Trio of Badgers Named to NFCA All-Region
May 18, 2023 | Softball
Keller, Konwent, and Schwartz earn NFCA honors
MADISON, Wis. – A trio of Badger student-athletes from the Wisconsin softball team, Katie Keller, Kayla Konwent, and Maddie Schwartz, were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Great Lakes All-Region team, Thursday afternoon.
This marks the fourth time that Katie Keller has been named to the NFCA All-Region Team. The 2023 First Team All-Region honoree also earned the first team accolade in 2019, 2021, and second team honors in 2022. The Illinois native certainly made her name known in the Big Ten finishing the season with a .381 overall batting average (5th in the B1G), 53 hits, and 15 doubles (1st). She also had a .633 slugging percentage and .452 on-base percentage, combining for the seventh-best OPS in the Big Ten. The First Team All-Big Ten honoree slugged 15 doubles on the season, placing her in sole possession of second all-time on the NCAA list for most career doubles (85).
Graduate Kayla Konwent was also named to the First Team All-Region list for the third time in her career. The 2019 Big Ten Player of the Year was second on the team with a .377 batting average with 46 hits, nine doubles, 37 walks, and 10 home runs. She led the team with 33 RBI and combined for a team leading (3rd in the B1G) 1.244 OPS. Konwent finished her career with a program-best 43 home runs and a career .392 batting average.
Pitcher Maddie Schwartz is also no stranger to the NFCA All-Region squad as the Minnesota native has now earned Second Team honors in back-to-back years. The First Team All-Big Ten honoree tallied three complete game shutouts, including the program's 11th no-hitter (vs Purdue), and finished with the third-best ERA (1.81) in the Big Ten. In 139.1 innings pitched, Schwartz finished with 74 strikeouts and just 24 walks.
The NFCA All-Region awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first, second and third-team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region nominated student-athletes) and voted for the teams. All awarded student-athletes now become eligible for the 2023 NFCA Division I All-America squads.
This marks the fourth time that Katie Keller has been named to the NFCA All-Region Team. The 2023 First Team All-Region honoree also earned the first team accolade in 2019, 2021, and second team honors in 2022. The Illinois native certainly made her name known in the Big Ten finishing the season with a .381 overall batting average (5th in the B1G), 53 hits, and 15 doubles (1st). She also had a .633 slugging percentage and .452 on-base percentage, combining for the seventh-best OPS in the Big Ten. The First Team All-Big Ten honoree slugged 15 doubles on the season, placing her in sole possession of second all-time on the NCAA list for most career doubles (85).
Graduate Kayla Konwent was also named to the First Team All-Region list for the third time in her career. The 2019 Big Ten Player of the Year was second on the team with a .377 batting average with 46 hits, nine doubles, 37 walks, and 10 home runs. She led the team with 33 RBI and combined for a team leading (3rd in the B1G) 1.244 OPS. Konwent finished her career with a program-best 43 home runs and a career .392 batting average.
Pitcher Maddie Schwartz is also no stranger to the NFCA All-Region squad as the Minnesota native has now earned Second Team honors in back-to-back years. The First Team All-Big Ten honoree tallied three complete game shutouts, including the program's 11th no-hitter (vs Purdue), and finished with the third-best ERA (1.81) in the Big Ten. In 139.1 innings pitched, Schwartz finished with 74 strikeouts and just 24 walks.
The NFCA All-Region awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first, second and third-team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region nominated student-athletes) and voted for the teams. All awarded student-athletes now become eligible for the 2023 NFCA Division I All-America squads.
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