Outfield trio each named All-Conference First-Teamers as Bengals dominate Big Sky softball honors

Idaho State University outfielders Gracie Smith, Ava Brown and Alyssa Yee take their positions before the start of a new inning. All three have been named Big Sky All-Conference First-Teamers. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoSports.com POCATELLO — The Idaho State Bengals continued their historic season this week, claiming a record 15 Al-Conference honors. According to the program’s official Twitter/X account, the Bengals are the first Big Sky team ever to sweep all three first-team outfield positions, with Gracie Smith, Ava Brown and Alyssa Yee. They are also the first team ever to sweep both first-team pitcher positions, with Kasey Aguinaga and Lizzy Tommasini. Brown was also named the Conference Player of the Year, by a unanimous vote from the league’s coaches, after clubbing a conference record 24 home runs. Aguinaga was named Conference Pitcher of the Year and Conference Co-Newcomer of the Year, after leading the league in wins (14). Head coach Andrew Rich rounded out the ISU individual honors as the Conference Coach of the Year, leaving the Bengals left without at least a share of only one individual award — Freshman of the Year. As a cherry on top, the Bengals were also named the Big Sky Conference Commissioners’ Team of the Month. The Bengals celebrate their Big Sky Conference regular season championship. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoSports.com Only four First-Team All-Conference positions were filled by unanimous selection. Three of those four spots belong to Bengals — catcher Jenna Kearns, and outfielders Ava Brown and Gracie Smith. In all, 11 Bengals were named All-Conference performers — filling more than one-quarter of the total number of spots (39). Here are the full All-Big Sky Conference teams. Note: * denotes unanimous selections First Team Catcher: Jenna Kearns, Idaho State* First Base: Amailee Morales, Northern Colorado* Second Base: Sadie Kirk, Weber State Shortstop: Krista Francia, Northern Colorado Third Base: Abby Grundy, Weber State Outfield: Ava Brown, Idaho State* Outfield: Gracie Smith, Idaho State* Outfield: Alyssa Yee, Idaho State Pitcher: Kasey Aguinaga, Idaho State Pitcher: Lizzy Tommasini, Idaho State Pitcher/UTL: Caroline Evans, Sac State Non-Pitcher/UTL: Riley Whalen, Weber State Second Team Catcher: Katie Marsh, Sac State First Base: Kiaira Smith, Weber State Second Base: Belle Navarrete, Idaho State Shortstop: Camryn McDonald, Idaho State Third Base: Madison Evers-Lyles, Sac State Outfield: Lafulafu Melepeai, Sac State Outfield: Presley Jantzi, Montana Outfield: Andrea Lira, Sac State Pitcher: Kennedie Magorian, Sac State Pitcher: Cali McCraw, Weber State Pitcher/UTL: Sherreigh Nakoa-Chung, Portland State Non-Pitcher/UTL: Shannon Garcia, Sac State Honorable Mention (all players who received at least three All-Conference votes) Catcher: Sabrina Javorsky, Northern Colorado Catcher: Eva Richardson, Weber State First Base: Kennedy Dudley, Idaho State First Base: Alex Carino, Sac State Second Base: Jaycie Gandert, Northern Colorado Second Base: Jenna Birch, Sac State Shortstop: Taegan Smith, Weber State Shortstop: Anna Cockhill, Montana Third Base: Katie Walling, Northern Colorado Third Base: Brooke Peterson, Idaho State Outfield: Olivia Birkinshaw, Weber State Outfield: Ellie Babbitt, Portland State Pitcher: Anna Wilming, Northern Colorado Pitcher: Alexa Ortiz, Sac State Non-Pitcher/UTL: Olivia Robison, Idaho StateThe post Outfield trio each named All-Conference First-Teamers as Bengals dominate Big Sky softball honors appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com