[Softball] Lancers Gear Up For First Ever NAIA Tournament

CHICKASHA, Okla. –

On Tuesday, the NAIA announced that the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (44-7, 28-4 SAC) would be a No. 1 seed for the 2022 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round, in addition to being one of 10 host sites around the nation.

Each of the 10 opening round sites will feature four teams. Play will be from May 16-18 and the format will be double elimination. The winner of each will advance to the NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Ga., beginning on May 27, 2022.

The field for the opening rounds consists of 33 automatic qualifiers – given to conference regular-season champions, tournament champions, or tournament runners-up – and seven at-large teams. Conferences with 10-or-more members receive two automatic qualifiers, while leagues with less than 10 get one.

About The Team 

#1 SCIENCE & ARTS

The Drovers were selected into the tournament as an at-large bid, and as an opening round host for the second year in a row.  

Science & Arts has put together an impressive overall record of 44-7 and a 28-4 record against opponents in the Sooner Athletic Conference. USAO finished second place in the SAC regular season and runner-up in the SAC Tournament.

Emily Cerny (SR/Newcastle, OK) became the first player in history to earn her FIFTH consecutive SAC Pitcher of the Year award.

-5x First-Team All-SAC selection

-3x NAIA First-Team All-American

-20x SAC Pitcher of the Week

-The two-time NAIA Pitcher of the Year is the NAIA's all-time wins leader and ranks first in NAIA history in career appearances (178), first in innings pitched (989.0), second in shutouts (60), second in complete games (126), second in no-hitters (15), and third in strikeouts (1,350). Cerny's career win-loss record is now 138-20, having won 87.3 percent of her outings.

Sophie Williams (FR/Vernon, TX) was selected as the SAC Freshman of the Year.

All-Conference First Team (7): Emily Cerny, Sophie Williams, Jaclyn Gray, Amanda Moreno, Macenzie Ruth, Sierra Selfridge, Suni Meely 

All-Conference Second Team (3): Darci Chester, Savannah Ashford, Shyla Clouse

Gold Glove winners (1): Savannah Ashford

#2 COLLEGE OF IDAHO

No. 2 seed College of Idaho earned an appearance as the runner-up at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Softball Tournament. The Yotes enter the opening round with an overall record of 41-15 and a conference record of 22-8. College of Idaho was one of four teams from the CCC to be selected for the opening round. 

All-Conference First Team (4): Tanner Higgins, Haley Loffer, Hattie Hruza, and Katelyn Wilfert. 

All-Conference Second Team (1): Hannah McNerney 

All-Conference Honorable Mention (1 ): Kaily Christensen. 

Gold Glove winners (3): Kylie Smith (2B), Haley Loffer (SS), and Hattie Hruza (OF). 

FUN FACT: College of Idaho has only faced Ottawa once last year, and has not played USAO or Mount Marty yet in their program's history.

#3 OTTAWA UNIVERSITY (KAN.)

No. 3 seed Ottawa earned their way into the opening round as an automatic qualifier as the regular reason champions of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, after finishing with an overall record of 35-13-1, and a 20-4 record against conference foes. 

Jay Kahnt KCAC Coach of the Year (2nd year in a row)

Casson Rasmussen KCAC Pitcher of the Year (2nd year in a row)

All-Conference First Team (2): Casson Rasmussen and Allison Kearney 

All-Conference Second Team (5): Amber Flummerfelt, Jillian Kygar, Cierra Faubion, Aliks Serna, and Justyse Rodriguez 

All-Conference Honorable Mention (4): Hannah Copeland, Madison Bunfill, Riley Newbold, and Kelcie Kippes

Gold Glove (2): Allison Kearney, Riley Newbold

#4 MOUNT MARTY (S.D.)

No. 4 seed Mount Marty earned their way into the opening round as the champions of the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament. The Lancers produced a 32-14 overall record and a 15-7 clip against GPAC opponents.

Elliot Burns (JR/Rapid City, SD) (JR/Rapid City, SD) was named First Team All GPAC for the Lancers. On the season Elliot hit .515 with a 1.052 slugging percentage with 65 RBIs. Burns led the Lancers with 16 home runs. Elliot led the GPAC in home runs, RBIs, and batting average.  

Karlee Arnold (SR/Parker, CO) (SR/Parker, CO) the other Lancer named First Team All GPAC. Arnold was second on the team with 10 home runs and had 45 RBIs. Karlee batted .326 on the season with a .712 slugging percentage. 

Mo Vornhagen was a Second-Team All GPAC starting pitcher. Vornhagen led the Lancers with a 2.70 ERA. Mo had eight complete games on the season and threw 114 innings. Mo struck out 107 batters and went 12-2 on the season.  

Bailey Kortan (JR/Tabor, SD) (JR/Tabor, SD) was named Second-Team All GPAC. On the year Bailey hit .361 with a .568 slugging percentage. Kortan hit 2 home runs on the year. Kortan was third on the team with 32 RBIs. 

Abby Page was named Second-Team All GPAC. Page batted .299 on the year with a .454 slugging percentage. Abby had 9 doubles, 2 home runs, and 28 RBIs on the year.

Kelly Amezcua (JR/Riverside, CA) (JR/Riverside, CA) was named Second-Team All GPAC. Amezcua batted .304 on the year with a .518 slugging percentage. Kelly had 6 doubles, 6 home runs, and 25 RBIs on the year. 

Abby Thomas was named Second-Team All GPAC. Thomas batted .381 on the year with a .415 slugging percentage. Abby had 4 doubles and also added 20 stolen bases on the year.