UNI softball: Five Panthers recognized with All-MVC honors

ST. LOUIS --- The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) on Wednesday morning announced its 2024 all-conference softball teams and specialty award winners ahead of the start of the conference tournament in Normal, Illinois.

Five members of the UNI roster earned spots on this year's teams, including a pair of selections to both the First and Second Team All-MVC, as well as one All-Defensive team nod.

The Panthers will open the 2024 MVC Tournament on Thursday, May 9 in the quarterfinal round at 4 p.m. CT at Illinois State's Marian Kneer Stadium against the first-round winner between Drake and Evansville.

Samantha Heyer | Pitcher (First Team All-MVC)
One year removed from being named the MVC Pitcher of the Year, Heyer posted another solid season for the Panthers in the pitching circle to earn her second straight First Team All-MVC selection. Heyer, who was named the MVC Pitcher of the Week three times this season, started a league-high 27 games in 2024 and posted a 16-6 with a 2.02 earned run average (ERA), fourth-lowest in the MVC. Striking out 190 batters during the year, she held opposing hitters to a .202 batting average while notching the nation's 11th best strikeouts per seven innings average (9.3). Heyer also picked up two saves during the regular season, moving into sole possession of second-place on the program's all-time list. Notably during the season, Heyer recorded seven games of ten or more strikeouts, including a season-high 14 strikeouts against Southeast Missouri back in late February.

Alexis Pupillo | Outfielder/Catcher (First Team All-MVC)
Pupillo earns her second straight First Team All-MVC nod after another solid season offensively while taking on a new position in the outfield. Last season's MVC Freshman of the Year and two-time MVC Player of the Week selection this season drove in a league-high 50 RBIs, tied for fifth-most in a single UNI season while also leading the conference in sacrifice flies (5) and RBIs per game (1.06). Her 16 home runs and .715 slugging percentage also rank second in the MVC. Pupillo notably drove in eight runs on three hits in a 9-8 win over Longwood in February that included a pair of home runs, one of 13 multi-hit games this year.

Addison McElrath | Designated Player/Utility (Second Team All-MVC)
McElrath picks up her second consecutive all-conference honor after earning first team recognition in 2023 and playing a key role as UNI's cleanup hitter in the lineup. Appearing in 46 of 47 regular season games, McElrath posted a .252 batting average with six home runs and 27 RBIs as the Panthers' designated player in her second full season as a starter. Her nine doubles during the regular season were second most on the UNI roster, while her .473 slugging percentage was the third-highest on the Panther roster. McElrath scored her first career multi-home run game with two long balls in a non-conference win at Illinois in March with five games throughout the year with multiple runs batted in.

Madison Parks | Outfielder (Second Team All-MVC)
Parks made getting on base a signature activity as UNI's lead-off hitter in 2024, en route to her third All-MVC Team selection. A 2022 second team honoree and first team selection last year, Parks led the league and ranked second in all of Division I softball with 46 walks to set a new UNI single-season record. She also broke the program's career walks record early into her redshirt senior campaign in 2024. Parks recorded a .308 batting average with three home runs and 22 RBIs, along with a .489 on-base percentage and seven doubles to make her one of three Panthers with at least 40 hits on the year. Additionally this season, Parks moved into third-place on the program's all-time lists for stolen bases (54) and fifth in runs scored (138).

Taylor Hogan | Second Base (MVC All-Defensive Team)
Starting at second base for all 47 regular season contests, Hogan posted the third-highest fielding percentage among Panther infielders this season (.976) with 51 putouts and 73 assists. Hogan also helped turn four double plays on the right-side of the second base bag in 2024. In the batter's box, she recorded 34 hits (.252 average) with six doubles and 21 RBIs during her redshirt senior season with the Panthers. Notably, Hogan drove in a season-high four runs in a 7-3 home win over Northern Illinois in February and picked up eight stolen bases throughout the year.

MVC SPECIALTY AWARDS

Most Valuable Player - Jackie Lis (Southern Illinois)
Most Valuable Pitcher - Maddia Groff (Southern Illinois)
Defensive Player of the Year - Taylor Jackson (Murray State)
Newcomer of the Year - Sydney Kennedy (Bradley)
Freshman of the Year - Maddia Groff (Southern Illinois)
Coaching Staff of the Year - Southern Illinois

FIRST TEAM All-MVC

Catcher - Bella Wilkerson (Illinois State)
First Base - Isabelle Henning (Indiana State), Kayla Ulrich (Missouri State)
Second Base - Delainey Bryant (Illinois State, Abi Chipps (Indiana State)
Third Base - Olivia Krehbiel (Missouri State)
Shortstop - Nicole Hughes (Belmont)
Outfield - Alexis Pupillo (UNI), Annie Mueller (Missouri State), Elizabeth Warwick (Southern Illinois)
Pitchers - Samantha Heyer (UNI), Maddia Groff (Southern Illinois), Maya Johnson (Belmont), Jenna Veber
DP/UTL - Adisyn Hopkins (Illinois State), Sydney Kennedy (Bradley)

SECOND TEAM All-MVC

Catcher - Brenna Blume (Belmont), Taylor Jackson (Murray State)
First Base - Sidney Jones (Southern Illinois)
Second Base - Destiny Lewis (Drake)
Third Base - Rylie Hamilton (Southern Illinois)
Shortstop - Kennedy Shade (Southern Illinois)
Outfield - Madison Parks (UNI), Emma Austin (Southern Illinois), Hailey Cowing (UIC), Regi Hecker (Valparaiso), Addison Masching (Illinois State), Makayla Rice (Drake)
Pitchers - Molly Hoekstra (Drake), Paige McLeod (Illinois State)
DP/UTL - Addison McElrath (UNI), Chloe Merced (Missouri State), Emma Dighton (Drake)

MVC ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Catcher - Taylor Jackson (Murray State)
First Base - Bailey Sample (Bradley), Addie Lightner (Drake), Larisa Villa (UIC)
Second Base - Taylor Hogan (UNI), Abi Chipps (Indiana State). Kelsie Lewis (Missouri State), Alexis Johnson (Valparaiso)
Third Base - Jayden Standish (Illinois State)
Outfield - Baie Ensio (Belmont), Elizabeth Warwick (Southern Illinois)
Pitcher - Sydney Weatherford (Evansville)

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