For Immediate Release
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Year
#4 Katie Crogan (1b, 5-9,  Gr., R/R, Watertown, Wis. / Watertown HS)
Upper Iowa University
- Finished third in the NSIC in batting average (.473) and second in slugging (.903), on-base percentage (.541), and OPS (1.444)
- Also finished second in RBI (41) and home runs (10) while ranking T-third in hits (44), T-sixth in runs (29), and T-seventh in doubles (10)
- Tallied 12 multi-hit games over the NSIC slate and notched a hit in 22 games
- Added 11 multi-RBI games, reaching a season-high of five RBI on three occasions
- Had a pair of multi-HR games and four-hit outings
- Anchored first base with a .978 fielding percentage while contributing to six of UIU’s NSIC-high 12 double plays

NSIC Pitcher of the Year
#17 Mackenzie Ward (RHP, Sr., R/R, Clive, Iowa / Valley HS) 
Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Named NSIC Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season
- Became the second Maverick in program history to record 1,000 career strikeouts (1,068 in career)
- Won her last 13 starts of the regular season and went 14-0 in 16 appearances during that stretch
- Has allowed an earned run in just eight of her 35 appearances in the circle this season
- Has struck out at least 10 batters in 14 games this season
- Owns a 27-3 record with a 0.69 ERA to go along with 288 strikeouts, while holding batters to a .145 batting average
- Has posted 13 shutouts this season
- Went 48.0 consecutive innings in NSIC action without allowing an earned run
- Named NSIC Player of the Week eight times this season

NSIC Freshman of the Year
#11 Cheyenne Behrends (INF, Fr., R/R, Clarksville, Iowa / Clarksville HS) 
Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Played in 52 games and made 49 starts at third base
- Recorded at least two hits in 14 games
- Notched a season-high with three hits, three runs and three RBI against Upper Iowa (4/12)
- Is second on the team in RBI with 36 and third in both hits with 50 and runs scored with 32

NSIC Newcomer of the Year
#16 Christin Hartman (RHP, 5-8, So., Bettendorf, Iowa / Pleasant Valley HS / Grinnell College)
University of Minnesota Duluth
- In nine appearances, finished her freshman season with a perfect 5-0 record
- Notched two saves, which was tied for best on UMD and fourth best in the conference
- Second best ERA on the team at 2.16
- Recorded 18 strike outs in 35.2 innings pitched
- Struck out seven batters and gave up one earned run in 5.1 innings of work during UMD’s 10-7 victory over Winona State on April 15 

NSIC COACH of the Year
Gretta Melsted
Augustana University
- Led Augustana to its second straight and fifth overall NSIC Regular Season Championship
- Coached 10 All-NSIC players, including seven first team members
- Claimed her 700th career win this season and 600th win at Augustana
- Earns her fifth NSIC Coach of the Year award
 

2022 All-Conference First Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
8	Gracey Brink	C	Jr.	Augustana	Rapid City, S.D.
10	Torri Chute	DP	Jr.	Augustana	Woodbury, Minn.
25	Kennedy Buckman	2B	So	Augustana	New Prague, Minn.
9	Abby Lien	3B	Sr.	Augustana	Lakeville, Minn.
26	Ashley Mickschl	RHP	Gr.	Augustana	Woodbury, Minn.
30	Mary Pardo	OF	Sr.	Augustana	Andover, Minn.
12	Delaney Young	1B	Sr.	Augustana	Cottage Grove, Minn.
8	Amanda Parsons	C	Sr	Concordia-St. Paul	Grafton, Wis.
12	Jordyn Thomas	1B	5th	Minnesota Duluth	Hermantown, Minn.
7	Madi Newman	OF	So.	Minnesota State	Centerville, Minn.
17	Mackenzie Ward	RHP	Sr.	Minnesota State	Clive, Iowa
44	Kait Van Der Zwaag	P/ Utility	JR	Sioux Falls	Hull, Iowa
15	Trinity Junker	RHP	Jr.	St. Cloud State	Lindstrom, Minn.
11	Raven Vanden Langenberg	SS	Sr.	St. Cloud State	Seymour, Wis.
4	Katie Crogan	1B	Gr.	Upper Iowa	Watertown, Wis.
25	Carly Engelhardt	DP	So.	Winona State	Oswego, Ill.
5	Abbie Hlas	Utility	So.	Winona State	Adel, Iowa
1	Sam Keller	OF	So.	Winona State	Geneva, Ill.
24	Liz Pautz	RHP	Sr.	Winona State	Pulaski, Wis.
2022 All-Conference Second Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
36	Amanda Dickmeyer	SS	Sr.	Augustana	Woodbury, Minn.
50	Amber Elliott	RHP	Sr.	Augustana	Anoka, Minn.
18	Abbie Lund	LF	Sr.	Augustana	Waterloo, Iowa
16	Dana Zarn	2B	Jr.	Minnesota Crookston	Winnipeg, Man.
8	Kiana Bender	SS	So.	Minnesota Duluth	Cloquet, Minn.
17	Emma Frost	3B	Sr.	Minnesota Duluth	Farmington, Minn.
19	Elle Potts	3B/DP	So.	Minnesota Duluth	St. Michael, Minn.
5	Sid Zavoral	C	Jr.	Minnesota Duluth	Cottage Grove, Minn.
11	Cheyenne Behrends	3B	Fr.	Minnesota State	Clarksville, Iowa
22	Sydney Nielsen	C	So.	Minnesota State	Marion, Iowa
3	Ellie Tallman	DP	So.	Minnesota State	Marielle, Iowa
10	Jamie Odlum	1B	Sr.	Minot State	Morden, Man.
4	Liv Richardson	3B	So.	Northern State	Omaha, Neb.
7	Kylan Straight	OF	Sr.	Sioux Falls	Logan, Iowa
20	Taryn Wagner	OF	Fr.	Sioux Falls	Central City, Neb.
18	Jasmin Estrada	DP	Sr.	St. Cloud State	Litchfield, Minn.
13	Sydney Trees	C	Sr.	St. Cloud State	Prior Lake, Minn.
7	Holly Weinberger	OF	Jr.	St. Cloud State	Waconia, Minn.
2	Riley Holmberg	OF	Jr.	Wayne State	Surprise, Ariz,
13	Kim Vidlak	C	Sr.	Wayne State	Bennington, Neb.
2022 NSIC All-Defensive Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
8	Sami Felt	P	Fr.	Wayne State	Waukee, Iowa
6	Hailey Forshee	1B	Sr.	Minnesota State	Lakeville, Minn.
22	Jenna Etmans	2B	Jr.	Wayne State	Murrieta, Calif.
36	Amanda Dickmeyer	SS	Sr.	Augustana	Woodbury, Minn.
17	Libby Neveau	3B	So.	Winona State	Oshkosh, Wis.
8	Amanda Parsons	C	Sr.	Concordia-St. Paul	Grafton, Wis.
23	Brooke Bowlin	LF	Sr.	St. Cloud State	Chaska, Minn.
3	Lexie Swift	CF	Gr.	Sioux Falls	Omaha, Neb.
7	Holly Weinberger	RF	Jr.	St. Cloud State	Waconia, Minn.

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 90 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes have the opportunity to earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.