WAC Softball Postseason Award Winners Announced
DENVER – The Western Athletic Conference today announced its 2021 All-WAC teams and major awards as selected by the league's seven head coaches. NM State collected three of the major awards as Nikki Butler was named WAC Player of the Year, Matalasi Faapito was named WAC Freshman of the Year and the Aggies' Kathy Rodolph was named WAC Coach of the Year. California Baptist claimed the final individual award as Kerisa Viramontes garnered WAC Pitcher of the Year honors.
Butler, a senior catcher from La Habra, Calif., earns WAC Player of the Year honors after leading the league in WAC games in hitting percentage (.456), home runs (10), runs batted in (28) and slugging percentage (1.018) while her 26 hits were tied for most in the conference. She also finished second in on base percentage (.529) and posted seven multi-hit games during WAC play.
Viramontes, a senior right-hander from Mira Loma, Calif., earns WAC Pitcher of the Year honors after leading the WAC in strikeouts (61), shutouts (3) and complete games (10) while earning the second-most wins against WAC opponents. She also ranked inside the top-seven in both earned run average (6th, 2.81) and batting average against (7th, .252).
Faapito, a pitcher from Temecula, Calif., earns WAC Freshman of the Year honors after batting .379 with seven multi-hit games, four doubles, six home runs and 11 RBIs over 18 WAC games. She ranked third in home runs, fourth in slugging percentage (.759), sixth in hits (22) and seventh in batting average (.456). In addition to her performance at the plate, Faapito also dominated in the circle as she went undefeated to earn a league-best nine wins.
Rodolph earns Coach of the Year honors after NM State earned its seventh WAC regular season title with a 14-4 record. The Aggies won five of six of their WAC series, and closed out the season as winners of 10 of their final 11 WAC games. In conference games, her team led the WAC in slugging percentage (.506) and home runs (61) while ranking second in RBIs (234) and third in batting average (.293) and on base percentage (.367). The Aggies also ranked second in hits allowed (379) and third in combined ERA (4.21) and runs allowed (242).
2021 WAC Softball Postseason Award Winners
| First Team |
School |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown (Prev. School) |
| Nikki Butler |
NM State |
5-8 |
R-Sr. |
C |
La Habra, Calif. (La Habra HS) |
| Ally Choate |
Seattle U |
5-4 |
Sr. |
OF |
Yelm, Wash. (Yelm HS) |
| Matalasi Faapito |
NM State |
5-11 |
R-Fr. |
RHP |
Temecula, Calif. (Great Oak HS) |
| Kristin Fifield |
Grand Canyon |
5-9 |
So. |
UTL |
El Paso, Texas (Chapin HS) |
| Hannah Hughbanks |
Dixie State |
5-8 |
So. |
OF/1B |
Chino Hills, Calif. (Ayala HS) |
| Ramsay Lopez |
NM State |
5-9 |
R-Fr. |
INF |
Albuquerque, N.M. (Eldorado HS) |
| Stefanie Madrigal |
Seattle U |
6-0 |
So. |
RHP |
San Jose, Calif. (Oak Grove HS) |
| Gianna Nicoletti |
Grand Canyon |
5-2 |
Jr. |
OF |
Fullerton, Calif. (Orange Lutheran HS) |
| Linnah Rebolledo |
Utah Valley |
5-3 |
Jr. |
OF/INF |
Riverside, Calif. (Ramona HS) |
| Cherise Silvan |
Seattle U |
5-3 |
Gr. |
OF |
Folsom, Calif. (Vista Del Lago HS) |
| Shi Smith |
Seattle U |
5-10 |
Sr. |
RHP |
Gresham, Ore. (Gresham HS) |
| Bailey Thompson |
Seattle U |
6-1 |
Sr. |
C |
Tucson, Ariz. (Canyon Del Oro HS) |
| Kerisa Viramontes |
California Baptist |
5-5 |
Gr. |
RHP |
Mira Loma, Calif. (BYU) |
| Second Team |
School |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown (Prev. School) |
| Gabby Aragon |
NM State |
5-4 |
R-Fr. |
OF |
Carlsbad, N.M. (Carlsbad HS) |
| Kayla Bowen |
NM State |
5-6 |
Jr. |
UTL |
Fresno, Calif. (Edison HS) |
| Shea Clements |
Dixie State |
5-7 |
So. |
C/OF |
Las Vegas, Nev. (Shadow Ridge HS) |
| Devyn Cretz |
Utah Valley |
5-10 |
Sr. |
RHP |
Corona, Calif. (UTEP) |
| Ryan Denhart |
Grand Canyon |
5-11 |
Sr. |
RHP |
Los Alamitos, Calif. (Los Alamitos HS) |
| Malory Eldredge |
Dixie State |
5-8 |
R-Jr. |
OF |
Arvada, Calif. (Ralston Valley HS) |
| Maya Martinez |
NM State |
5-8 |
R-Fr. |
INF |
La Mirada, Calif. (La Mirada HS) |
| Ashley McBay |
California Baptist |
5-7 |
Sr. |
OF |
Modesto, Calif. (Joseph A. Gregori HS) |
| Rien Milliken |
Utah Valley |
5-6 |
Jr. |
INF |
Victoria, B.C. (Grayson College) |
| Carley Nance |
Seattle U |
5-10 |
R-Sr. |
LHP |
Maple Valley, Wash. (Tahoma HS) |
| Basia Query |
Utah Valley |
5-8 |
Sr. |
C |
Henderson, Nev. (Coronado HS) |
| Mikaela Thomson |
Dixie State |
5-9 |
Sr. |
1B |
Herriman, Utah (Southern Utah) |
| Olivia Viggiano |
Seattle U |
5-9 |
Jr. |
OF |
Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo HS) |
Freshman of the Year: Matalasi Faapito, NM State
Pitcher of the Year: Kerisa Viramontes, California Baptist
Player of the Year: Nikki Butler, NM State
Coach of the Year: Kathy Rodolph, NM State
Honorable Mention All-WAC: Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage, Grand Canyon; Meagan Anders, Dixie State; Lilly Bishop, Grand Canyon; Georgia Capell, Tarleton; Kasey Crawford, Dixie State; Jordan Dickerson, Tarleton; Jacie Hambrick, Grand Canyon; Kyla Hardy, Utah Valley; Katelyn Mangrello, California Baptist; Emery Nielson, Utah Valley; Tiana Patrick, California Baptist; Bailee Riggs, Tarleton; Siena Sandoval, Utah Valley; Katy Schaefer, Tarleton; Savannah Tourville, Grand Canyon; Oaklee Trapp, Dixie State