PHOENIX – The Western Athletic Conference announced its 2019 All-WAC softball teams and major award winners, as voted on by the leagues head coaches, on Tuesday night. Five players from New Mexico State were named to the first team. Additionally, NM State swept the major awards including
Kathy Rodolph taking home WAC Coach of the Year honors.
Nikki Butler was named the WAC Player of the Year for the first time in her career and the junior also received her third-straight first team bid. The catcher led the conference with four home runs against league opponents while also placing fifth for hits (22) and on-base percentage (.453). She ranked sixth in total bases (36), seventh in slugging percentage (.632) and eighth in batting average (.386). Butler posted six multi-hit games during WAC play.
After having a stellar season in the circle,
Samaria Diaz was recognized as the WAC Pitcher of the Year. The junior led the WAC in strikeouts (100), batters struck out looking (24) wins (7) and saves (3) during league games. She also finished the conference season second in both opponent batting average (.188) and innings pitched (70.1), and third in ERA (1.39). She went 7-1 with three saves in 16 appearances, posting a 4.00 strikeout-walk ratio over 70.1 innings pitched.
Mya Felder garnered WAC Freshman of the Year honors after batting .388 with five multi-hit games, six doubles, four home runs and 13 RBIs during her 18 conference games. The third baseman started every contest for NM State and ranked second in the WAC during league play in slugging percentage (.755) and doubles. She also placed third in on base percentage (.492), fifth in total bases (37), sixth in RBIs and seventh in batting average and runs (11).
Victoria Castro was named to the First Team All-WAC for the first time in her career. The centerfielder closed out conference play first in sacrifice flies (3), third in RBI (16), seventh in hits (21) and eighth in total bases (8). She started every game for New Mexico State and posted a perfect fielding percentage during league play.
Kelsey Horton brought home her fourth-straight First Team All-WAC honors during the 2019 season. The senior ranked first in walks (12), fifth in runs scored (13), sixth in doubles (5) and eight in on-base percentage.
Rodolph earned her fourth WAC Coach of the Year award after leading the Aggies to a second place finishing in the conference standings with a 12-6 record. New Mexico State won five WAC series, with series sweeps against Kansas City and CSU Bakersfield.
The Aggies gets set for the 2019 WAC Softball Tournament, hosted by Grand Canyon. As the two-seed, NM State receives a first-round bye and faces the highest seed available on Thursday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. MT.
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First Team
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School
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Ht.
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Yr.
|
Pos.
|
Hometown (Last School)
|
|
Nikki Butler
|
NM State
|
5-8
|
Jr.
|
C
|
La Habra, Calif. (La Habra)
|
|
Victoria Castro
|
NM State
|
5-8
|
Sr.
|
OF
|
Albuquerque, N.M. (Volcano Vista)
|
|
Ally Choate
|
Seattle U
|
5-4
|
So.
|
OF
|
Yelm, Wash. (Yelm)
|
|
Samaria Diaz
|
NM State
|
5-10
|
Jr.
|
RHP
|
West Covina, Calif. (Bishop Amat)
|
|
Abby Doughty
|
Utah Valley
|
5-6
|
Fr.
|
OF
|
Vail, Ariz. (Cienega)
|
|
Mya Felder
|
NM State
|
5-6
|
Fr.
|
3B
|
Fresno, Calif. (Edison)
|
|
Kelsey Horton
|
NM State
|
5-11
|
Sr.
|
UT
|
San Clemente, Calif. (San Clemente)
|
|
Brianna Moeller
|
Utah Valley
|
5-8
|
Sr.
|
OF
|
Phoenix, Ariz. (Central Arizona College)
|
|
Carley Nance
|
Seattle U
|
5-10
|
R-So.
|
LHP
|
Maple Valley, Wash. (Tahoma)
|
|
Shea Smith
|
Grand Canyon
|
5-5
|
Sr.
|
SS
|
Waddell, Ariz. (Verrado)
|
|
Kellye Springstead
|
California Baptist
|
5-11
|
Sr.
|
RHP
|
Honolulu, Hawaii (Tanque Verde)
|
|
Bailey Thompson
|
Seattle U
|
5-11
|
So.
|
C
|
Tucson, Ariz. (Canyon Del Oro)
|
|
Savannah Tourville
|
Grand Canyon
|
5-8
|
Fr.
|
INF
|
Whittier, Calif. (La Habra)
|
|
Second Team
|
School
|
Ht.
|
Yr.
|
Pos.
|
Hometown (Last School)
|
|
Brianna Aguilar
|
Grand Canyon
|
5-7
|
Jr.
|
RHP
|
Tucson, Ariz. (Salpointe Catholic)
|
|
Madison Cathcart
|
Seattle U
|
5-7
|
Jr.
|
1B
|
Longview, Wash. (R.A. Long)
|
|
Cydney Curran
|
CSU Bakersfield
|
5-4
|
Jr.
|
INF
|
Ewa Beach, Hawaii (Campbell)
|
|
Ryan Denhart
|
Grand Canyon
|
5-11
|
So.
|
RHP
|
Los Alamitos, Calif. (Maryland)
|
|
Brittany Galvez
|
California Baptist
|
5-2
|
Jr.
|
3B
|
Corona, Calif. (Centennial)
|
|
Sydney Garcia
|
Kansas City
|
5-4
|
Jr.
|
OF
|
Kansas City, Mo. (St. Pius X)
|
|
Mia Hoveland
|
Kansas City
|
5-10
|
Fr.
|
RHP
|
McFarland, Wis. (McFarland)
|
|
Andie Larkins
|
Seattle U
|
5-10
|
Sr.
|
RHP
|
Tucson, Ariz. (Sahuaro)
|
|
Caitlyn Lloyd
|
California Baptist
|
5-6
|
Jr.
|
OF
|
Las Vegas, Nev. (Bonanza)
|
|
Chyanne Onstad
|
Kansas City
|
5-2
|
Jr.
|
INF
|
Burlington, Wis. (Green Bay)
|
|
Kaylee Ree
|
Seattle U
|
5-3
|
Sr.
|
2B
|
Gresham, Ore. (Sam Barlow)
|
|
Lyndsay Steverson
|
Utah Valley
|
5-7
|
Jr.
|
INF
|
Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain)
|
|
Olivia Viggiano
|
Seattle U
|
5-9
|
Fr.
|
OF
|
Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo)
|
Â
2019 WAC Player of the Year:Â Nikki Butler, NM State
2019 WAC Pitcher of the Year:Â Samaria Diaz, NM State
2019 WAC Freshman of the Year:Â Mya Felder, NM State
2019 WAC Coach of the Year:Â Kathy Rodolph, NM State
