| 4/26/2012 12:00:00 AM

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three members of Emporia State's 2012 MIAA Softball Regular Season Championship team earned spots on the All-MIAA First Team to highlight the all-conference team announced Thursday by the league office. The selections were made by the league's 11 head coaches, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.

Pittsburg State shortstop Amanda "Mannie" DeCastro was named the MIAA Player of the Year after a season in which she held a .913 slugging percentage, tops in the conference, was second in the league with a .447 batting average, and led the MIAA in RBIs with 54. The senior from Carl Junction, Mo., was also an All-MIAA First Team selection.

Missouri Western sophomore Jackie Bishop is the MIAA Pitcher of the Year. The Kirksville, Mo., native led the MIAA with a 0.97 ERA, led the conference in wins with a 22-2 record, and was second in the league with 210 strikeouts. Bishop was the lone unanimous All-MIAA First Team selection.

Fort Hays State first baseman Adriana Wortley was voted the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year after ranking seventh in the conference with a .986 fielding percentage and finishing fourth in the league with 273 putouts. The senior from Tacoma, Wash., also earned a spot on the All-MIAA Second Team.

Emporia State designated player Stephanie Goodwin was honored as the MIAA Freshman of the Year after a season in which she led the MIAA with a .454 batting average, was second in the league with an .807 slugging percentage, and tied for third in the league with 43 runs scored. The Overland Park, Kan., product also earned All-MIAA First Team honors.

Emporia State head coach Julie LeMaire was selected as MIAA Coach of the Year after guiding the Hornets to a perfect 20-0 record in conference play and the eighth MIAA Softball Championship in school history. ESU is the first team in MIAA history to go undefeated in a complete round robin conference season. The Hornets set a league record with the 20 MIAA wins.

Fort Hays State, Missouri Western, Pittsburg State, and Washburn tied for the second-most first-team selections with two, followed by Truman with one.

2012 ALL-MIAA SOFTBALL TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Amanda DeCastro, Sr., SS, Pittsburg State

PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Jackie Bishop, So., Missouri Western

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Adriana Wortley, Sr., 1B, Fort Hays State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Stephanie Goodwin, DP, Emporia State

COACH OF THE YEAR
Julie LeMaire, Emporia State

FIRST TEAM
P: Jackie Bishop, So., Missouri Western** [r1]
P: Maddie Holub, Jr., Fort Hays State
C: Amanda Self, Jr., Emporia State
1B: Tricia Vogel, So., Emporia State
2B: Taylor Nelson, Sr., Fort Hays State
SS: Amanda DeCastro, Sr., Pittsburg State
3B: Alex Zordel, Jr., Washburn
OF: Maegan Roemmich, Jr., Missouri Western
OF: Bridget Schade, Sr., Truman
OF: Kacy Covert, Sr., Washburn
DP: Stephanie Goodwin, Fr., Emporia State
UT: Cheslyn Mitchell, Fr., Pittsburg State

**Unanimous Selection
[r1] - Repeat first team selection from last season

SECOND TEAM
P: Karley Schmelzer, Jr., Emporia State
P: Kelsea Dorsey, Fr., Truman
C: Callie Wright, So., Fort Hays State
1B: Adriana Wortley, Sr., Fort Hays State
2B: Blair Stalder, Sr., Missouri Western
SS: Taylor Zordel, Fr., Emporia State
3B: Jessica Gragg, Fr., Emporia State
OF: Brenna George, So., Pittsburg State
OF: Jessica Brewer, Jr., Emporia State
OF: Breanna Volkmann, Sr., Missouri Southern
DP: Tiffany Brown, So., Pittsburg State
UT: Keri Lorbert, Jr., Missouri Western

HONORABLE MENTION
Central Missouri: Braylyn Bivens, So., SS; Katie Groves, Sr., 3B; Ashlea Bengtson, Jr., OF; Alex Groeger, So., OF; Jaydee Young, Sr., OF; Jakki Prater, Fr., UT.

Emporia State: Jennifer Heerey, Sr., P; Taylor Reichard, So., 2B; Andrea Piezuch, So., OF.

Fort Hays State: Chelsey Rottinghaus, Jr., 3B; Amanda Vaupel, Fr., OF.

Lincoln: Megan Braun, Sr., OF.

Missouri Southern: Lydia Niemegeers, Sr., C; Shelby Romines, So., 1B; Brianna Fulkerson, Sr., 2B.

Missouri Western: Annalee Rubio, Jr., P; Kat Steponovich, So., C; Leah Steele, Sr., 1B; Taylor Anding, So., SS; Sarah Elliott, Jr., 3B; Bre Fleschner, Fr., OF; Kendall Sorensen, Jr., OF.

Northwest Missouri: Jenna Creger, Jr., P; Hailee Hendricks, Jr., 2B; Kristen Uthe, Jr., 3B; Kayli Schurman, Jr., DP.

Pittsburg State: Hilary Erbert, Sr., P; Jessica Barnes, So., P; Kreslee Ketcham, Jr., C.

Southwest Baptist: Jessica Colliver, Fr., P; Kassy Williamson, Jr., UT.

Truman: Elizabeth Leath, Fr., C; Laura Miller, Jr., OF; Katie Pitts, Sr., OF; Kelsey Bollman, So., UT.

Washburn: Katie Schroeder, So., 2B.