The Southern Illinois University softball team had five student-athletes earn all-conference honors as the Missouri Valley Conference announced its annual awards on Wednesday.
Second baseman Maddy Vermejan was named to the All-MVC First Team, while redshirt senior catcher Katelyn Massa, senior outfielder Maris Boelens, freshman outfielder Bailey Caylor and sophomore pitcher Sarah Harness were selected to the Second Team.
Vermejan earned the fourth All-MVC honor of her career, and her third-straight turn on the All-MVC First Team, after a super senior season in which finished top-3 in the MVC in walks (1st; 36), hit by pitches (1st; 27), runs scored (2nd; 50), stolen bases (2nd; 26) and on-base percentage (3rd; .540). The Lemont, Ill. native slashed .309/.496/.540 with six doubles, a triple and five home runs while also setting single-season school records in both stolen bases and on-base percentage.
Massa totaled two awards Wednesday. In addition to being named to the All-MVC Second Team, the Wildwood, Mo. native was also honored on the MVC All-Defensive Team for the second time in her career. The super senior hit .256 with a .417 on-base percentage and tallied two doubles, six home runs and 28 RBIs. Defensively, Massa posted a perfect 1.000% fielding percentage and threw out six runners attempting to steal.
Boelens earned her first career all-conference honor after she claimed a spot on the All-MVC Second Team. The Aledo, Ill. native finished 11th in the MVC in hits (43) and tied for the team-lead with 14 multi-hit games. The senior outfielder hit .314 on the year and was even better in conference play, as she hit a team-best .333. She played in 46 games and tallied three doubles, a triple and 12 RBIs.
Caylor was named to the All-MVC Second Team for the first time in her young career. The freshman from Tipton, Ind. led all Valley freshmen in batting average (.333) and hits (43). She tallied 13 multi-hit games and notched at least one hit in 30 of the 47 games she appeared in. She also scored 21 runs and drove in 11.
Harness had a tremendous season in the circle for the Salukis to earn her first career All-MVC honor. The Bowling Green, Mo. native finished the regular season ranked in the top-3 of the MVC in wins (2nd; 19), ERA (2nd; 1.72), walks allowed per seven innings (3rd; 1.48) and strikeouts (3rd; 181). A five-time MVC Pitcher of the Week selection, Harness went 19-6 with a 1.72 ERA in 167.1 innings of work. She threw 18 complete games, which included three shutouts and held opponents to a .220 batting average.
The Salukis have now had at least five earn all-conference honors in five-straight seasons.
Southern is back in action Thursday at the 2021 MVC Tournament, hosted by Evansville. The Salukis will await the results of Wednesday’s and Thursday’s early game before knowing their opponent for Thursday evening’s tilt.
