Frey and Bernal Top All-Conference Team

5/7/2025 11:47:38 AM

This year's SLIAC Softball All-Conference team is topped by Kenadee Frey and Melissa Bernal, with six different programs being represented in the individual award winners. 

Kenadee Frey was selected as the SLIAC Player of the Year after helping lead Blackburn College back to the postseason. The sophomore infielder hit .472 with 3 home runs and 15 runs batted during conference play. She finished with 25 hits and 17 runs scored, compiling a .548 on base percentage and a .736 slugging percentage. She is the first Beaver to win the award since Brianna Markel in 2012. 

The 2025 Pitcher of the Year is Greenville University's Melissa Bernal. The senior put together a dominating season, going 8-1 with a 0.86 earned-run average in her nine starts during conference play. She worked 57 innings, striking out 39, and scattering 34 hits. Bernal shut out three conference opponents and tossed six complete games. 

This year there are Co-Freshman of the Year award winners in Paige Cruzan and Brooklyn Rhodes. 

Cruzan, a utility player, batted .362 in conference play with two doubles, two home runs, and a triple. She finished with 10 runs scored and drove in eight while swiping seven bases. She is the first player from Westminster to win the award since 2018.

Rhodes becomes the first individual from MUW to win a major conference award in softball. A multi-dimensional player, Rhodes hit .383 with two home runs and 13 runs batted in at the plate and recorded a 5-2 record with a 2.12 earned-run average in the circle. 

Winning the SLIAC Coach of the Year for the second time in his career is Art Williams. Williams led Spalding University to a co-regular season title, going 16-2 in conference play and earning the top seed in this year's conference tournament. 

This year's Team Sportsmanship award goes to Principia College. 

First Team
P - Melissa Bernal, Greenville
P - Shelby Koenig, Blackburn
P - Sydney Schott, Spalding
C - Grace Paez, Fontbonne
INF - Paige Cruzan, Westminster
INF - MK Duffield, Lyon
INF - Kenadee Frey, Blackburn
INF - Riley Wilkins, Spalding
OF - Madi Case, Greenville
OF - Grayce Marcum, Spalding
OF - Sophie Varela, Lyon
UT - Sarah Salas, Greenville
AL (C) - Caroline Gibson, Blackburn
AL (C) - Ashlyn Voyles, Eureka

Second Team
P - Brooklyn Rhodes, MUW
C - Natalee Moore, Greenville
C - Emilee Slade, MUW
INF - Josie Grunloh, Greenville
INF - Morgan Gambrell, Spalding
INF - Chloe McClain, MUW
INF - Alayla Thornton, Eureka
OF - Kassidy Chrisco, Fontbonne
OF - Alyssa Lyell, Webster
OF - Carsyn Sidebottom, Spalding
UT - Madison Loechle, Spalding

Third Team
P - Samantha Foppe, Fontbonne
P - Kennadi Schleicher-Drasler, Spalding
INF - Ashlyn Colvis, Greenville
INF - Emma Eaton, Spalding
INF - Allysa Ibarra, Fontbonne
INF - Dawn Wilson, Spalding
OF - Kaitlyn Bearley, MUW
OF - Taylor Engelmeyer, Westminster
OF - Kendall Weber, Westminster
UT - Madi Stichling, Webster
AL (P) - Phallyn Clark, MUW 
AL (P) - Adriana Rodriguez, Webster

All-Sportsmanship Team
Sierra Hiser, Blackburn College
Claire Schaffner, Eureka College
Karmen Daniels, Fontbonne University
Kelsey Martlage, Greenville University
Anna Voth, Lyon College
Brooklyn Wood, MUW
Dana Galinis, Principia College
Allison Nell, Spalding University
Cheyenne Dickens, Webster University
Audrey Johnston, Westminster College