Courtesy of Midland Athletics
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The 2023 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Softball All-Conference team was announced after a vote of league coaches. Midland University, who finished tied for runners-up in the conference and won the postseason championship, had five first-team selections and one honorable mention.
Roni Foote, a junior from Omaha, Nebraska, was named to the All-GPAC First Team as an infielder for the third-straight season. Through the conference tournament, she has a .382 average with a team-best slugging percentage of .745. She has 63 hits with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 14 home runs, 51 runs batted in, and 10 stolen bases.
Keira Painter, a senior from Tucson, Arizona, was named an honorable mention in the outfield. Starting all 48 games this season, she has a .276 average at the plate with 42 hits, 3 doubles, 18 RBIs, and three stolen bases. In the field, she has a 1.000 fielding percentage which is tied for the nation’s best.
Carly Pfitzer, a senior from Gretna, Nebraska, earns her first All-GPAC Team honor after being an honorable mention in her sophomore season. This year, she leads the Warriors in home runs (15), RBIs (52), and walks (24). She had 10 doubles to aid in her .730 slugging percentage. In the field, she has 75 assists from her shortstop position.
Emily Prai, a junior from Lincoln, Nebraska, was named to the All-GPAC First Team for the third season in a row. As the Warriors’ lead-off hitter and centerfield, she has a team-best .428 batting average with 77 hits, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 25 RBIs. Defensively, she has a .975 fielding percentage with 78 put-outs.
Aliyah Rincon, a junior from Granada Hills, California, has earned All-GPA First Team honors for her third-straight season. In the circle, she has a 20-5 record in 25 starts with 1 save. Her earned run average of 1.60 ranks third in the conference while her 240 strikeouts lead the GPAC and rank 7th in the NAIA. As a hitter, she has a .273 average with 38 hits, 6 doubles, 5 home runs, and 20 RBIs.
Amanda Schmaderer, a junior from Lincoln, Nebraska, earned All-GPAC First Team as a catcher for the first time in her career. Splitting time behind the plate and at first base, she has a .416 batting average with 47 hits, 14 doubles, 2 homers, and 31 RBIs. She has a .991 fielding percentage with 208 putouts on the season.
This year’s GPAC All-Conference Team consists of a first-team, second-team, and an honorable mention list. Gwen Mikkelsen from Northwestern College was named the GPAC Player of the Year while Abby Kraemer of Dordt University was named the GPAC Pitcher of the Year. Shane Bouman from Northwestern was named the GPAC Coach of the Year. The Red Raiders claimed the 2023 GPAC Softball regular season title. For a complete look at all of the 2023 All-GPAC selections, click here.
