Division I Softball Promotes All-Region Performers for 2023

The 2023 Region 11 Division I Softball All-Region teams were announced on Wednesday along with the Region's individual awards including Player of the Year, Offensive Player, Defensive Player, Pitcher, and Coach.

Player of the Year went to Destiny Lewis, an infielder from Indian Hills for the second year in a row. In all of NJCAA Division I, Lewis was sixth in home runs with 29 and sixth in slugging percentage at 1.176. She is also listed inside the top 10 in RBIs with a total of 81. Lewis is 14 home runs ahead of the next athlete in her conference. Alongside leading in homers, Lewis earned his First Team recognition with leading the conference in RBIs, hits, runs, OBP, and SLG%. 

Sydney Anderson, another Indian Hills infielder, took home the Offensive Player of the Year award for 2023. The now two-time award winner, Anderson finished inside the top 11 in AVG, OBP, SLG%, and doubles in conference play. She was also second in RBIs, just behind her teammate Destiny Lewis. In the conference, she placed second in six different categories as well.

The award of Defensive Player of the Year was earned by Cyndee Schneider. The Iowa Western catcher, placed second in stolen bases allowed and third in pass balls with just 10 in the conference. Throughout the season, Schneider caught five runners stealing which placed first in conference play. She also finished inside the top 20 in fielding percentage, assists, and put outs. 

Pitcher of the Year, Madie Anderson was one of the nine Indian Hills' players to make First Team. In all of NJCAA, Anderson placed 18^th in ERA with 1.50. She finished second in games started, innings pitched, strikeouts, and ERA in the conference. Anderson even led all others in the conference in wins with 16. The Pitcher of the Year would go the distance quite often too as she was first in complete games with 12 and shutouts with a total of four. Anderson earned the same honor last season. 

The other First Team All-Region pitcher was sophomore Ryann Cheek. The Indian Hills pitcher placed sixth in all of NJCAA and first in conference in ERA at 0.88. While pitching fewer innings than others at 63.1 IP, she still finished tied for first in saves, fourth in strikeouts, and third in wins in conference. Her strikeouts per seven innings came out at 8.18 which would rank first in the conference.

Claire Tipton, another Indian Hills infielder, ranked first in doubles, at-bats, and games played in conference play. She placed inside the top 10 in AVG, OBP, SLG%, total bases, and RBIs in conference. Tipton also added a tied top four finish in home runs with 11. 

The second Iowa Western player to join the First Team is Alex Stoner. The freshman infielder finished second in conference in putouts with a total of 249 in just 41 games. She tied with Tipton in fourth place with 11 homers, and was fourth in total bases and walks. Stoner also ended in fifth in four different categories including doubles, AVG, OBP, and SLG%.

Abbi Conrad, the final First Team infielder and the only Southwestern softball player on the 2023 list.  Conrad ended in third place in total bases with 101 and fourth in walks with 17. She had more triples in the conference than anyone else with five. In conference play, Conrad has the best OBP at .525.

Outfielders TJ Stoaks, Eva Fulk, and Tatum Aragon of Indian Hills all earned First Team honors. Stoaks, in conference play, finished seventh in AVG and eighth in OBP. She also placed 11^th in both runs and stolen bases during conference games. 

Fulk was first in all the conference in steals with a total of 26. Aragon led the conference in walks with 23 and was second in runs with 46.

Mady Reed, the lone outfielder not from Indian Hills, joined the First Team as a sophomore. The Southeastern Blackhawk was second in doubles with 14 and second in triples with three. Reed also stole 11 total bases which put her in seventh place.

Rounding out the last Indian Hills players on First Team All-Region is Julia Kwakernaak at the designated player slot. She led the entire conference in batting average at .482 and is 36^th nationally. Along with the stellar batting average, Kwakernaak is second in both OBP at .522 and SLG% at .928.

The final First Teamer listed as a utility player is Kayla Norton from Southeastern. Norton has 22 assists and just two errors in the field. On offense, she bats .345 and has a slugging percentage of .621. 

The Coach of the Year award went to Indian Hills' Lindsay Diehl. Diehl's team takes up nine spots on the First Team All-Region and three spots on Second Team All-Region. Indian Hills is currently 43-7 on the season and went 18-0 in conference play. The Warriors won their eighth straight Region 11 title, and will participate in the Midwest District Championship series May 12-13.

DIVISION I