Wednesday, May 12, 2021

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The power of GNAC softball in 2021 is being recognized by the region’s coaches with the selection of 13 conference players to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s (NFCA) Division II All-West Region Team.

Northwest Nazarene led the way with three first-team selections in senior catcher and GNAC Player of the Year Brittany Genuardi, freshman and conference Pitcher of the Year Sidney Booth and sophomore outfielder Maia McNicoll. Western Washington landed two first-team selections in senior pitcher and GNAC Championships MVP Anna Kasner and junior shortstop Tatum Dow. Central Washington is represented by senior outfielder Theresa Moyle.

The Nighthawks also landed three second-team selections in junior pitcher Tori Hensley, freshman third baseman Abigail Gagnon and junior shortstop Ivy Hommel. Western Washington junior outfielder Lauren Lo and Montana State Billings junior first baseman Brittanee Fisher made the list as did Western Oregon senior outfielder Allyson Drury and senior utility player Chandler Bishop.

The 13 selections are one-half of the All-West Region Team, which is comprised of players from the GNAC, the California Collegiate Athletic Association and the PacWest Conference.

Genuardi was the GNAC leader for much of the year in batting average and currently ranks second with a .397 batting average. She is second in the conference with 12 doubles, tied for fourth with 46 hits and 73 total bases. Her .541 on-base percentage ranks in the top-15 in Division II. With 181 chances defensively, Genuardi has not committed an error.

Booth leads the GNAC with 15 wins and 163 strikeouts while ranking second with a 1.62 earned run average. She finished the regular season with a .198 opponent’s batting average and had six games with 10 or more strikeouts. At the plate, Booth is fourth in the GNAC with a .385 batting average and leads the conference with 41 RBI.

McNicoll is seventh in the GNAC with a .374 batting average and leads the conference with 12 home runs and a .732 slugging percentage. She is second among GNAC players with 36 RBI, tied for fourth 46 hits and is tied for eighth with eight doubles.

Kasner leads the conference with a 1.62 earned run average and owns a 13-3 record. In 112.1 innings, Kasner has allowed 31 runs, 26 earned, on 62 hits with 153 strikeouts. She had two no-hitters on the season, topped by her six-inning perfect game against Saint Martin’s on March 12, and is the GNAC career leader with 551 strikeouts. Kasner was named GNAC Championships MVP after allowing one run and striking out 38 while winning all three of the Vikings’ games.

Dow leads the GNAC with a .449 batting average and is second with 48 hits. She leads the Vikings with a .682 slugging percentage, .512 on-base percentage, 48 hits and 26 RBI. Dow started for the Vikings in all 35 games at shortstop and owned a 12-game hitting streak entering the final week of the regular season.

Moyle finished the regular season ranked fifth in the GNAC with a .385 batting average, .429 on-base percentage and .670 slugging percentage. She is one of the Division II leaders with five triples while ranking fifth in the GNAC with 31 RBI and sixth with 28 runs scored.