LOUISVILLE, Ky. –Thirteen student-athletes have been named to the NFCA’s 2023 Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) All-America team, the Association announced on Thursday evening.
Columbia Basin College and Mt. Hood Community College led the way with three honorees apiece. Bellevue College, Southwestern Oregon Community College and Walla Walla Community College each had two student-athletes recognized and Lower Columbia College earned one plaudit.
Earning back-to-back All-America accolades in 2023 are Walla Walla second baseman Rylie Bennett and Mt. Hood Utility/Pitcher Alexia Geary. Bennett leads the NWAC with a .676 on-base percentage behind 69 hits and a conference-best 37 walks. She also is second with a .566 batting average, third with 71 runs scored and is sixth in doubles (19), triples (5), RBI (71) and slugging (1.074). Geary tops the league with a 1.145 slugging percentage and 24 doubles. She ranks second in on-base percentage (.631), third in RBI (83) and eighth in home runs (16). In the circle, Geary is 8-2 with a 3.99 ERA and has struck out 7.59 batters per seven innings pitched.
Joining Geary on the squad are her teammates – sophomore pitcher Kylie Parsons and sophomore outfielder Mckenzie Kosmicki - helped the Saints (35-7, 24-4 South) earn the fifth overall seed. Parsons (9-3) owns the third lowest ERA at 2.09 and is also third with 137 strikeouts. Kosmicki is batting .467 with nine doubles, 27 RBI and 34 runs scored.
Columbia Basin (33-13, 23-9 East) heads into the NWAC Championship as the seventh overall seed. The Hawks are led by the trio of sophomore Harley Raymond (.453, 18 HR, 70 RBI, 49 R), sophomore Madi Olson (.536, 21 2B, 19 HR, 86 RBI, 65 R) and freshman Stephanie Bryson (.522, 18 2B, 15 HR, 55 R). All three rank in the top 10 in home runs for the most prolific offensive team in the league. Olson ranks second in RBI and third in batting and doubles, while Raymond is seventh in RBI and Bryson is sixth in batting and tied for 10th in long balls.
Macie Plischke earns her first All-America honor alongside her Walla Walla teammate, Bennett. Plischke, a catcher, batted .492 with nine home runs and 56 RBI. She posted an .800 slugging percentage and reached base at a .544 clip.
Bellevue (37-2, 24-0 North), the top overall tournament seed, is represented by sophomore pitcher Kaci Imus and sophomore shortstop Kelci Studioso. Imus (17-1, 2.89 ERA, 142 K) ranked second in strikeouts, third in wins and fifth in ERA. On the offensive side, she hit .492 with the second most home runs (21) and seventh-best slugging percentage (1.070) to go along with 60 RBI and 51 runs scored. Studioso currently leads the NWAC with a .571 average, 84 hits and 47 stolen bases. She is second with 23 doubles and 75 runs scored, while ranking fourth in slugging (1.095) and fifth in on-base percentage (.613).
Freshman pitcher Deztiny Vaughan and sophomore outfielder Katelynn Evans are the second overall seed Southwestern Oregon’s (43-3, 27-1 South) recipients. Vaughan, undefeated at 20-0, sports an NWAC-low 0.90 ERA and has fanned a conference-best 211 batters. Her 20 victories and seven shutouts also are tops in the NWAC, while holding opponents to a .124 batting average (3rd).
Teeghan Reams of Lower Columbia captured All-America honors at Designated Player or Utility/Pitcher. The freshman ranked third with 20 home runs to go along with a .415 batting average, 67 RBI and a .933 slugging percentage.
NFCA NWAC All-America athletes are nominated and voted by NFCA-member head coaches to receive this prestigious accolade.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded All-Region and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining nearly 6,700 coaches today.
