CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The 2021 All-American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Softball Team as voted by the league's head coaches:
| 2021 All-American Rivers Conference Softball Team |
Position Player of the Year – Kaci Sherwood, Wartburg |
Pitcher of the Year – Ellie Thurow, Coe |
  
Coaching Staff of the Year
Coe College
Head Coach - Diane Meyer |
| First Team |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| *Ashtyn Miller |
Buena Vista |
Jr. |
UTL |
Council Bluffs, Iowa/Lewis Central |
| Franie Burnett |
Central |
Fr. |
OF |
Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial |
| Skyler Stookey |
Coe |
So. |
C |
Solon, Iowa/Solon |
| Megan Weber % |
Coe |
Sr. |
DP |
Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy |
| Ellie Thurow |
Coe |
So. |
P |
Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock North |
| Elsa Skeie |
Luther |
Sr. |
2B |
Olivia, Minn./Bold |
| *Sydney Schultz |
Luther |
So. |
3B |
Raymond, Iowa/Columbus Catholic |
| *Kailey Meyer % & |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
Jr. |
P |
Omaha, Neb./Omaha Central |
| Megan Crockett & |
Simpson |
Sr. |
OF |
Bryant, Iowa/Northeast Goose Lake |
| Randie Richmond |
Simpson |
Jr. |
UTL |
Blakesburg, Iowa/Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont |
| Kaci Sherwood |
Wartburg |
Sr. |
1B |
Milo, Iowa/Martensdale St. Mary's |
| Lauren Frerichs |
Wartburg |
So. |
OF |
New Hampton, Iowa/New Hampton |
| Ashley Nelson |
Wartburg |
Fr. |
P |
DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb |
| Sydney Illg & |
Wartburg |
Jr. |
SS |
Grimes, Iowa/Johnston |
| Leah Campos @ |
Wartburg |
Sr. |
3B |
Diamond, Ill./Coal City |
| Second Team |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Daria Parchert ^ & |
Central |
Jr. |
SS |
Illinois City, Ill./Rockridge |
| *Megan Stuhr |
Central |
Fr. |
1B |
Sigourney, Iowa/Sigourney |
| Madi Parson |
Coe |
So. |
1B |
Clinton, Iowa/Camanche |
| Kelsey Hora @ |
Coe |
Sr. |
OF |
Ainsworth, Iowa/Highland |
| Hannah Ausenhus |
Coe |
So. |
P |
Hanlontown, Iowa/Central Springs |
| Shaylee Dodd |
Coe |
So. |
3B |
Belle Plaine, Iowa/Belle Plaine |
| *Jessica Bulanda |
Loras |
So. |
1B |
Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East |
| Abby Spore |
Luther |
Fr. |
C |
Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy |
| Kendra Cooper |
Luther |
Jr. |
P |
Lansing, Iowa/Kee |
| Sam Thompson* |
Luther |
So. |
P |
West Salem, Wis./West Salem |
| Camrey Leo |
Simpson |
Sr. |
OF |
Altoona, Iowa/Southeast Polk |
| Rachel Trader |
Dubuque |
Jr. |
DP |
Morris, Ill./Morris |
| Emily Bloomer |
Dubuque |
Jr. |
OF |
Burlington, Iowa/Burlington |
| Olivia Brecht |
Wartburg |
Jr. |
2B |
Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Center Point-Urbana |
| Tarah Wehde |
Wartburg |
Fr. |
UTL |
Clinton, Iowa/Camanche |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Carlee Guyett % |
Buena Vista |
Jr. |
C |
Omaha, Neb./Westside |
| Michaela Mason |
Buena Vista |
Sr. |
OF |
Omaha, Neb./Millard West |
| Sydni Huisman |
Central |
So. |
P |
Treynor, Iowa/Treynor |
| Ruby Kappeler |
Coe |
So. |
OF |
Muscatine, Iowa/Durant |
| Emma Alfieri |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
So. |
3B |
Omaha, Neb./Millard South |
| Alycin Braun |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
Sr. |
UTL |
Columbus, Neb./Columbus |
| Karlie Hill |
Simpson |
Fr. |
1B |
Ames, Iowa/Ames |
| Previous Honors |
| * At-Large Selection |
| & - 2019 First Team All-Conference |
| @ - 2019 Second Team All-Conference |
| % - 2018 First Team All-Conference |
| ^ - 2018 Second Team All-Conference |
| $ - 2018 Honorable Mention |
| ~ - 2018 Position Player of the Year |
The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced today its major softball awards and the 37-member All-Conference team for the 2021 season. For the third-consecutive time, Coe College has had the Pitcher of the Year, as sophomore
Ellie Thurow (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock North) has been named the 2021 A-R-C Pitcher of the Year honors. Wartburg's
Kaci Sherwood (Sr., Milo, Iowa/Martensdale St. Mary's) earned A-R-C Most Valuable Player honors. The Coe College Coaching Staff was awarded American Rivers Conference Softball Coaching Staff of the Year after winning the regular season title and earning the league's Automatic Qualifying bid to the NCAA tournament. The Kohawks are led by head Coach
Diane Meyer, and she is assisted by
Jake Koolbeck,
Alyssa Olson, and
Madison LeClere.
Thurow continues the recent tradition of dominant Kohawk pitching as she joins assistant coach Olson as a Conference Pitcher of the Year honoree. She becomes the fifth Kohawk Pitcher of the Year winner, joining
Ellie Schultz (2007),
Ashlee Simon (2011),
Madison Woodruff (2013), and Olson (2018, 2019). Thurow led the A-R-C with 10 wins to her name this season, starting 12 games in the circle and pitching seven complete games. The sophomore maintained a 3.13 ERA in conference play this season which sat sixth in the conference, throwing 78.1 innings in the circle for the Kohawks. Sitting third-best in strikeouts with 73, with 19 of them being strike outs looking.
Meanwhile, Meyer is collecting her second-career Coach of the Year honor at the helm of the Kohawk softball program. Her first was for the 2018 season. Minus the 2020 season that was canceled, Meyer has led Coe to four-straight NCAA Division III Regional appearances. In both 2017 amd 2018, the Kohawks were Regional Finalists. Meyer and her staff led Coe to a 24-13 overall record in 2021 and an 18-6 conference mark, winning the program's first conference title since 2018.
Sherwood of Wartburg becomes the second Most Valuable Player in program history, joining
Jackie Sorensen who won it for the 2006 season. The Milo, Iowa native led the A-R-C in home runs (10), slugging percentage (.910), and on-base percentage (.512). She sat tied for fourth in batting average in league play, eclipsing the .400 mark in the 24 A-R-C contests (.403). In the 24 conference games this season, Sherwood broke the individual A-R-C season record for home runs with 10, while also breaking the single-season record for RBIs with 29. Thanks to her performance at the plate, Wartburg led the league in home runs as a team (35). She helped guide Wartburg to a 26-10 overall record and a second -place finish in the conference (17-7), while being ranked as high as 14th nationally by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
Joining Thurow as First Team All-Conference performers for the Kohawks include
Skyler Stookey (So., Solon, Iowa/Solon) and
Megan Weber (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy). Stookey batted a solid .405 in league play this season, guiding the Kohawks from behind the plate. Belting six home runs, driving in 28 runs, the sophomore was a major reason the Kohawks took the regular season crown this season. The catcher also had a league-leading six RBIs in the conference championship series against Wartburg on May 7. Designated player, Weber collected 26 hits this season, carrying a .317 in A-R-C action. Finding herself top-10 in the conference in doubles (7), the pop in her bat, along with her five home runs, drove in 22 Kohawk runs.
Sherwood is joined by four Knight teammates, as Wartburg had a league-leading five First Team All-Conference performers this season.
Leah Campos (Sr., Diamond, Ill./Coal City) tied the A-R-C single season record for triples with four in league play, joining eight other past softball players to achieve this feat, most recently in 2006. Not only did she have speed but provided some pop in the Wartburg line-up with two home runs and 22 RBIs, while holding a .579 slugging percentage.
Lauren Frerichs (So., New Hampton, Iowa/New Hampton) sat tied atop the league in runs scored (24), while boasting a team-leading 28 hits in conference play. Of her 24 hits, nine were two baggers, which sat second in the league. In a power-heavy Wartburg line-up, the sophomore was third on the team with four home runs, while driving in 23 runs. Overall, in league competition, Frerichs had an even .400 batting average for the Knights.
Junior
Sydney Illg (Grimes, Iowa/Johnston) sat tied with fellow teammate First Team performer Frerichs with 24 runs scored, as the Knights high powered offense this season score a league-high 185 runs this season, forty more than second. She also led the league in free passes by way of hit-by-pitch, being plunked 12 times. Once she was on base, she was an immediate threat to defenses. She was a prefect 17-17 in stolen bases in league play, leading the league in both attempts and stolen bases. Representing Wartburg in the circle,
Ashley Nelson (Fr., DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) had a conference second-best 2.41 ERA in her 58.0 innings pitched in league play. Garnering a 9-2 record in her 11 starts, the freshman tossed four complete games, including two shut outs. The DeKalb, Ill. native also tallied 21 strikeouts.
Buena Vista was represented by an at-large First Team All-Conference selection in
Ashtyn Miller (Jr., Council Bluffs, Iowa/Lewis Central) who had a team-leading six doubles in conference play. She carried a .282 batting average, collecting 20 hits and scoring 12 runs for the Beavers, guiding them to a Pod championship appearance in the conference tournament.
The Central Dutch had one First Team All-Conference representative, freshman
Franie Burnett (Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial). The outfielder was tied for first in the conference with a .418 batting average in the Dutch's 24 conference games. She picked up 28 hits in her 67 at-bats this season, to go along with four doubles and two third base and home runs. She also had a team-leading 12 walks in conference play.
This year's A-R-C Tournament champions, the Luther Norse saw two First Team All-Conference performers. Senior second baseman
Elsa Skeie (Olivia, Minn./Bold), who sat tied for third in the A-R-C with six home runs. The Minnesota native totaled 23 RBIs and five doubles, guiding the Norse to the tournament title on the offensive side.
Sydney Schultz (So., Raymond, Iowa/Columbus Catholic) joins Skeie as an at-large First Team All-Conference selection. Holding a .390 batting average in A-R-C play, Schultz ranked third in the league with 23 runs scored. The sophomore led the conference with 32 hits in the conference campaign, driving in 17 runs for the Norse.
Representing Nebraska Wesleyan University as a First Team All-Conference representative was junior pitcher
Kailey Meyer (Omaha, Neb./Omaha Central), who was tied for third in the league with nine conference wins in the circle for the Prairie Wolves. She was an important factor in NWU's run to the conference tournament championship series, as she held an ERA of 3.14, which was seventh in the American Rivers Conference. Meyer was a workhorse for NWU in the circle with a league-leading 107.0 innings pitched, being only one of two pitchers to throw 100+ innings in conference play this season. Tallying 12 complete games and two shutouts, and punching out 93 batters, Meyer is a deserving First Team All-Conference performer.
Rounding out the First Team All-Conference selections are
Megan Crockett (Sr., Bryant, Iowa/Northeast Goose Lake) and
Randie Richmond (Jr., Blakesburg, Iowa/Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) from Simpson College. Crockett, tied with fellow All-Conference performer Burnett from Central, sat atop the league with a .418 batting average, with a stout .701 slugging percentage. Picking up four doubles, five home runs, and 17 RBIs. Crockett is picking up back-to-back First Team All-Conference accolades for the Storm. Richmond, on the other hand, had a team leading 31 hits and seven doubles in conference play. Sitting second and tied for fifth in the league, respectively. The junior is making her first-career appearance on an All-Conference team.
