ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced the award winners for the 2024 UMAC softball awards on Tuesday. The awards are nominated and voted on by the conference head coaches.
The Bethany Lutheran College Vikings’ Sydney Jacobs was named the UMAC Player of the Year and UMAC Rookie of the Year. The freshman outfielder led the Vikings in their 15-3 conference campaign to earn a share of the UMAC Regular Season Championship. In 43 games played, Jacobs led the UMAC with a .488 batting average, a .599 on-base percentage, and a 1.260 OPS. Her .661 slugging percentage ranked second in the UMAC. She also led the UMAC with 62 hits, 34 walks, eight triples, 84 total bases, 57 runs scored, and 44 stolen bases.
The Vikings’ Kayla Senne was named the UMAC Pitcher of the Year. The junior right-hander led the UMAC with 184 strikeouts, 17 wins, and 167.2 innings pitched. Her 2.17 ERA and .213 opponent batting average both ranked second in the UMAC.
University of Minnesota Morris Head Coach Heather Pennie-Roy was named the UMAC Coach of the Year. One year removed from a fifth-place conference finish at 8-13 in 2023, Coach Pennie-Roy led the Cougars to a 15-3 record in the conference to clinch a share of their first UMAC Regular Season Championship in program history.
The North Central University Rams won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches and awarded to the team that best represents sportsmanship throughout the entire season, including the championship event. Each team also had one representative named to the all-sportsmanship team.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sydney Jacobs | Bethany Lutheran
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Kayla Senne | Bethany Lutheran
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Sydney Jacobs | Bethany Lutheran
COACH OF THE YEAR
Heather Pennie-Roy | Minnesota Morris
TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
North Central Rams
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown / High School |
| Kate Beer |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
OF |
Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake |
| Skyla Bristol |
Minnesota Morris |
Fr. |
P/OF |
Granite Falls, Wash. Snohomish |
| Emily Doyle |
Bethany Lutheran |
So. |
1B/3B |
Winnipeg, MAN, CAN / St. Boniface |
| Indigo Fish |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Fr. |
INF |
Superior, Wis. / Superior Senior |
| Katelyn Halbach |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
OF |
Winnipeg, MAN, CAN / St. Boniface |
| Jordyn Heckendorf |
Martin Luther |
Sr. |
OF |
Kewaskum, WI / Kettle Moraine Lutheran |
| Lisa Hoffer |
Martin Luther |
Sr. |
UTL |
Plymouth, MN / West Lutheran |
| Sydney Jacobs |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fr. |
OF |
Mankato, Minn. / Mankato East |
| Gabrielle Keith |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
INF |
Marble Rock, Iowa / Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock |
| Mary Landherr |
Minnesota Morris |
So. |
C/1B |
Wyoming, Minn. / Forest Lake Area |
| Sydney Lane |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
C/OF |
Altoona, Iowa / Grand View Christian |
| MyKenzie Leccia |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
UTL |
Somerset, Wis. / Somerset |
| Kayla Senne |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
P |
Northwood, IA / Northwood-Kensett |
| Sierra Stevens |
Minnesota Morris |
Jr. |
OF/C |
Brookings, S.D. / Brookings |
| Alyssa Thornton |
Minnesota Morris |
Fr. |
P/1B |
San Diego, Calif. / West Hills |
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTIONS
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown / High School |
| Maddie Bottineau |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
P/INF |
Andover, Minn. / Andover |
| Megan Lundt |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
C/OF |
Frisco, Texas / Lone Star |
| Ellie Macal |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
C/INF |
Winona, Minn. / Cotter |
| Kaija Mork |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
UTL |
Sioux Falls, SD / Brandon Valley |
| Emmy Romportl |
Crown |
So. |
UTL |
Spooner, WI / Spooner High |
| Larissa Snyder |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
INF |
Blaine, Minn. / Spring Lake Park |
| Haley Stockman |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
OF |
Mankato, MN / Mankato East |
| Ireland Strubbe |
Northwestern |
So. |
P/OF |
Chandler, Ariz. / Valley Christian |
| Samantha Swartz |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
P/INF |
Antigo, Wis. / Antigo |
| Zoe Thomson |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
C/INF |
Le Sueur, Minn. / Le Sueur-Henderson |
| Katie Vaughan |
Crown |
Fr. |
C/3B |
Ridgecrest, CA / Burroughs High |
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown / High School |
| Skyla Bristol |
Minnesota Morris |
Fr. |
P |
Granite Falls, Wash. / Snohomish |
| Samantha Swartz |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
P |
Antigo, Wis. / Antigo |
| Megan Lundt |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
C |
Frisco, Texas / Lone Star |
| Jadyn Iverson |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
1B |
West Fargo, N.D. / West Fargo |
| Kaija Mork |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
2B |
Sioux Falls, SD / Brandon Valley |
| Emily Doyle |
Bethany Lutheran |
So. |
3B |
Winnipeg, MAN, CAN / St. Boniface |
| Larissa Snyder |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
SS |
Blaine, Minn. / Spring Lake Park |
| MyKenzie Leccia |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
OF |
Somerset, Wis. / Somerset |
| Kate Beer |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
OF |
Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake |
| Sierra Stevens |
Minnesota Morris |
Jr. |
OF |
Brookings, S.D. / Brookings |
| Elizabeth Cizek |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
UTL |
Wheaton, IL / Glenbard South |
| Indigo Fish |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Fr. |
UTL |
Superior, Wis. / Superior Senior |
ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown / High School |
| Anna Baumann |
Minnesota Morris |
Sr. |
OF |
Howard Lake, Minn. / Mayer Lutheran |
| Lindsey Dvorak |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
INF |
Richmond, Minn. / ROCORI |
| Hailey Minnema |
Northland |
So. |
1B |
Park Falls, WI / Chequamegon |
| Baylee O'Donnell |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
RHP |
Mendota Hights, Minn. / Richfield |
| Hannah Rassat |
Martin Luther |
Sr. |
OF |
South Haven, Minn. / Dassel-Cokato |
| Emmy Romportl |
Crown |
So. |
UTL |
Spooner, WI / Spooner High |
| Maci Tripp |
North Central |
So. |
2B/OF |
Waupaca, WI / Waupaca |
| Bryn Weidner |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fr. |
OF |
Pleasant Hill, Iowa / Southeast Polk |