University of Northern Iowa Athletics
UNI Softball: Five named to MVC Scholar-Athlete Teams
5/17/2022 1:05:00 PM | Softball
ST LOUIS -- The UNI softball team placed a handful of athletes on the MVC Scholar-Athlete teams in 2022.Â
Five Panthers have been recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference for their contributions on the field and in the classroom. Kailyn Packard, Taylor Hogan, Samantha Heyer, and Emmy Wells were named to the Scholar-Athlete First Team while Kamryn Shaffer was named to the Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention Team for the second year in a row.Â
Packard is a redshirt junior majoring in elementary education with a minor in math education and has a 4.00 cumulative GPA. Packard led the Panthers in the circle, ending the 2022 season with a 1.74 ERA in 30 appearances with a 20-6 record. Over the season, Packard threw 205 strikeouts while allowing just 60 walks. Packard recorded 20 complete games in the circle and earned five shutouts in that time. Packard has also been named to several post-season awards including the All-MVC First Team and a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team in Region 6.Â
Hogan is a redshirt sophomore for the Panthers majoring in communication disorders with a minor in biology and has a 3.99 cumulative GPA. Hogan had her best year in a UNI uniform in 2022, leading the Panthers in doubles (10) and triples (2). On the season Hogan had a .325 batting average with a .553 slugging percentage, recording 37 hits, 26 runs, 23 RBIs, and four home runs. Hogan was also named to the All-MVC First Team as well as the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team in Region 6.Â
Heyer is a redshirt sophomore majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry and a 3.95 cumulative GPA. Heyer had a strong season pitching for the Panthers as their second in the rotation with a 2.19 ERA and keeping opponents to just a .200 batting average. Heyer led the conference in several categories including, opposing batting average, sacrifice bunts allowed, runs allowed, and earned runs allowed. Heyer was recognized for her work this season in the circle by the conference, being named to the All-MVC Second Team.Â
Wells completes her sophomore season with the Panthers as a movement and exercise science major with a 3.84 cumulative GPA. Wells led UNI through the conference season with an MVC leading slugging percentage at .836 along with RBIs (51), and home runs (19). Overall, Wells batted a .311 in the 2022 season with 38 hits, seven doubles, and 19 home runs, helping the Panthers set a program record for home runs in a season. Wells also excelled behind the plate, leading UNI in putouts (388) and catches (417) while making only five errors for a .988 fielding percentage. Along with her success on the field, Wells was named the MVC Player of the Year, the MVC Defensive Player of the Year, a member of the All-MVC First Team and the All-MVC Defensive Team in 2022.Â
For the second year in a row, Shaffer has been named to the Honorable Mention Team as a senior majoring in communication disorders with a 3.75 cumulative GPA. Over the 2022 season, Shaffer had a .194 batting average with 25 hits, 21 runs scored, three doubles, and four home runs. Shaffer also excelled in the field for the Panthers with 41 putouts and four errors for a .913 fielding percentage.Â
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Five Panthers have been recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference for their contributions on the field and in the classroom. Kailyn Packard, Taylor Hogan, Samantha Heyer, and Emmy Wells were named to the Scholar-Athlete First Team while Kamryn Shaffer was named to the Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention Team for the second year in a row.Â
Packard is a redshirt junior majoring in elementary education with a minor in math education and has a 4.00 cumulative GPA. Packard led the Panthers in the circle, ending the 2022 season with a 1.74 ERA in 30 appearances with a 20-6 record. Over the season, Packard threw 205 strikeouts while allowing just 60 walks. Packard recorded 20 complete games in the circle and earned five shutouts in that time. Packard has also been named to several post-season awards including the All-MVC First Team and a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team in Region 6.Â
Hogan is a redshirt sophomore for the Panthers majoring in communication disorders with a minor in biology and has a 3.99 cumulative GPA. Hogan had her best year in a UNI uniform in 2022, leading the Panthers in doubles (10) and triples (2). On the season Hogan had a .325 batting average with a .553 slugging percentage, recording 37 hits, 26 runs, 23 RBIs, and four home runs. Hogan was also named to the All-MVC First Team as well as the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team in Region 6.Â
Heyer is a redshirt sophomore majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry and a 3.95 cumulative GPA. Heyer had a strong season pitching for the Panthers as their second in the rotation with a 2.19 ERA and keeping opponents to just a .200 batting average. Heyer led the conference in several categories including, opposing batting average, sacrifice bunts allowed, runs allowed, and earned runs allowed. Heyer was recognized for her work this season in the circle by the conference, being named to the All-MVC Second Team.Â
Wells completes her sophomore season with the Panthers as a movement and exercise science major with a 3.84 cumulative GPA. Wells led UNI through the conference season with an MVC leading slugging percentage at .836 along with RBIs (51), and home runs (19). Overall, Wells batted a .311 in the 2022 season with 38 hits, seven doubles, and 19 home runs, helping the Panthers set a program record for home runs in a season. Wells also excelled behind the plate, leading UNI in putouts (388) and catches (417) while making only five errors for a .988 fielding percentage. Along with her success on the field, Wells was named the MVC Player of the Year, the MVC Defensive Player of the Year, a member of the All-MVC First Team and the All-MVC Defensive Team in 2022.Â
For the second year in a row, Shaffer has been named to the Honorable Mention Team as a senior majoring in communication disorders with a 3.75 cumulative GPA. Over the 2022 season, Shaffer had a .194 batting average with 25 hits, 21 runs scored, three doubles, and four home runs. Shaffer also excelled in the field for the Panthers with 41 putouts and four errors for a .913 fielding percentage.Â
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Players Mentioned
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