA Pitcher of the Year honor for the second consecutive season. The senior from Pawnee, Okla., once again dominated MIAA opponents in the circle, helping the Hillcats clinch a share of the regular season title for the first time in program history. Llamas-Howell owns the second-best ERA (1.44) and opposing batting average (.193) in the league. She led all MIAA pitchers with 52 batters struck out looking, tied for the second-most wins with 19, and ranked in the league’s top ten in innings pitched (146.1), total batters struck out (143), and fewest runs allowed (40). She enters the MIAA postseason tournament with a record of 19-6 on the season.

Central Oklahoma’s Shayleigh Odom was voted the Association’s Defensive Player of the Year. The Bronchos center fielder was perfect in the regular season, making 49 consecutive outs on 49 chances. The senior from Edmond, Okla., also hit .307 on the season with 43 hits, 36 RBI, and 24 runs scored. She also ranked in the league’s top ten with 12 doubles.

Pitt State’s Ava Laurent was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. The right-handed pitcher from Grand Island, Neb., ranks in the league’s top ten in almost every pitching category, including an MIAA-leading 192 strikeouts. In 149.1 innings pitcher, Laurent owns a 1.97 ERA and a .197 opposing batting average. She’s allowed 107 hits and 47 runs this season, 42 of which were earned. Laurent enters the MIAA’s championship tournament with an MIAA-leading seven shutouts and a record of 18-1.

The Pitt State coaching staff was voted the MIAA Coaching Staff of the Year. Finishing the regular season 23-3 in the league and 49-5 overall, Gorillas tied for a share of the regular season title for the first time in 30 years. The Pitt State offense led the league in batting average (.355), hits (520), runs (370) and RBI (323). The Gorillas produced almost 100 more hits than any other MIAA team while the pitching staff led the league with 373 team strikeouts. The Gorillas are led by head coach Jenny Fuller and assistant coaches Brad Fuller, Abby Atkin and Tyler Fuller.

Below is the complete list of the 2024 MIAA softball postseason awards, All-MIAA teams and the MIAA Gold Glove Team.

The top ten teams from the regular season advance to the 2024 MIAA Softball Championship, set for May 1-4 at the University of Central Oklahoma's Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond, Okla. For more information on the postseason tournament, visit theMIAA.com/SoftballChampionship.

2024 MIAA SOFTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Co-Player of the Year – Heather Arnett – Pittsburg State, So.
Co-Player of the Year – Terin Ritz – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
Pitcher of the Year – Sara Llamas-Howell – Rogers State, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year – Shayleigh Odom – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Freshman of the Year – Ava Laurent – Pittsburg State, Fr.
Coaching Staff of the Year – Pittsburg State – Jenny Fuller, Brad Fuller, Abby Atkin, Tyler Fuller and Ashton Friend

2024 ALL-MIAA SOFTBALL TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Pitcher: Ava Laurent – Pittsburg State
Pitcher: Sarah Llamas-Howell – Rogers State
Pitcher: Terin Ritz – Central Oklahoma
Catcher: Callie Yellin – Rogers State
First Base: Maddie Fernandez – Pittsburg State
Second Base: Hannah Burnett – Pittsburg State
Shortstop: Emily Deramus – Central Oklahoma
Third Base: Josie Harrison – Emporia State
Outfield: Heather Arnett – Pittsburg State
Outfield: Alexis Dial – Emporia State
Outfield: Rylee Lemos – Central Oklahoma
Designated Player: Paxtyn Hayes – Pittsburg State
Utility/Pitcher: Jaycee Ginter Washburn

SECOND TEAM
Pitcher: Jordyn Pipkin – Central Oklahoma
Pitcher: Sadie Walker – Washburn
Catcher: Abbey Rogers – Rogers State
First Base: Hayley Bonython – Newman
Second Base: Taylor Nuckolls – Missouri Southern
Shortstop: Kalee Higdon – Missouri Western
Third Base: Marrit Mead - Washburn
Outfield: Jacee Minter – Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Kylee Jacks – Missouri Southern
Outfield: Lillie Filger – Northwest Missouri
Outfield: Paxton Donaldson – Rogers State
Designated Player: Hayden Serna – Central Missouri
Utility/Pitcher: Kara Amos – Missouri Southern

GOLD GLOVE TEAM
Pitcher: Kiki Pickens – Missouri Southern
Catcher: Madi Moore – Washburn
First Base: Bridgett Morales – Rogers State
Second Base: Hannah Burnett – Pittsburg State
Shortstop: Regan Curry – Fort Hays State
Third Base: Marrit Mead – Washburn
Outfield: Heather Arnett – Pittsburg State
Outfield: Lillie Filger – Northwest Missouri
Outfield: Kylee Jacks – Missouri Southern
Outfield: Shayleigh Odom – Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Yazmin Vargas – Missouri Southern
*Ties in voting