May 4, 2023

PHOTO GALLERY

DICKINSON, N.D. – The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) announced its 2023 Softball All-Conference Teams, Gold Glove team and postseason awards Thursday evening on the eve of the postseason tournament.  The awards recognition was held at the Biesiot Activities Center on the campus of Dickinson State (N.D.)

The NSAA Softball All-Conference Teams, Gold Glove Team and postseason awards were voted by the league coaches.  The 2023 NSAA All-Conference Teams consists of 31 recipients, 20 athletes on the first team and 11 athletes on the second team.  The Champions of Character recipients are also announced. 

Bellevue (Neb.) landed six recipients on the All-Conference Teams, all recipients on the First Team.  Valley City State (N.D.) has a total of nine individuals on the All-Conference teams, four recipients on the First Team All-Conference.

The North Star also announced its 9-member Gold Glove team for displaying their outstanding defensive performance.

In NSAA postseason awards, Lauren Jurek of Bellevue was selected as Pitcher-of-the-Year while her teammate was chosen as the league’s Player-of-the-Year.  Maddy Zander of VCSU ws selected as the Newcomer-of-the-Year.  Erin Skinner of Presentation was named to the NSAA Softball Coach-of-the-Year.

The 2023 NSAA Softball Postseason Tournament begins with three opening round games on Friday, starting at 1:30 p.m. (Central Time)/12:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) with Viterbo (Wis.) taking on Dakota State (S.D.).  Mayville State (N.D.) takes on Valley City State at 4 p.m. (CT)/3 p.m. (MT) and wraps up with the host-team Dickinson State (N.D.) facing Waldorf (Iowa) at 6:30 p.m. (CT)/5:30 p.m. (MT).

The double-elimination tournament format continues through Monday with the championship game.  The conference tournament is being held at newly Bravera Field in Dickinson.

Below are the complete listings of all All-Conference Teams selections, postseason awards and Gold Glove Team: 
 
2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball All-Conference First Team

 

Position	First Name, Last Name	Year	School	Hometown
P	Lauren Jurek	Senior	Bellevue (Neb.)	Bellevue, Neb.
P	Savannah Gunn	Junior	Bellevue (Neb.)	Forney, Texas
P	Maddy Zander	Sophomore	Valley City State (N.D.)	Bismarck, N.D.
C	Michelle Evdos	Sophomore	Dakota State (S.D.)	Parker, Colo.
C	Morgan James	Senior	Viterbo (Wis.)	Mineral Point, Wis.
INF	Reese Floro	Sophomore	Bellevue (Neb.)	Plattsmouth, Neb.
INF	Mackenzie Sims	Junior	Dakota State (S.D.)	Santee, Calif.
INF	Liana McMurtry	Sophomore	Bellevue (Neb.)	Bellevue, Neb.`
INF	Marissa Carter-Olson	Freshman	Viterbo (Wis.)	Oshkosh, Wis.
INF	Cassy Loa	Junior	Presentation (S.D.)	San Diego, Calif.
OF	Rhea Paiva	Senior	Dickinson State (N.D.)	Las Vegas, Nev.
OF	Riley Perryman	Senior	Valley City State (N.D.)	Cottage Grove, Minn.
OF	Sami Reding	Senior	Mayville State (N.D.)	Escalon, Calif.
OF	Ashlynne Copinga	Junior	Valley City State (N.D.)	Billings, Mont.
DP	Ashley Young	Senior	Bellevue (Neb.)	Los Lunas, N.M.
UTIL	Ari Martinez	Sophomore	Dickinson State (N.D.)	Arleta, Calif.
At-Large	Katie Cunningham	Sophomore	Bellevue (Neb.)	Bellevue, Neb.
At-Large	Dallis Mitchell	Junior	Dickinson State 9N.D.)	Phoenix, Ariz.
At-Large	Carrington Entringer	Senior	Dakota State (S.D.)	Dell Rapids, S.D.
At-Large	Sierra Crocker	Senior	Valley City State (N.D.)	Napa, Calif.

2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball All-Conference Second Team

 

Position	First Name, Last Name	Year	School	Hometown
At-Large	Sarah Shevenell	Junior	Presentation (S.D.)	Madera, Calif.
At-Large	Hannah McFarland	Freshman	Dakota State (S.D.)	Lawtey, Fla.
At-Large	Ashlyn Diemert	Sophomore	Valley City State (N.D.)	West Fargo, N.D.
At-Large	Joelle Lamontagne	Senior	Valley City State (N.D.)	Oxbow, Sask., Canada
At-Large	Alyssa DePoorter	Sophomore	Valley City State (N.D.)	Casper, Wyo.
At-Large	Hailey Enriquez	Senior	Dickinson State (N.D.)	Sparks, Nev.
At-Large	Marissa Hawkins	Senior	Valley City State (N.D.)	St. Paul, Minn.
At-Large	Andrea Rodriguez	Junior	Valley City State (N.D.)	Austin, Texas
At-Large	Brooke Hickey	Sophomore	Waldorf (Iowa)	Adel, Iowa
At-Large	Rosie Philop	Senior	Dakota State (S.D.)	Fort Collins, Colo.
At-Large	Sam Shumway	Junior	Mayville State (N.D.)	Franklin, Idaho

2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball Postseason Awards
Pitcher-of-the-Year:  Lauren Jurek – Bellevue (Neb.)
Player-of-the-Year:  Reese Floro – Bellevue (Neb.)
Newcomer-of-the-Year:  Maddy Zander – Valley City State (N.D.)
Coach-of-the-Year:  Erin Skinner – Presentation (S.D.)

2023 North Star Athletic Association Champions of Character recipients
Bellevue (Neb.):  Lexi Blankenfeld
Dakota State (S.D.):  Rosie Philop
Dickinson State (N.D.):  Arjana Eilers
Mayville State (N.D.):  Mackenzie Iverson
Presentation (S.D.):  Victoria Vau
Valley City State (N.D.):  Ashlynne Copinga
Viterbo (Wis):  Courtney Denton
Waldorf (Iowa):  Janessa Weston
  
2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball Gold Glove Team:

 

Position	First Name, Last Name	Year	School	Hometown
C	Kaitlyn Rizo	Junior	Dickinson State (N.D.)	Elko, Nev.
1B	Reese Floro	Sophomore	Bellevue (Neb.)	Plattsmouth, Neb.
2B	Andrea Rodriguez	Junior	Valley City State (N.D.)	Austin, Texas
3B	Madison Machacek	Junior	Bellevue (Neb.)	Bellevue, Neb.
SS	Brooke Roeges	Senior	Mayville State (N.D.)	Baldur, Manitoba, Canada
OF	Sami Reding	Sophomore	Bellevue (Neb.)	Papillion, Neb.
OF	Rhea Pavia	Senior	Dickinson State (N.D.)	Las Vegas, Nev.
OF	Mackenzie Hughes	Sophomore	Mayville State (N.D.)	Thompson, N.D.
P	Savannah Gunn	Junior	Bellevue (Neb.)	Forney, Texas

 

	2023 NSAA Softball All-Conference First Team
	2023 NSAA Softball All-Conference Second Team
	2023 NSAA Softball Postseason Awards
	2023 NSAA Softball Gold Glove
	2023 NSAA Softball Champions of Character

Nick Huntimer, North Star Athletic Association Sports information Director