Softball Post Season Honors

[1972Shocker]

American Tabs Barnard Player of the Year, Highlighting Regular Season Awards

https://goshockers.com/news/2022/5/1...on-awards.aspx

5 Shockers are All-AAC First Team selections. In addition to Addison Barnard, Sydney McKInney, Neleigh Herring, Lauren Lucas and Lauren Mills received first team honors.

Erin McDonald, Zoe Jones and Jessica Garcia received All-AAC Second Team honors and Alison Cooper is in the All-Rookie team.

Congratulations to all. Well deserved recognition.

Barnard is the third Shocker to earn American Player of the Year honors, joining McKinney (2021) and Mackenzie Wright (2018). She also became a two-time First Team All-Conference selection.

McKinney joins a select group of Shockers to earn three First Team All-Conference selections. Only five other players in school history have been selected to the first team three times.

Neleigh Herring makes it two straight seasons on the First Team.

And oh my, what a breakout sophomore season for Lauren Lucas.

[1972Shocker]

Barnard Named to CoSIDA Academic All-District Team

https://goshockers.com/news/2022/5/12/softball-barnard-named-to-cosida-academic-all-district-team.aspx

Sophomore Addison Barnard added another honor to her decorated season Thursday with the announcement of being named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team.

This is the first CoSIDA academic honor for Barnard, becoming the first Shocker to earn All-District honors since Madison Perrigan in 2020. The 2022 American Player of the Year is majoring in health science and has a 3.73 cumulative GPA.

[flyingMoose]

I find it strange that Addison is Conference MVP but is not unanimous First Team All-Conference. Sydney *is* unanimous First Team, however.

Maybe I lost something in the translation from voting to the website.

[SubGod22]

I find it strange that Addison is Conference MVP but is not unanimous First Team All-Conference. Sydney *is* unanimous First Team, however.

Maybe I lost something in the translation from voting to the website.

That's been pointed out on Twitter as well. It is odd.

[1972Shocker]

That's been pointed out on Twitter as well. It is odd.

I suspect that Addison and Sydney may very well have split the vote somewhat on the Player of the Year honor. But Addie not being a unanimous 1st team selection almost reeks of vindictiveness or maybe just plain stupidity.

[1972Shocker]

School Record Five Shockers Earn NFCA All-Region Honors

https://goshockers.com/news/2022/5/1...on-honors.aspx

Wichita State softball placed a school-record five student-athletes on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-Central Region Team.

Senior Neleigh Herring and sophomore Addison Barnard earned All-Central Region First Team honors, while Sydney McKinney was named to the Second Team. Zoe Jones and Lauren Lucas both picked up Third Team recognition.

Sydney McKinney on the Second Team! Are you kidding me? The NCAA leader in batting average and hits (in a below average number of games)?

Anyway, Congratulations Ladies.

[SubGod22]

According to Shocker Softball on FB, Addie is the first to ever have 30+ HRs and 25+ SBs in a single season.

[Kel Varnsen]

For those who criticize HCKB and the team (not many, but there are a few), I'm always intrigued to see that. Our softball program has gone from being completely irrelevant to fostering some of the nation's best players.

And from personal experience, HCKB is a quality human being and truly cares about the ladies she coaches. The culture she has created has cultivated excellence, and it's hard as hell to recruit softball players to WSU, for many reasons. But she gets it done.

[SubGod22]

For those who criticize HCKB and the team (not many, but there are a few), I'm always intrigued to see that. Our softball program has gone from being completely irrelevant to fostering some of the nation's best players.

And from personal experience, HCKB is a quality human being and truly cares about the ladies she coaches. The culture she has created has cultivated excellence, and it's hard as hell to recruit softball players to WSU, for many reasons. But she gets it done.

I've not noticed anyone criticize her, outside of the need for better pitching. Which recruiting top pitching is easier said than done. However, the former lady who ran the softball organization that my nieces have played for played for KB at ESU. I had questions about hiring a D2 coach, no matter how successful she was, but the way Megan talked about her and everything I've seen validates it. We have the right person leading this program.

We have a fun team. We have entertaining young women who are easy to support. They're successful both on the field and in the classroom. They're amazing role models for our young girls.

The program is going to remain at a high level with KB running things. Hopefully we can find those missing pieces to elevate us to that next level.

[1972Shocker]

RH: Shockers Could Lead Three NCAA Categories

https://goshockers.com/news/2022/5/2...ategories.aspx

A look through the Wichita State softball record book is a reminder of how the sport has changed from a pitcher-dominant game to one where offenses can thrive. (The game changers were moving the pitchers back from 40' to 43' in 1988 then changed to a more lively ball in 1993 which were yellow with raised red seams to aid hitters. But the harder core was was big difference. See comments below.)

The 1989 Shockers threw 63 complete games in a 66-game season, 38 of them by Patty Bautista. The 1983 Shockers hit one home run, as did teams in 1986, 1987 and 1994.

Shortstop Sydney McKinney, leading the nation with a .522 batting average, and right fielder Addison Barnard, leading the nation with 33 home runs and 84 runs batted in, are a big part, but not the only part, of the story.

The Shockers set team and individual marks with a deep lineup that benefited from, enhanced and protected McKinney and Barnard at the top of the order. School marks for batting average (.348), slugging percentage (.667), on-base percentage (.437), runs (415), runs batted in (387) and home runs (121) belong to the 2022 team (in 52 games)

The 2021 Shockers briefly owned slugging (.592), runs (374), RBI (353) and home runs (103 in 55 games). The 103 homers hit last season topped the previous mark of 59 set in 2018.

Should McKinney and Barnard hold on to their top spots in the season statistics, they would become the first Shockers to lead the nation in an individual stat since Sue Luttrell hit nine triples in 1982.

---

Check the statistics. Most significant NCAA pitching records were set before 1993; most significant offensive records have been set since 1993.

UCLA's Debbie Doom forged a 102-innings scoreless streak in 1984. No one has approached that since. It's likely no one ever will. BTW, what a great name for a dominant pitcher.

But it's hard to find anyone - other than a pitcher, perhaps - who really misses that era. Certainly not the fans.

In 1988, two players hit nine home runs to share the national lead.

In 1989, Louisiana Tech led the nation with 18 home runs.

It's probably no coincidence that much of college softball's rise in popularity has come in the last 15 years.

[WstateU]

[WstateU]

[WstateU]

[SubGod22]

The best hitter and best power hitter, only second team.

Guess they have more to prove still!

[SubGod22]

Softball America gives Addie first team honors and Syd second team.