KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its postseason awards and All-MIAA teams from the 2024 softball season.
 
Forty-nine softball players earned All-MIAA honors in the 2024 season while five players from three different institutions were honored with the Association’s highest postseason awards.
 
Pittsburg State’s Heather Arnett and Central Oklahoma’s Terin Ritz share the MIAA Player of the Year title, Rogers State’s Sara Llamas-Howell was named the MIAA Pitcher of the Year, Central Oklahoma’s Shayleigh Odom was selected as the Association’s Defensive Player of the Year and Pitt State’s Ava Laurent was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. Gorillas head coach Jenny Fuller and the Pitt State coach staff was voted the MIAA Coaching Staff of the Year by their peers.
 
Pitt State’s center fielder Heather Arnett was dominant at the plate this season, helping lead Pitt State to a share of the MIAA regular season title for the first time since 1994. The sophomore from Pittsburg, Kan., led MIAA hitters with a .452 batting average. With a league-high 199 at-bats, Arnett produced an MIAA-leading 90 hits and 65 runs scored. The Gorillas leadoff hitter also led the league with seven triples and 49 stolen bases. Arnett was also responsible for 70 putouts and 10 assists with a .964 fielding percentage in the outfield.
 
Central Oklahoma’s Terin Ritz was a force at the plate and in the circle for the Bronchos. At the plate, the junior pitcher/first baseman led the MIAA with a .830 slugging percentage and a 1.325 OPS while her .381 also ranked in the league’s top ten. She blasted a league-high 17 home runs and ranked in the league’s top ten in on-base percentage (.495), RBI (54), runs scored (47) and walks (32). In the circle, Ritz’s 1.35 ERA led the MIAA while her 19 wins in the regular season tie for second. In 145.2 innings pitched, Ritz allowed just 28 earned runs scored and walked only 22 batters while striking out 80. She also ranked in the league’s top ten in opposing batting average (.213) and batter struck out looking (33). Splitting time between pitcher and first base, Ritz collected 168 putouts, 47 assists and five double plays with a .977 fielding percentage.
 
Sara Llamas-Howell tabbed the MIAA Pitcher of the Year honor for the second consecutive season. The senior from Pawnee, Okla., once again dominated MIAA opponents in the circle, helping the Hillcats clinch a share of the regular season title for the first time in program history. Llamas-Howell owns the second-best ERA (1.44) and opposing batting average (.193) in the league. She led all MIAA pitchers with 52 batters struck out looking, tied for the second-most wins with 19, and ranked in the league’s top ten in innings pitched (146.1), total batters struck out (143), and fewest runs allowed (40). She enters the MIAA postseason tournament with a record of 19-6 on the season.
 
Central Oklahoma’s Shayleigh Odom was voted the Association’s Defensive Player of the Year. The Bronchos center fielder was perfect in the regular season, making 49 consecutive outs on 49 chances. The senior from Edmond, Okla., also hit .307 on the season with 43 hits, 36 RBI, and 24 runs scored. She also ranked in the league’s top ten with 12 doubles.
 
Pitt State’s Ava Laurent was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. The right-handed pitcher from Grand Island, Neb., ranks in the league’s top ten in almost every pitching category, including an MIAA-leading 192 strikeouts. In 149.1 innings pitcher, Laurent owns a 1.97 ERA and a .197 opposing batting average. She’s allowed 107 hits and 47 runs this season, 42 of which were earned. Laurent enters the MIAA’s championship tournament with an MIAA-leading seven shutouts and a record of 18-1.
 
The Pitt State coaching staff was voted the MIAA Coaching Staff of the Year. Finishing the regular season 23-3 in the league and 49-5 overall, Gorillas tied for a share of the regular season title for the first time in 30 years. The Pitt State offense led the league in batting average (.355), hits (520), runs (370) and RBI (323). The Gorillas produced almost 100 more hits than any other MIAA team while the pitching staff led the league with 373 team strikeouts. The Gorillas are led by head coach Jenny Fuller and assistant coaches Brad Fuller, Abby Atkin and Tyler Fuller, and graduate assistant Ashton Friend. 
 
Below is the complete list of the 2024 MIAA softball postseason awards, All-MIAA teams and the MIAA Gold Glove Team.
 
The top ten teams from the regular season advance to the 2024 MIAA Softball Championship, set for May 1-4 at the University of Central Oklahoma's Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond, Okla. For more information on the postseason tournament, visit theMIAA.com/SoftballChampionship.
 
2024 MIAA SOFTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Co-Player of the Year – Heather Arnett – Pittsburg State, So.
Co-Player of the Year – Terin Ritz – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
Pitcher of the Year – Sara Llamas-Howell – Rogers State, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year – Shayleigh Odom – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Freshman of the Year – Ava Laurent – Pittsburg State, Fr.
Coaching Staff of the Year – Pittsburg State – Jenny Fuller, Brad Fuller, Abby Atkin, Tyler Fuller and Ashton Friend
 
2024 ALL-MIAA SOFTBALL TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Pitcher: Ava Laurent – Pittsburg State
Pitcher: Sarah Llamas-Howell – Rogers State
Pitcher: Terin Ritz – Central Oklahoma
Catcher: Callie Yellin – Rogers State
First Base: Maddie Fernandez – Pittsburg State
Second Base: Hannah Burnett – Pittsburg State
Shortstop: Emily Deramus – Central Oklahoma
Third Base: Josie Harrison – Emporia State
Outfield: Heather Arnett – Pittsburg State
Outfield: Alexis Dial – Emporia State
Outfield: Rylee Lemos – Central Oklahoma
Designated Player: Paxtyn Hayes – Pittsburg State
Utility/Pitcher: Jaycee Ginter  Washburn
 
SECOND TEAM
Pitcher: Jordyn Pipkin – Central Oklahoma
Pitcher: Sadie Walker – Washburn
Catcher: Abbey Rogers – Rogers State
First Base: Hayley Bonython – Newman
Second Base: Taylor Nuckolls – Missouri Southern
Shortstop: Kalee Higdon – Missouri Western
Third Base: Marrit Mead - Washburn
Outfield: Jacee Minter – Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Kylee Jacks – Missouri Southern
Outfield: Lillie Filger – Northwest Missouri
Outfield: Paxton Donaldson – Rogers State
Designated Player: Hayden Serna – Central Missouri
Utility/Pitcher: Kara Amos – Missouri Southern
 
GOLD GLOVE TEAM
Pitcher: Kiki Pickens – Missouri Southern
Catcher: Madi Moore – Washburn
First Base: Bridgett Morales – Rogers State
Second Base: Hannah Burnett – Pittsburg State
Shortstop: Regan Curry – Fort Hays State
Third Base: Marrit Mead – Washburn
Outfield: Heather Arnett – Pittsburg State
Outfield: Lillie Filger – Northwest Missouri  
Outfield: Kylee Jacks – Missouri Southern  
Outfield: Shayleigh Odom – Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Yazmin Vargas – Missouri Southern
*Ties in voting

HONORABLE MENTION
Central Missouri: Taylor Thompson (Second Base)
Central Oklahoma: Tatum Long (First Base); Rylee Anglen (Second Base); Shayleigh Odom (Outfield)
Emporia State: Bailey Flewelling (Catcher)
Fort Hays State: Loren Beggs (Third Base); Peyton Shepard (Outfield)
Missouri Southern: Katie Gray (First Base); Yazmin Vargas (Outfield)
Missouri Western: Sydney Rader (Pitcher); Mackenzie DeVine (Outfield); Ashlyn Finarty (Utility/Pitcher)
Nebraska Kearney: Mary Chvatal (Shortstop)
Northeastern State: Maddie Messenger (First Base)
Northwest Missouri: Skylar Pieper (First Base)
Pittsburg State: Gabby Schultz (Shortstop)
Rogers State: Jade Sanders (Pitcher); Kaylee Lyon (Third Base)
Washburn: Alexis Tanguma (Second Base)