Division I Softball Releases Postseason Award Winners

The 2024 Region 11 Division I Softball All-Region Teams were released today with 29 total players who made First and Second Team.

Player of the Year went to Maggie Vasa of Southeastern. The sophomore infielder batted .412 at the plate and delivered 11 home runs on the season. In conference play, she was first in home runs with eight, and first in total bases with 53. Vasa collected 22 hits and five doubles in 60 plate appearances, with all those stats ranking inside the top five in Region 11 Division I.

Madeline McCall took home the award for Pitcher of the Year. The sophomore from Iowa Western led the entire conference in ERA with a 2.49 and a WHIP of 1.19. Overall this season, McCall appeared in 23 games, pitching in 95.2 innings. She struck out 138 hitters while walking just 35. McCall made just one error from the circle and allowed only three home runs in conference play.

Teammate Moira Baxter also took home some hardware for the Reivers, winning Defensive Player of the Year. In 16 conference games, Baxter committed just one error, and ended with a fielding percentage of .981. The utility player was able to cover any side of the field she was assigned to over the long season. While in conference, Baxter had 52 total chances, making 27 assists, 24 putouts, and one double play.

Offensive of the Year was awarded to Indian Hills' Eva Fulk. The sophomore outfielder was nothing short of automatic at the dish. Fulk was first in the conference in hits (29), batting average (.547), on-base percentage (.631), and runs (30) in just 16 games. In the full scope of the season, Fulk stole 26 bases, collected 82 hits, and had a slugging percentage of .578.

Other First Team All-Region Pitchers included Araceli Rivas of Southeastern and Sara Reid of Indian Hills. Both Rivas (2.67) and Reid (3.20) finished top three in ERA, only trailing Iowa Western's McCall. Reid in conference play went 6-1 as a starter, going the distance in four of those starts. Rivas appeared in 10 games, pitching just 43.2 innings in conference games. She struck out 70 hitters and only allowed 33 hits and 16 walks. 

Iowa Western's Cyndee Schneider took home the lone catcher spot on First Team All-Region. Schneider was a monster at the plate, leading the conference in five categories: RBI (60), total bases (142), batting average (.507), on base percentage (.575), and slugging percentage (.947). She did begin to slow down once conference play began, but still maintained a hot bat. She is a two-time First Team All-Region selection. 

On the infield, five players were able to secure a spot, two being the already named Vasa and Baxter. The other three are Indian Hills' Claire Tipton, Southeastern's Ella Florey, and Iowa Western's Allie Cromer.

In 16 conference games, Tipton was first in the entire conference in doubles (16), walks (9), and RBI (30). She also collected 25 hits and only struck out five times. Tipton was one of five players to be selected for their second-straight First Team All-Region recognition. 

Florey batted .478 with an on base percentage of .538 in conference play. On defense, Florey assisted on 20 outs, and committed only two errors in 42 total chances.

Cromer was a speedster at the plate and when she reached base. The sophomore from Iowa Western stole eight bases and led the conference in triples with three. At the plate she batted .449 with 22 hits, three doubles, and one home run.

Outfielders joining the First Team honors include Peyton Raley, Mattea Martin, and the Offensive Player of the Year, Fulk. 

Raley, from Indian Hills, knocked in 15 runners from base and collected 22 hits in 62 plate appearances. She struck out just twice in the 16 conference games. 

The Reiver's Martin on the entire season batted .419, with a .478 on-base percentage, and a .743 slugging percentage. Martin in conference games had 18 hits, five doubles, and four home runs.

Designated Players joining the First Team All-Region cut are Julia Kwakernaak of Indian Hills and Alex Stoner of Iowa Western.  

Kwakemaak led the conference in slugging percentage at 1.114 and tied for first in home runs with a total of eight. She only struck out four times while collecting 22 hits in 15 conference games.

Stoner was top in the conference in home runs (6), RBI (21), total bases (44), and batting average (.448). Stoner finished in second in both slugging percentage (1.073) and on-base percentage (.571) as well.

Earning the utility spot on the First Team was Southwestern's own Erika Kruse. She was consistent in both the field and at the plate. Kruse homered five times, while adding a slugging percentage of .925 under her belt. She also pitched 27.1 innings, striking out 21 hitters, and walking just 14.

The Coach of the Year award went to Iowa Western's Heidi Jordan. She led the Reivers to a 37-17 overall and a 13-3 conference record. They earned the number one seed as the regular season champion. for the first time since 2014. The Reivers went on to win their first Region 11 Championship since 2013 as well.  

Divsion I

Player of the Year: Maggie Vasa, Southeastern
Defensive Player of the Year: Moria Baxter, Iowa Western
Offensive Player of the Year: Eva Fulk, Indian Hills
Pitcher of the Year: Madeline McCall, Iowa Western
Coach of the Year: Heidi Jordan, Iowa Western