Softball

UW-La Crosse Sweeps All-WIAC Softball Awards

Printable version of the 2022 All-WIAC Softball Team

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Jordyn McCormack and Elise Weinzierl were selected the Position Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, to lead the individuals chosen to the 2022 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Softball Team by the league coaches. In addition, the Eagles’ Kyra Lard was tabbed the Newcomer of the Year, while the staff was named Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
McCormack is third individual in program history to receive the position award, joining Kay Kueppers (2002) and Jenna Ahnen (2010 and 2011). She is second in the WIAC with 36 runs scored, tied for third with 13 doubles and six home runs, fourth with a .669 slugging percentage, 54 hits and 32 RBI, and seventh with a .415 batting average. McCormack recorded at least one hit in 32 games, including 19 multi-hit performances. She closed the season on a 22-game hitting streak – the longest in program history.
 
Weinzierl becomes the fourth individual in program archives to secure the pitching distinction, joining Sally Wenzel (2003), Heather Schultz (2010) and Caitlyn Hughes (2016). She leads the conference with a 1.37 earned run average, 13 wins and 123.0 innings pitched, while ranking second with 98 strikeouts and fourth with a .233 opponent batting average. In 20 starting assignments, Weinzierl struck out at least five batters nine times, including a season-high 10 against University of Southern Maine on March 19.
 
Lard is third in the WIAC with 55 hits and 13 doubles, eighth with a .612 slugging percentage, and ninth with a .410 batting average and 28 RBI. A Newcomer of the Year is defined as a student-athlete who used her first season of participation in softball this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in softball at their previous institution.
 
UW-Eau Claire’s Sadie Erickson and UW-Oshkosh’s Hannah Ritter were repeat selections on the first team from a season ago.
 
UW-La Crosse head coach Chris Helixon, along with assistant coaches Miranda Gajewski, Ethan Giese, Sydne Shattuck and Caitlin Wnek, led the squad to the WIAC regular-season championship and a 27-10 overall record. The Eagles had a 6-2 record in one-run games and compiled a 14-game winning streak from April 19 - May 6 – the second-longest in program archives.
 
An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.
 
2022 All-WIAC Softball Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Claire Bakkestuen, Platteville, Junior, Firstbase, Forest Lake, Minn. (Forest Lake)
Ellie Decker, Eau Claire, Senior, Catcher/Thirdbase, Germantown, Wis. (Germantown)
Rhiann Dick, Whitewater, Sophomore, Lefthanded Pitcher, Palatine, Ill. (Palatine)
Meghan Dunning, Whitewater, Sophomore, Shortstop, Plainfield, Ill. (South)
Sadie Erickson, Eau Claire, Junior, Secondbase/Firstbase, Norwood Young America, Minn. (Central)
Abby Garceau, Oshkosh, Freshman, Utility, Mishicot, Wis. (Mishicot)
Korin Hall, Stout, Senior, Outfield, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)
Riley Kelsch, Platteville, Senior, Shortstop, Aurora, Ill. (Oswego East)
Kyra Lard, La Crosse, Freshman, Shortstop, McHenry, Ill. (East)
Megan Maruna, Eau Claire, Junior, Outfield/Firstbase/Thirdbase, Oswego, Ill. (Oswego)
Jordyn McCormack, La Crosse, Sophomore, Thirdbase, Austin, Minn. (Austin)
Sydney Nemetz, Oshkosh, Freshman, Righthanded Pitcher, Marinette, Wis. (Marinette)
Grace Petersen, River Falls, Senior, Catcher, Joliet, Ill. (West)
Kayli Pfeffer, Stout, Junior, Thirdbase, Racine, Wis. (Union Grove)
Keegan Piton, River Falls, Sophomore, Shortstop, Green Bay, Wis. (Preble)
Rachel Plautz, Platteville, Senior, Catcher, Wausau, Wis. (D.C. Everest)
Morgan Rau, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Shortstop, Downers Grove, Ill. (South)
Hannah Ritter, Oshkosh, Junior, Firstbase, Marengo, Ill. (Marengo)
Remington Stark, La Crosse, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Orfordville, Wis. (Parkview)
Sara Traxel, Stevens Point, Junior, Utility, Oak Creek, Wis. (Oak Creek)
Elise Weinzierl, La Crosse, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, St. Michael, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertville)
 
Honorable Mention
Kelly Aultman, River Falls, Freshman, Thirdbase, Plainfield, Ill. (North)
Kate Cleveland, Whitewater, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, De Pere, Wis. (Ashwaubenon)
Kennedy Cox, Whitewater, Senior, Catcher, Janesville, Wis. (Craig)
Maddie Fink, Oshkosh, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Stevens Point, Wis. (SPASH)
Lauren Gamme, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Eagan, Minn. (Eagan)
Hailey Jibben, La Crosse, Freshman, Rightfield, Oak Creek, Wis. (Oak Creek)
Jesse Klicker, Stevens Point, Freshman, Shortstop, Spring Grove, Ill. (Richmond-Burton)
Lexy Kupczak, Stout, Sophomore, Catcher, Somerset, Wis. (New Richmond)
Kendra Leis, La Crosse, Senior, Firstbase, Holmen, Wis. (Holmen)
Brooke Mangler, Whitewater, Freshman, Secondbase/Utility, Gurnee, Ill. (Warren Township)
Corinne Roe, River Falls, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Apple Valley, Minn. (Eastview)
Krista Sbarra, Whitewater, Junior, Leftfield, West Chicago, Ill. (St. Charles East)
Kenna Strunsee, Eau Claire, Freshman, Centerfield, Waukesha, Wis. (South)
Makenna Tkach, Stevens Point, Junior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Streator, Ill. (Marquette Academy)
Sophie Wery, Oshkosh, Freshman, Catcher, Seymour, Wis. (Seymour)
Madi Zerr, Eau Claire, Junior, Lefthanded Pitcher/Designated Player, Bristol, Wis. (Wilmot Union)
 
All-Sportsmanship Team
Emily Cliver, Oshkosh, Junior, Outfield/Firstbase, Greenville, Wis. (Hortonville)
Bri Daechsel, River Falls, Senior, Infield, Lakeville, Minn. (North)
Ellie Decker, Eau Claire, Senior, Catcher/Thirdbase, Germantown, Wis. (Germantown)
Brianna Gilbert, Whitewater, Sophomore, Outfield, Lone Rock, Wis. (River Valley)
Emily Lyman, La Crosse, Senior, Outfield, Brown Deer, Wis. (Brown Deer)
Angela Laabs, Platteville, Senior, Utility, Horicon, Wis. (Horicon)
Addison Murry, Stout, Senior, Catcher, Kasson, Minn. (Kasson-Mantorville)
Abby VanBeek, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Designated Player/Righthanded Pitcher, Mayville, Wis. (Mayville)
 
Position Player of the Year:  Jordyn McCormack of La Crosse
Pitcher of the Year:  Elise Weinzierl of La Crosse
Newcomer of the Year:  Kyra Lard of La Crosse
Coaching Staff of the Year:  La Crosse
Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete:  Shannon Jones of Stout
 
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