INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – On Tuesday morning, the Horizon League office announced the #HLSB All-League Awards. Several Green Bay individuals were honored with multiple awards.
Tiffany Giese was tabbed the Horizon League Player of the Year and All-League First Team, Paige Hanson collected Freshman of the Year, All-League First Team, and All-Freshman Team honors, and Randi McKay and Jadin Justman were honored with All-League Second Team accolades.
After breaking a half-dozen records in the last two seasons, Giese solidified herself as the best leadoff hitter in the conference, posting an impressive .338 batting average while swiping 25 stolen bases, tying her single-season mark. She paced the team in walks (28) and was one of four GB players to appear in all 50 games alongside Justman, Sam Saloun, and McKay. The Huntley, Ill., native was especially lethal against Horizon League opponents, batting a scorching .452 with a .551 on-base percentage and 1.003 OPS. Giese makes it two years in a row that the Phoenix has won the Player of the Year award after Alicia Peters was named the first POTY in program history last season.
Hanson, a Cottage Grove, Wisconsin native, proved to be a threat in the middle of Green Bay's lineup from day one, finishing the regular season third on the team in batting average (.305) and RBIs (19). The versatile infielder had an .815 OPS, the second-highest on the squad, and reached base at a .388 clip. The freshman third baseman was also strong against HL competition, finishing with a .390 conference batting average and a team-high 1.032 OPS. Hanson is the fourth Phoenix to make the All-Freshman team since 2021 and first ever conference Freshman of the Year.
McKay, one of four Phoenix in their final season, garners her first career All-League accolade this season. A mainstay in the lineup, she has hit .310 through 71 conference at-bats and tallied 10 RBIs. McKay has racked up 41 total bases, best for the fourth-most on the team.
Justman, named a top-20 second baseman to watch in the nation by Extra Innings Softball during the preseason, garners her third career All-League award. She was tabbed to the All-Freshman Team in 2021 and All-League First Team in 2022. Her 15 doubles led the team (she was the only GB player with 10 or more doubles), and last weekend against Detroit Mercy, she became the program leader in doubles with her 35th career two-bagger. Justman blasted two home runs, tied for the second-most on the team with Hanson, and her 29 RBIs were also the second-highest on the squad.
The 2023 Horizon League Softball Championships will begin tomorrow in Green Bay at King Park. GB was named the host site after the Phoenix swept a doubleheader last Saturday against Detroit Mercy. All games will be streamed on ESPN+. Follow every pitch in real-time with live stats.
Below is the complete list of this year's honorees.
2023 #HLSB Awards
Player of the Year: Tiffany Giese, Green Bay
Pitcher of the Year: Sydney Campbell, Oakland
Defensive Player of the Year: Maddie Lacer, Northern Kentucky
Freshman of the Year: Paige Hanson, Green Bay
Coaches of the Year: Kathryn Gleason (Northern Kentucky) & Lauren Karn (Oakland)
All-League First Team
Position Players
Jenna Deang, Cleveland State
Becky Hurosky, Cleveland State
Tiffany Giese, Green Bay
Paige Hanson, Green Bay
Jaida Speth, IUPUI
Maddie Lacer, Northern Kentucky
Ella LeMonier, Northern Kentucky
Maci Brown, Oakland
Reese Ruhlman, Oakland
Taryn Jenkins, Purdue Fort Wayne
Sara Fessler, Youngstown State
Pitchers
Lauryn Hicks, Northern Kentucky
Sydney Campbell, Oakland
Dana Vatakis, RMU
All-League Second Team
Position Players
Jadin Justman, Green Bay
Randi McKay, Green Bay
Kendal Calvert, IUPUI
Kayla Freiberg, IUPUI
Jordan Jenkins, IUPUI
Jena Rhoads, Northern Kentucky
Jen Krizka, Oakland
Tori Countryman, Purdue Fort Wayne
Bailey Manos, Purdue Fort Wayne
Sonia Solis, Purdue Fort Wayne
Elyssa Imler, Youngstown State
Pitchers
Melissa Holzopfel, Cleveland State
Madison Bryant, IUPUI
Sophie Howell, Youngstown State
All-Freshman Team
Alison Donaugh, Detroit Mercy
Jenna Holt, Detroit Mercy
Paige Hanson, Green Bay
Kennedy Cowan, IUPUI
Brielle DiMemmo, Northern Kentucky
Jena Rhoads, Northern Kentucky
Tori Countryman, Purdue Fort Wayne
Grace Hollopeter, Purdue Fort Wayne
Alanah Jones, Purdue Fort Wayne
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