Hoe, Weber State Headline Postseason Awards; All-Conference Teams Announced
FARMINGTON, Utah (May 11, 2021) – After a 2021 campaign that saw Weber State finish with a league-best 15-3 record in conference play and the regular-season title, the Wildcats headlined this year’s All-Conference team and individual awards.
Lauren Hoe was named the Big Sky Player of the Year and a first-team All-Big Sky selection at catcher. Hoe batted .336 on the season and finished the year with a slugging percentage of .700.
The sophomore catcher recorded 37 hits this season and drove in 34 runs, and scored 24 times. Hoe had a total of 77 total bases this year that included 10 doubles and 10 home runs.
Hoe becomes the third Wildcat to receive the league’s top honor joining Takesha Saltern (2019) and Abby Whitmer (2016).
Joining Hoe from the Wildcat roster as the Pitcher of the Year is Mariah Ramirez. Ramirez, a first-team All-Big Sky selection, led Weber State with a high of 12 wins this season and finished the year with a 12-6 record. Over the course of 23 appearances, she started 13 of them in the circle and tossed five complete games.
Ramirez ended the regular season with a 3.32 ERA over 97 innings pitched for the Wildcats. The La Habra, Calif. native, struck out 70 batters while only giving up 46 earned runs this season.
Freshman of the Year honors went to Weber State’s Mia Rushton, who was also selected to the All-Big Sky first team as an outfielder. Rushton had a batting average of .390 in the regular season and, during conference play, had a batting average of .441. Both rank her as one of the best bats for the Wildcats.
Rushton started in all 42 games this season for Weber State. Throughout the season, the San Diego, Calif. native had 145 at-bats and recorded 57 hits, including five triples and four doubles, as she earned 71 total bases.
Rushton finished the season with a .486 slugging percentage on the season and drove in 17 runs while scoring 38 times.
The final individual postseason award went to Southern Utah’s Brooke Brown, who was named the Top-Newcomer of the Year. Brown was also selected first-team All-Big Sky at third base. The junior college transfer joined the Thunderbirds this season after spending the previous two seasons at Snow College.
Brown played in all 46 games this year and had a batting average of .361, which was third-best on the team. The North Salt Lake, Utah native, recorded 48 hits, including eight doubles and 16 home runs, and ended the year with a .782 slugging percentage which led the Big Sky Conference.
In all, Brown drove in 50 runs and scored 32 times as she helped the T-Birds secure the second seed in the conference championship.
Weber State added four players to the All-Big Sky first team, with Faith Hoe (second base), Chloe Camarero (outfield), Amanda Sink (pitcher/utility), and Noelle Foster (utility) all receiving the honor.
Northern Colorado had two players named to the first team, with Mady Young (shortstop) and Erin Caviness (pitcher) earning the nod.
Montana’s Cami Sellers was named to the first team at first base, and Portland State’s Marissa Bruno was named a first-team outfielder.
The 2021 Big Sky Softball Championship will take place Thursday, May 13, and run through Saturday, May 15, with the championship game deciding which team will represent the conference at the NCAA Women’s College World Series.
Follow the Big Sky Conference on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat – at @BigSkyConf and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated. Follow Big Sky Softball on Twitter at @BigSkySoftball and use the hashtag #BigSkySB.
2021 Softball All-Conference
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1st Team All-Conference
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Position
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Name
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Class
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School
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Catcher
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Lauren Hoe
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Sophomore
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Weber State
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|
First Base
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Cami Sellers
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Senior
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Montana
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|
Second Base
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Faith Hoe
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Sophomore
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Weber State
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Third Base
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Brooke Brown
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Senior
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Southern Utah
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|
Shortstop
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Mady Young
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Senior
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Northern Colorado
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Outfield
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Marissa Bruno
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Senior
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Portland State
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Outfield
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Mia Rushton
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Freshman
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Weber State
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Outfield
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Chloe Camarero
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Junior
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Weber State
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Pitcher
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Mariah Ramirez
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Sophomore
|
Weber State
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|
Pitcher
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Erin Caviness
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Sophomore
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Northern Colorado
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Pitcher/Utility
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Amanda Sink
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Freshman
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Weber State
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|
Non-Pitcher/Utility
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Noelle Foster
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Freshman
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Weber State
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|
|
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2nd Team All-Conference
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|
Catcher
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Rachel Menlove
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Senior
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Portland State
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First Base
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Alondra Mejia
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Junior
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Sacramento State
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Second Base
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Natalie Joyner
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Senior
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Northern Colorado
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|
Third Base
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Kylie Becker
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Junior
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Montana
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|
Shortstop
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Maygen McGrath
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Junior
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Montana
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Outfield
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Josey White
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Sophomore
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Southern Utah
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Outfield
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Taylor Gunesch
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Senior
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Portland State
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|
Outfield
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Alyssa Wenzel
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Sophomore
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Northern Colorado
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|
Pitcher
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Marissa Bertuccio
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Sophomore
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Sacramento State
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|
Pitcher
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Kate Donaldson
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Junior
|
Weber State
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|
Pitcher/Utility
|
Anna Toon
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Freshman
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Montana
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|
Non-Pitcher/Utility
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Dani Young
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Junior
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Northern Colorado
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|
|
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Honorable Mention
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Catcher
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Amber Rodriguez
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Sophomore
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Sacramento State
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Catcher
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Emma Brockman
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Senior
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Northern Colorado
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|
First Base
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Frankie Tago
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Senior
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Idaho State
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|
First Base
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Emily Johansen
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Freshman
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Portland State
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|
First Base
|
Ashlyn Visser
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Senior
|
Weber State
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|
Second Base
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Maddie Thompson
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Freshman
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Portland State
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|
Third Base
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Lewa Day
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Sophomore
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Sacramento State
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|
Third Base
|
Emma Bordenkecher
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Graduate
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Idaho State
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|
Third Base
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Emily Ruhl
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Freshman
|
Weber State
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|
Shortstop
|
Olivia Dean
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Junior
|
Portland State
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|
Shortstop
|
Makayla Donahoo
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Freshman
|
Weber State
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|
Outfield
|
Katelyn Whiting
|
Sophomore
|
Weber State
|
|
Outfield
|
Jaxie Klucewich
|
Sophomore
|
Montana
|
|
Pitcher
|
Olivia Grey
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Freshman
|
Portland State
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|
Pitcher
|
Tristin Achenbach
|
Senior
|
Montana
|
|
Pitcher
|
Tyler Denhart
|
Freshman
|
Southern Utah
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|
Pitcher/Utility
|
Carley Morfey
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Junior
|
Sacramento State
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|
Non-Pitcher/Utility
|
Jessica McAlister
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Senior
|
Montana
|
|
Non-Pitcher/Utility
|
Mailee Newman
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Junior
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Idaho State
|
|
Non-Pitcher/Utility
|
Paetynn Lopez
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Freshman
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Portland State
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Individual Awards
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Player of the Year
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Lauren Hoe
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Weber State
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Pitcher of the Year
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Mariah Ramirez
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Weber State
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Freshman of the Year
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Mia Rushton
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Weber State
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Top Newcomer
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Brooke Brown
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Southern Utah
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Coach of the Year
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Mary Kay Amicone
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Weber State
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