Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Assistant Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa — The Midwest Conference (MWC) has announced its 2021 softball all-conference and individual awards as voted on by the league’s head coaches. Due to this season’s divisional format, the league recognizes divisional First Teams, as well as divisional pitchers, players, and newcomers of the year.
 
Lawrence University senior outfielder Amanda Karnatz and Lake Forest College senior pitcher Maddie Webb headline the north division’s honors as Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. Lake Forest College junior transfer utility player Carlie Mertz earned the division’s Newcomer of the Year award.
 
Starting all 16 conference games for the Vikings, Karnatz led the league in batting average (.582), slugging % (.891), on-base % (.623), hits (32), and doubles (9).
 
Webb recorded 4 wins in league play pitching a 1.52 ERA, including one shutout and 20 strikeouts in 32.1 innings played.
 
In her first season with the Foresters, Mertz logged 16 RBIs batting .543 and slugging .848 with a .588 on-base % in conference. She also picked up three pitching wins posting a 1.52 ERA.
 
Lake Forest College head coach Joe Kinsella and his staff were selected as the North Division Coaching Staff of the Year. In his fifteenth season as head coach Kinsella led the Foresters to a 13-3 conference record (25-8 overall) and the division’s regular season title.
 
The Lady Blues of Illinois College picked up three of the south division’s individual awards. Senior third baseman Jessica Belzer was voted Player of the Year, while junior pitcher Sydney Hood was selected as Pitcher of the Year. Leading the team to a 13-1 south division record (25-12 overall), the regular-season title, and its first MWC Softball Championship, head coach Meghan Roman and the Illinois College staff were named South Division Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
Belzer hit .400 on 35 at bats in conference play, including a .429 slug % and .447 on-base %.
 
Hood pitched 4 shutouts and picked up 7 wins in league play, striking out 45 batters in 57.2 innings with a 1.58 ERA.
 
Freshman catcher from Grinnell College Lizzy Vermeulen was chosen as the south division’s Newcomer of the Year. Vermeulen hit .436 and slugged .590 in her first conference season, including .488 on-base % and 10 RBIs.
 
Awarded to the softball program deemed to be the most deserving based upon upholding the ideals of sportsmanship, Knox College is this year’s recipient of the Sportsmanship Award.
 
The full list of Softball All-Conference Teams honorees can be found below:
 
2021 Midwest Conference Softball All-Conference & Individual Awards
 
Sportsmanship Award: Knox College
 
All-North Team 
 
Player of the Year: Amanda Karnatz, Lawrence
Pitcher of the Year: Maddie Webb, Lake Forest
Newcomer of the Year: Carlie Mertz, Lake Forest 
Coaching Staff of the Year: Lake Forest College
 
P                      Ellie Olsen, Senior, St. Norbert
P                      Maddie Webb, Senior, Lake Forest
C                      Ceara Larson, Senior, Lawrence
1B                    Emily Stapay, Senior, Beloit
2B                    Shaye Gauthier, Senior, Lake Forest
SS                    Mikayla Jeneske, Sophomore, Lawrence
3B                    Kayla Bahr, Freshman, St. Norbert
OF                    Michaela Encarnacion, Junior, Ripon
OF                    Amanda Karnatz, Senior, Lawrence
OF                    Josie Klein, Junior, Lake Forest
DP                   Abby Primus, Junior, St. Norbert
UT                   Emilia Jackson, Senior, Lawrence
At-Large          Abby Gilbertson, Sophomore, Ripon (DP)
At-Large          Carlie Mertz, Junior, Lake Forest (UT)
At-Large          Maddie Moser, Sophomore, Beloit (UT)
 
All-South Team 
 
Player of the Year: Jessica Belzer, Illinois College
Pitcher of the Year: Sydney Hood, Illinois College
Newcomer of the Year: Lizzy Vermeulen, Grinnell
Coaching Staff of the Year: Illinois College
 
P                      Alissa Hodge, Junior, Illinois College
P                      Sydney Hood, Junior, Illinois College
C                      Lizzy Vermeulen, Freshman, Grinnell
1B                    Zoie Harvey, Sophomore, Cornell
2B                    Alexa Okada, Freshman, Grinnell
SS                    Amanda Ramirez, Sophomore, Grinnell
3B                    Jessica Belzer, Senior, Illinois College
OF                    Madisyn Webster, Junior, Illinois College
OF                    Emma Newton, Junior, Illinois College
OF                    Calista Warmowski, Sophomore, Monmouth
DP                   Samantha Chu, Freshman, Grinnell
UT                   Darice Wheeler, Senior, Cornell
At-Large          Claire Gugerty, Sophomore, Cornell (C)
At-Large          Jessica Pauley, Junior, Monmouth (C)
At-Large          Cailyn Wichman, Senior, Cornell (OF)