Softball Secures All-NACC Honors
MEQUON, Wis. – The CUW softball team had the honors roll in on Monday morning when the Northern Athletics Colligate Conference (NACC) announced its all-conference teams and major awards. The Falcons claimed three of the four major awards and had four players land on an all-conference team.
Gina Followell was named the NACC Pitcher of the Year, Jess Pozezinski was the NACC Freshman of the Year and the Falcons also claimed the Coaching Staff of the Year.
A senior from Romeoville, Illinois, Gina Followell is claiming her third major NACC Award and her third appearance on the All-NACC First Team. Followell was the 2021 NACC North Division Pitcher of the Year and the 2019 NACC Newcomer of the Year. Followell has made 24 appearances in the circle for the Falcons, posting a 20-2 record in 139.0 innings pitched with 18 complete games, 243 strikeouts, and an NCAA Division III-leading 0.45 earned-run average. She currently leads all NACC pitchers in wins, strikeouts, and ERA. In 15 NACC appearances (12 starts), Followell posted a 12-1 mark with 10 complete games, 136 strikeouts, and a 0.63 ERA in 78 innings. Followell has struck out 10 or more batters in a game on 14 occasions this season, including a season-high 18 against Maryville (Tenn.) on March 17. She also struck out all 15 batters in a five-inning perfect game against Ripon on March 3.
A freshman from Lake Villa, Illinois, Jess Pozezinski is making her first appearance on the All-NACC team and is the second Falcon to claim the NACC Freshman of Year title. Pozezinski, a first baseman, has played in all 38 games for CUW heading into the NCAA tournament, posting a .426 batting average, a. 521 on-base percentage, and a .852 slugging percentage. She has 49 hits in 115 at-bats with 10 doubles, 13 home runs, 45 RBIs, 50 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases. Pozezinski leads all NACC players in home runs, runs scored, and walks drawn (23) while ranking second in RBIs, total bases (98), slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. Her 13 home runs currently rank fifth nationally. Pozezinski has had at least one hit in 33 of 38 games played with multiple hits coming on 14 occasions. She also scored multiple runs on 14 occasions - including four each in both games of a doubleheader against Wisconsin Lutheran - and had multiple RBIs 12 times. In 23 league games, Pozezinski hit .395 (30-of-76) with seven doubles, 10 home runs, 35 RBIs, eight stolen bases, and 38 runs scored.
A junior from Lockport, Illinois, Claudia Utz is making her second-straight appearance on the All-NACC First Team. Utz proved that she is one of the most dangerous batters in the conference in 2022. She led the NACC with 50 runs batted in and 10 hit by pitch. She also ranked fifth in doubles with 13 and seventh in home runs with six. The Illinois native finished with 16 multi-hit performances and blasted four hits in a game at Wisconsin Lutheran. She also had three home runs during the Benedictine series, including the game one winning blast.
A senior from Kaukauna, Wisconsin, Taylor Kuske earned honorable mention honors in 2022. Kuske finished the year with 33 hits, 27 runs, 23 RBI, five doubles and two home runs. She finished the year with 10 multi-hit performances and three three-hit performances.
Coaching Staff
The CUW softball coaching staff, led by Steve Crook was voted the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year. In his 23rd season, Crook has guided Concordia University Wisconsin to a program-record 34-4 record overall headed into the NCAA Division III Championship. The Falcons went 20-3 in league play to capture a third-straight NACC regular-season title (2019, 2021-2022) and won the postseason tournament for the second time. During the 2022 season, Concordia Wisconsin posted league-leading marks in runs scored (278), RBIs (255), batting average (.355), on-base percentage (.426), and slugging percentage (.502), while ranking second in home runs (26) and doubles (68). In the circle, Falcon pitchers also fashioned a NACC-best 1.40 earned-run average with 17 shutouts while limiting opponents to a .195 batting average. This is the fourth time that coach Crook and the staff with the Falcons took the title in 2002 and 2004 in the Lake Michigan Conference and in 2019 in the NACC.
Lexi Martin of Wisconsin Lutheran was voted the NACC Position Player of the Year.
For a complete list of selections click here.
