For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Week
#1 Sam Keller (IF/OF, Sr., Geneva, Ill. / Geneva HS) – Winona State
- Racked up a .550 batting average in a 5-1 Warrior week
- Was 11-of-20 (.522) at the plate, with three doubles
- Knocked in 10 RBI, including two home runs
- Drew four walks and had an on-base % of .625

NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#55 Justyce Porter (RHP, 6-0, So., R/R, Kent, Wash. / Seattle Christian HS) - St. Cloud State 
- Picked up three straight saves to end the Huskies 3-1 stretch in Sioux Center, Iowa
- Did not allow an eared run over 9.0 innings in four relief appearances
- Struck out five batters, allowing only five hits (all singles)
- Opponents hit just .129 against her

Others Top Performers  - Players
Alexis Monty (CSP)
- Hit a team-best .727 batting average with a team-best .769 on-base percentage in CSP’s victories against Maryville, Missouri-St. Louis and Sioux Falls
- Tallied eight hits with two doubles and four RBIs in the three games
- Scored seven times and hit a .909 slugging percentage over the weekend
- Hit CSP’s lone double of the game with two hits and an RBI in an 8-2 victory over Maryville
- Smacked three hits with a season-high three RBIs and three runs scored in a 12-2 Golden Bear victory over Missouri-St. Louis
- Had a batting average of .455 against Missouri-St. Louis, tying her season-high at the time
- Recorded three hits and scored twice in CSP’s 11-10 comeback victory against Sioux Falls
- Batted a season-high .500 batting average in the contest and was Concordia's most consistent hitter in the game
Riley Schwisow (USF)
- Led the Coo at the plate going 10-for-16 on the weekend with a .625 BA
- Recorded 1 homerun and 7 RBIs while going 5-for-5 in stolen bases
Jillian Noel (SMSU) 
- Batted .538 (7 for 13) over the weekend including a double, triple, and solo home run with four RBIs
- Hit a triple and tallied two RBIs in 7-1 win over William Jewell (Mo.)
- Notched three putouts and seven assists in the field over the weekend
Maggie Fitzgerald (SCSU) 
- Slashed .364/.500/.818 for an OPS of 1.318 as the Huskies went 3-1 in Sioux Center, Iowa
- Recorded one home run and two doubles
- Drove in five runs, was hit by a pitch twice, scored twice and walked once
- Tallied nearly half of the Huskies RBIs (5-of-11)

Others Top Performers  - Pitcher
Emmy Bowne (CSP) 
- Posted a 2.62 ERA in 10.2 innings pitched on the weekend
- Struck out five total batters in CSP’s wins against Maryville and Sioux Falls
- Picked up her second win of the season in an 8-2 victory over Maryville
- Only gave up one earned run off of six hits in seven innings pitched against Maryville
- Held opponents to a batting average of .256 on the weekend
- Didn’t give up any doubles or triples in either game
Arria Johnson (UMary)
- Threw a 4-hit 7-inning shutout in the Marauders 4-0 win over Rockhurst
- Walked three and struck out three 
- In two collegiate starts Arria has thrown two complete game shutouts
- For the week she allowed three earned runs in three appearances covering 10.2 innings
- Allowed ten hits and five walks and striking out five
Maddi Duncan (USF)
- Advanced to 4-2 in the circle with a 2-1 weekend at the Emporia State Classic
- Threw for 18.0 innings while putting down 19 strikeouts with a season game high of 10 against Rockhurst
- Leads the conference in innings pitched (36.0), strikeouts (35), strikeouts looking (13) and wins (4)
Abby Smith (WSU) 
- Threw 17.0 innings, striking out 8, walking 3
- Earned a shutout over Grand View University
- Allows just 4 earned runs in 17 IP
- Registered a %1.000 fielding percentage
NSIC Softball Players of the Week
2/5/24
Player: #28 Reese Holzhueter – St. Cloud State
Pitcher: #50 Grace Glanzer - Augustana
2/13/24
Player: #16 Shaelyn Grant – Minnesota Crookston
Pitcher: #3 Taylor Coleman – Northern State
2/20/24
Player: #1 Sam Keller – Winona State
Pitcher: #55 Justyce Porter - St. Cloud State 

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 15-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in 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 union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 111 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 can 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.