EAST PEORIA, Ill.—University of Southern Indiana Softball Head Coach Sue Kunkle has been named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Coach of the Year, while the Screaming Eagles landed six players on the All-GLVC team in an announcement by the league office Thursday afternoon. That list includes junior pitcher/designated player Allie Goodin(Evansville, Indiana), senior designated player/pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana), sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega(Greenfield, Indiana), sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana), sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick(Brownsburg, Indiana); and freshman pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana).
Kunkle is earning her third-career GLVC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Eagles to the GLVC regular-season title. USI went 40-10 overall and 26-2 in GLVC play during the regular-season en route to earning the conference’s No. 1 overall seed in the GLVC Softball Championship Tournament.
Goodin, who was a unanimous first-team All-GLVC selection as a utility/pitcher, is earning her first All-GLVC honor after hitting .337 with three doubles, a triple, four home runs and 24 RBI. In the circle, Goodin went 11-2 with a 2.24 ERA and .228 opponent batting average.
USI had five players named to the second-team, with Back earning accolades as a designated player.
Back is earning her first-career All-GLVC nod after hitting .374 during the regular season with eight doubles, two home runs and 26 RBI. She also aided the Eagles in the circle, going 6-1 with a 2.54 ERA and was 3-0 in GLVC play with a 0.00 ERA.
Kihega also is earning her first All-GLVC accolade after hitting .358 with 33 walks, 12 doubles, a triple, two home runs and 22 RBI. Behind the plate, she helped USI’s pitching staff become one of the most dominate units in program history as USI posted a 1.47 team ERA and .177 opponent batting average during conference play.
Newman played a big role in USI’s success inside the circle as she went 14-3 overall and 11-0 in conference play during the regular-season. She posted a 0.95 ERA, 120 strikeouts and a .114 opponent batting average in GLVC play. Overall, Newman finished the regular-season with a 1.84 ERA, 165 strikeouts and a .170 opponent batting average.
Fair, who is collecting her first All-GLVC award, led USI with a .385 batting average during the regular-season. She had 16 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 42 RBI on the year. Fair, who was on the NFCA’s Player and Pitcher of the Year Top 50 list, had a .495 on-base percentage after drawing 13 walks and being hit 20 times.
Rounding out USI’s All-GLVC contingent was Bedrick, who was a unanimous first-team All-GLVC selection as a freshman. Bedrick hit .363 during the regular-season with three doubles, two triples, and 15 RBI. She led USI with 62 hits, 37 runs scored and was 17-of-19 in stolen base attempts.
In addition to USI’s All-GLVC honorees, senior catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois) was USI’s nominee for the James R. Spalding GLVC Sportsmanship Award.
USI, which is ranked No. 3 in the final NCAA II Midwest Region Rankings, takes on Maryville University in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament. The game has been delayed due to rain in the East Peoria Area.
