This Week in WAC Softball - Feb. 16
This Week in WAC Softball - Feb. 16
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TICKETSMARTER PLAYER AND PITCHER OF THE WEEK
After an opening softball weekend with quality performances, Grand Canyon’s Denae Chatman was named the TicketSmarter Hitter of the Week with Seattle U’s Stefanie Madrigal earning Pitcher of the Week honors.
Chatman played a key role in the Lopes grabbing four wins in five games to start the season. She went 9-for-16 with two homeruns, nine RBI and a pair of runs scored. In addition to her .563 batting average for the weekend, she registered a .588 on-base percentage with a .938 slugging percentage. Chatman had three multi-hit games with her three hits against Fordham on opening day being her weekend high.
Madrigal toed the rubber as the starter in two games. She earned two complete game wins, giving up just seven total hits in 13 innings of work. Madrigal allowed two earned runs in those two appearances. She struck out seven total batters in wins against Western Michigan and Bowling Green respectively.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Georgia Capell recorded a .467 batting average as Tarleton posted five wins at Furman’s tournament … Madison Kahwaty went 7-for-10 at the plate as the Redhawks went 5-0 in the DePaul Dome Classic; tied the Seattle U school record with four hits, including three doubles in one game … Matti Reiling had eight hits and posted a team best .444 batting average for Abilene Christian in six games at UTEP’s tournament … Kylie Hobbs hit .700 with seven RBI during Sam Houston’s four games at their own tournament … Megan Gibbs recorded eight hits in her 16 at-bats for Utah Valley in five games at UC Riverside’s tournament … Lauren Almeida had five hits for Dixie State in Cal State Fullerton’s event … Makayla Jordan led California Baptist with five RBI as the Lancers played three top 25 teams in Tempe … Audry Fleming scored twice and cracked a homerun as Lamar competed in the Puerto Vallarta Challenge
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: Tristan Bridges recorded two wins and 11.0 innings pitched in Tarleton’s victories over Bellarmine and Furman … Jacie Hambrick appeared in four games and earned three wins while throwing 13 total innings for Grand Canyon… Katie Zuniga earned both of Utah Valley’s win with a 2.10 ERA while competing in UC Riverside’s tournament … Aaliyah Ruiz tossed 12.2 total innings against Memphis and Rutgers; took a no-hitter into the sixth inning for Lamar against the Tigers … Sid Holman-Mansell had two complete games for Abilene Christian and recorded 19 strikeouts in 18 innings … Attlyn Johnston struck out five in two appearances for Dixie State at UTEP’s event
THE WEEK(END) AHEAD
A Tuesday game between Baylor and Stephen F. Austin began the week. Two non-conference games are on the docket Wednesday before a weekend of tournaments gets into full swing.
NM State starts the tournament festivities on Thursday as they host the Troy Cox Classic. Grand Canyon will host their second tournament of the young season as they welcome a handful of teams to the GCU Purple Classic beginning on Friday. Tarleton stays home by welcoming teams to the WHATABURGER Softball Invitational. Lamar rounds out tournament hosting duties with the Cardinal Classic Friday-Sunday.
Abilene Christian is traveling to Melissa, Texas to take part in North Texas’ event. California Baptist makes a quick trip to the Campbell/Carrier Classic hosted by San Diego State. Sam Houston crosses the border to compete in Louisiana Tech’s tournament in Ruston.
Seattle U takes a flight to the Bay Area as they compete in Stanford’s tournament. Stephen F. Austin is in College Station for the weekend as they compete in Texas A&M’s event.
In non-tournament action, Dixie State hosts Utah State in a three-game set in St. George.
All told, there are 54 games being played this week featuring WAC teams.
SAM HOUSTON TO HOST 2022 WAC TOURNAMENT
Sam Houston will serve as hosts for the season ending WAC tournament from May 12-14 at the Bearkat Softball Complex in Hunstville, Texas.
SEATTLE U, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN PICKED TO WIN 2022 WAC DIVISION TITLES
With the addition of four Texas schools during the summer of 2021, the WAC separated the 11 playing softball members into two divisions. One division features Texas only schools with the remaining six institutions playing in the Western Division.
Defending WAC tournament champion Seattle U was picked to win the Western Division. NM State, runner-up at the WAC tournament in 2021, was selected in the number two position in the preseason head coaches poll. Grand Canyon was chosen third with Dixie State picked fourth as California Baptist and Utah Valley rounded out the six-team division.
The Southwest Division preseason pick went to Stephen F. Austin with Sam Houston selected in the runner-up spot. Abilene Christian was chosen in the third position as Tarleton and Lamar completed that five-team division.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM
The top two spots on the preseason all-conference team went to a pair of Stephen F. Austin players. Shaylon Govan was selected as the conference’s preseason Player of the Year with Kassidy Wilbur voted the preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The 13-player preseason all-conference team features nine players who earned first- or second-team WAC accolades last season.
(! - 2021 First-Team, $ - 2021 Second-Team)
$Kayla Bowen (NMSU) Sr., Util.
!Kristin Fifield (GCU), Jr., Util.
Gaby Garcia (SFA) Jr., C/OF
Shaylon Govan (SFA) Jr., INF/OF
!Hannah Hughbanks (DSU) Jr., OF/1B
!Ramsey Lopez (NMSU) r-Soph., INF
$Carley Nance (SU) Grad, LHP
!Stefanie Madrigal (SU) Jr., RHP
!Gianna Nicoletti (GCU) Sr., OF
!Linnah Rebolledo (UVU) Sr., INF/OF
Kalena Shepherd (UVU) Jr., C
$Olivia Viggiano (SU) Sr., OF
Kassidy Wilbur (SFA) Sr., RHP
2021 WAC REGULAR SEASON CONFERENCE RECAP
NM State won the regular season title. When there were seven teams playing for the conference title, the Aggies finished one game better than Seattle U. They won the title with a 14-4 league mark with the Redhawks completing their season with a 13-5 conference record.
Grand Canyon, Utah Valley and California Baptist all won eight regular season games. Dixie State (6 wins) and Tarleton (5) wrapped-up the regular season standings
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE 2021 WAC TOURNAMENT
Seattle U took advantage of hosting the season ending WAC tournament by winning three games without a loss to win the four-team event and claim the league’s automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.
Seeds:1-NM State, 2-Seattle U, 3-Grand Canyon, 4-Utah Valley
G TEAMS R-H-E
1 Utah Valley 6-8-1
NM State 5-10-0
2 Grand Canyon 4-8-0
Seattle U 5-10-0
3 NM State 6-9-1
Grand Canyon 2-6-4
4 Seattle U 5-9-2
Utah Valley 1-3-0
5 NM State 4-7-0
Utah Valley 3-8-0
6 Seattle U 7-8-0
NM State 5-7-2