Six Selected to NJCAA All-American Teams
Six ICCAC Softball players were named NJCAA Softball All-Americans on Tuesday, three each coming from Division I & Division II.
Division I:
Destiny Lewis, Indian Hills, First Team, Infield
The Warriors' third baseman was forced on offense during the 2023 season. Lewis ranked inside the top 10 in the NJCAA in home runs (31), RBI (92), runs (83), and total bases (193). She just missed a top 10 finish in slugging percentage, ending in 12th with a 1.072 average.
On defense, Lewis came away with 98 assists and a fielding percentage of .947. She turned eight double plays on the season and committed 10 errors. Lewis played in 54 games for Indian Hills this year, ending the season with a .444 batting average in 180 at-bats.
Against No. 8 seed Butler (Kan.) in the NJCAA World Series, Lewis had one of her best games of the season going 3 for 4 with three RBI, a home run, a double, and scoring twice. Her three-run homer in the fifth inning broke the game open, turning the 9-7 lead into 12-7.
Juila Kwakernaak, Indian Hills, Second Team, Utility
The Netherlands native appeared in 45 games for the Warriors, earning a total of 50 hits and 10 home runs. Kwakernaak reached base over half the time with her .504 on base percentage. She connected on 10 doubles during the year along with bringing home 33 runners from base.
In 36 at-bats, Kwakernaak only struck out once during conference play, helping her batting average reach .455 on the entire season. Throughout the year, she contributed 11 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games.
Kwakernaak had one of her best games in April against State Fair College. She collected a hit in all four at-bats and drove home four RBI. Kwakernaak produced a home run and a double in the game.
Kwakernaak is the third utility player in program history to earn All-American honors with her second-team selection as a freshman.
Madie Anderson, Indian Hills, Third Team, Pitcher
The sophomore from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, had a 20-5 record with a 1.71 ERA this season. In the entire NJCAA, she ranked 20th in ERA (1.71) and 21st in wins (20). Anderson pitched 164 total innings, while striking out 131 batters and walking just 49.
She started the 11th-most, 29 games during the season and went the distance 17 times in those starts. Opponent's batting average against Anderson was just .188 and she gave up just four doubles all year.
One of her best pitching performances came on March 30th against North Central Missouri when Anderson had a complete game no-hitter after giving up just one walk, one HBP, and striking out six.
Division II:
Sydney Kennedy, DMACC, First Team, Pitcher
Kennedy, a sophomore, made a lot of batters miss at the plate during the 2023 season. She struck out 257 batters and had a K/7 of 10.64. In the NJCAA, Kennedy ranked third in wins (27), fifth in games started (31), and was top 10 in both strikeouts and K/7. She did all of this in 169 total innings and 25 appearances. Kennedy pitched nine games in which she had 10 or more strikeouts.
Her record on the season ended at 27-4, while having an ERA of 1.95. In Kennedy's 31 starts, she finished with 15 complete games and five shutouts. She committed 20 assists on 31 chances and took part in a double play as well. Kennedy allowed just one runner to steal a bag while she was on the mound.
Against Neosho County (Kan.) on March 15, Kennedy struck out 17 batters in a 3-2 victory. She went the distance while giving up four hits, one walk, and one earned run.
Laken Lienhard, NIACC, Second Team, Utility
Lienhard made it happen on the mound and at the plate. The NIACC sophomore pitched 136 innings in 21 starts. She struck out a total of 126 batters and ended the season with a 2.73 ERA. In the field she had 83 assists while only making three errors in 121 total chances.
At the plate, Lienhard batted .480 with 13 home runs and 53 RBI. She hit 27 doubles and had an on base percentage of .572. Lienhard had eight three-hit games this season along with having three-RBI games six times. Her on base percentage reached .572 and she stole a total of eight bases.
Back on February 26 against Kankakee (Ill.), Lienhard pitched five innings and allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out 11 batters in a 10-0 win.
Alyssa Thorson, Iowa Lakes, Third Team, Outfield
Thorson was the leadoff hitter and center fielder for Iowa Lakes this past season. The sophomore from Omaha played in 44 games and had a batting average of .520. She ranked 21st in the NJCAA in both doubles (21) and on base percentage (.566). Thorson struck out just three times at the plate this season.
The Iowa Lakes outfielder could make plays with her glove as well. Thorson made 80 putouts in 84 chances with only making one error, while her fielding percentage was .988. On the basepaths she stole 37 bases, which was the 25th best in all NJCAA and she was thrown out just once.
Taking on Southeast (Neb.) on April 25, Thorson went 4-4 at the plate, scoring four times, driving in four runners, and stealing a base. To add on to the stat sheet, Thorson hit two home runs in the game.