INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis softball program hoarded the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) major postseason awards for the 2021 season, the league announced on Wednesday. In addition to the four major award winners, three 14-player All-Conference teams were announced, with 15 student-athletes named James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award nominees, and Quincy University voted the team sportsmanship winner.
The All-GLVC softball teams and winners are voted on by the league’s 15 head coaches. By rule, coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Seniors Gianni Iannantone and Hallie Waters earned Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, while Kenzee Smith was named the league’s Freshman of the Year and Melissa Frost was dubbed Coach of the Year by her peers.
Iannantone’s name flooded the Conference leaderboards this spring, as the senior ranked in the top five in the following categories: first in RBI (33), second in slugging percentage (.780), second in on-base percentage (.529), second in runs scored (27), third in home runs (7), third in hit by pitch (9), fourth in batting average (.427), and fifth in hits (35). Iannantone was instrumental in the team’s success this season, as the Greyhounds finished atop the GLVC standings with a 37-5 overall record and 26-2 Conference mark. During GLVC action, Iannantone hit for a 1.237 OPS (on-base + slugging), with 15 of her 38 hits of the extra-base variety. The first baseman was also solid in the field, committing just one error in 171 chances (.994 fielding percentage). The Orland Hills, Ill., product earned the spring’s final Player of the Week honor, knocking in 11 in five contests. The first-team recognition is the second of Iannantone’s career, and first unanimously, adding a third All-GLVC award during her time as a Greyhound. Iannantone is the fifth Greyhound to earn Player of the Year honors and first since Casey Williamson secured back-to-back distinction in 2012 and 2013.
Waters led a two-headed pitching monster for UIndy this season, finishing Conference action with a 1.26 ERA, a .177 opponent batting average, and 102 strikeouts in 78 innings of work. The senior posted a league-best six shutouts, highlighted by three straight seven-inning complete games from March 28-April 3 against Quincy University, University of Southern Indiana, and University of Missouri-St. Louis. Most recently, Waters tossed a complete game against Lindenwood University on May 2 on Senior Day. Waters is no stranger to GLVC awards, also earning her second nod to the First Team this spring. The right-hander is the first Pitcher of the Year for the Greyhounds since Morgan Foley in 2016 and fourth in program history.
One of the best pitchers in the country in 2021, Smith was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year after earning All-GLVC First Team honors unanimously inside the circle. The rookie hurler led the GLVC this season with a 0.82 ERA, .154 opponent batting average, and 14 complete games. The local product out of Decatur Central garnered a league-high three GLVC Pitcher of the Year accolades this spring, and tossed a no-hitter on April 25 against Missouri S&T. The right-hander struck out a season-high 12 back on March 21 in a league win over Lewis. Recently, Smith was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-30 list, which honors the best players and pitchers across the country. Smith is the first Greyhound since Foley in 2013 to earn top rookie honors and sixth overall.
Frost guided the Greyhounds to the top seed in the upcoming GLVC Championship Tournament for the fifth in her career, earning her sixth GLVC Coach of the Year honor on Wednesday and first since 2016. UIndy has been one of the best teams in the country this spring, rising as high as No. 5 in the NFCA national poll. The Greyhounds ran through the Conference, winning the regular season by six games with a 26-2 league mark. Including the three other major award winners wearing Crimson and Grey, eight players earned All-GLVC recognition with three being unanimous on the First Team. Frost now owns six of UIndy’s seven Coach of the Year awards, with former Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Sue Willey earning the first in 1989.
Joining UIndy’s three first-team members is second baseman Haylie Foster, who also was a unanimous selection. In addition, 10 others from eight programs were named All-GLVC First Team, including: University of Illinois Springfield’s Carly Chovanec, Calla Wickenhauser, and Danielle Dennis; Rockhurst University’s Lexie Storrer; Quincy’s Taylor Downen; Southern Indiana’s Mackenzie Bedrick; Maryville University’s Taylor Shingler; Truman State University’s Emma Walbert; McKendree University’s Miranda Gajewski; and Lindenwood’s Hannah Johnson.
The league also recognized Quincy as its GLVC Softball James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award team recipient, as well as 15 GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award Individual nominees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These individuals must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees are now eligible to become one of their school’s two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners.
GLVC Player of the Year: Gianni Iannantone, Sr., 1B, Indianapolis
GLVC Pitcher of the Year: Halie Waters, Sr., P, Indianapolis
GLVC Freshman of the Year: Kenzee Smith, Fr., P, Indianapolis
GLVC Coach of the Year: Melissa Frost, Indianapolis
2021 ALL-GLVC SOFTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
All-GLVC First Team
Kenzee Smith, Fr., P, UINDY #
Lexie Storrer, Sr., P, RU
Halie Waters, Sr., P, UINDY
Gianni Iannantone, Sr., 1B, UINDY #
Haylie Foster, Sr., 2B, UINDY #
Carly Chovanec, Jr., SS, UIS
Calla Wickenhauser, Sr., 3B, UIS
Taylor Downen, So., C, QU
Mackenzie Bedrick, Fr., OF, USI #
Taylor Shingler, Jr., OF, MU
Emma Walbert, So., OF, TSU
Miranda Gajewski, Sr., UTP, MCK #
Danielle Dennis, So., UTNP, UIS #
Hannah Johnson, Gr., DP, LWU#
# Unanimous selection
All-GLVC Second Team
Ellie Quaethem, Fr., P, MCK
Amanda Weyh, Fr., P, LWU
Karsyn Smith, Jr., P, DU
Lauren Beier, So., 1B, DU
Shelby Winkelman, Jr., 2B, RU
Whitney Wendel, Jr., SS, LWU
Emily O'Connor, So., 3B, UINDY
Lexy Rees, So., C, UINDY
Sydnie Foster, Sr., OF, UINDY
Alicia Webb, Sr., OF, USI
Hannah Tolley, Sr., OF, MU
Alyssa Callans, Gr., UTP, MU
Josie Lindemann, Fr., UTNP, RU
Emily Clark, Jr., DP, RU
All-GLVC Third Team
Katie David, Sr., P, LEWIS
Mimi Bradley, Jr., P, UMSL
Mac Kenzie Collier, Sr., P, QU
Kristin Kavalauskas, Jr., 1B, LEWIS
Bailey Merritt, So., 2B, MCK
Caitlyn Lowry, Gr., SS, MCK
Allison Rawls, Sr., 3B, WJC
Karli Goocher, Fr., C, LWU
Olivia Magaldi, Gr., OF, LEWIS
Kamrie Foster, Sr., OF, UINDY
Lauren Marks, Gr., OF, RU
Sara Serena, Jr., UTP, LEWIS
Cameryn Patterson, Fr., UTNP, TSU
Lauren Ledbetter, So., DP, WJC
GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP NOMINEES
Chloe Falciani-Marshall, DU
Natalie Cokel, UIS
Hallie Waters, UINDY
Meghan Bontrager, LEWIS
Stormee Galka, LWU
Hannah Tolley, MU
Caitlyn Lowry, MCK
Kate Baxter, S&T
Jessica Mrzlak, UMSL
Courtney Kernich, QU
Maya Gallagher, RU
Katie Back, USI
Emma Ezzell, SBU
Shelby Webster, TSU
Tori Farr, WJC
GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM AWARD
Quincy