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NM STATE'S ADAMS, DONISTHORPE NAMED WAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
NM State's Emma Adams and Karysta Donisthorpe have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for Feb. 8-14. This is the second career honor for Adams and the sixth honor for Donisthorpe.
Adams, a senior third baseman from Corrales, N.M., had a hit in each of the Aggies' five games last weekend, including two in the season opener against Incarnate Word and three against UTEP. She had eight hits in 13 at bats for a .615 batting average. Adams had three doubles and 10 RBIs over the five games and posted a .846 slugging percentage and .625 on-base percentage in leading the Aggies to a 5-0 record, including four run-rule victories.
Donisthorpe, a redshirt senior from Farmington, N.M., went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three appearances last week. She allowed only one unearned run while striking out 16 and walking none in 11.0 innings of work. Donisthorpe allowed seven hits, limiting opponents to a .163 batting average.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: CSU Bakersfield's Julea Cavazos hit .375 with two doubles, one triple and two RBIs ... Shea Smith of Grand Canyon hit .500 with five doubles, one triple, one home run and five RBIs as the Lopes went 6-0 ... Missouri-Kansas City's Kelsey Goodwin hit .167 with a double on the week ... Megan Ottino of Seattle U hit .500 with a double, a home run and three RBIs in five games ... Utah Valley's Tiani Hensley hit .417 with four doubles and four RBIs in five games.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: CSU Bakersfield's Sydney Raeber went 2-0 with a 1.85 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 11.1 innings of work ... Taylor Nowlin of Grand Canyon went 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA and nine strikeouts in 11.0 innings ... Missouri-Kansas City's Katie Kelley went 0-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 12.0 innings.
CSU BAKERSFIELD'S RAEBER TIES PROGRAM DIVISION I STRIKEOUT RECORD
CSU Bakersfield senior Sydney Raeber recorded a program Division I single-game-tying 10 strikeouts in a complete-game victory over UC Davis on Valentine's Day. She only walked two batters.
NM STATE'S HORTON HAS THREE HOMERS IN FIRST FOUR AT BATS
NM State freshman Kelsey Horton opened her career as an Aggie with three home runs in her first four at-bats. Her first at-bat was a grand slam in the bottom of a nine-run first inning for the Aggies.
NM STATE PICKED TO WIN 2016 WAC TITLE
In a preseason vote of the six WAC softball coaches, who could not vote for their own team, NM State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the title.
The Aggies took the top spot in the preseason poll with 25 points and five first-place votes. Grand Canyon was picked second with 20 points and the other first-place vote, edging out CSU Bakersfield in third place with 18 points. UMKC was fourth with 11 points, followed by Seattle U and Utah Valley with nine and seven points, respectively.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM
NM State senior utility player Fiana Finau was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year and Missouri-Kansas City's Katie Kelley was selected as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year in a vote of the league's six head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.
NM State placed the most players on the Preseason All-WAC team with six, while Grand Canyon had three.
Joining Finau and Kelley on the Preseason All-WAC Team are Aggies Emma Adams, Karysta Donisthorpe, Brennalyn Nakamura, Haley Nakamura and Rachel Rodriguez; Grand Canyon's Brittany Medina, Taylor Nowlin and Camree Wartman; CSU Bakersfield's Adrianna Cardoza; and Seattle U's Paige Bouska and Isabella Geronimo.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Of the 13 first team All-WAC players from last year, five return for the 2016 season, including Missouri-Kansas City's Brooke Parker, NM State's Fiana Finau and Haley Nakamura, Seattle U's Isabella Geronimo and Utah Valley's Brittney Vansway.
Eleven of the second team All-WAC selections return for 2016, including four from Grand Canyon (Bianca Boling, Brittany Medina, Taylor Nowlin and Camree Wartman). Also returning are Julea Cavazos and Alex Simmons of CSU Bakersfield, Utah Valley's Morgan Smith and Jaylen Watson, UMKC's Katie Kelley, NM State's Karysta Donisthorpe and Seattle U's Paige Bouska.
SEATTLE U TO HOST 2016 WAC TOURNAMENT
Seattle U will host the 2016 WAC Softball Tournament. The five eligible teams will advance to the double-elimination tournament, which will be held at Logan Field May 12-14. This is the second time in the last three years the Redhawks have hosted the event, as they did so in 2014.