ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley Conference has announced the All-Conference Teams and specialty award winners on Wednesday morning ahead of the MVC Softball Championship. No. 1 Seed, UNI, claimed the Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Coaching Staff of the Year. Belmont collected Defensive Player of the Year and Drake claimed the final specialty award, Newcomer of the Year.
 
Northern Iowa’s Mya Dodge won the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. After making waves in her freshman season as the 2022 MVC Freshman of the Year, Dodge only got better at the plate and in the field in 2023. As the starting left fielder for the Panthers, Dodge settled into the cleanup spot in UNI’s lineup leading the team in slugging percentage (.903), RBI (67), triples (5), home runs (16), and sacrifice flies (4). Dodge upped her batting average by 20% in her sophomore season and brought in double the amount of runs to lead the nation in RBI per game. Out in the field in her first full season on defense, Dodge had a .979 fielding percentage with 47 putouts. Dodge was named the MVC Player of the Week twice this season on April 4th and April 18th.
 
Samantha Heyer of UNI was named MVC Pitcher of the Year. Heyer found a new level in the circle in 2023, going from the Panthers No. two pitcher to a national name among Division I college pitchers. Over the 2023 season, Heyer lowered her ERA by 0.53 while dropping her walks from over 1.5 a game to just over one walk through seven innings. Heyer capped off her breakout season in a big way with UNI’s first perfect game in nine years taking down 15 batters in order with 10 strikeouts. Through her stellar season, Heyer set a new Panther record for most strikeouts in a season at 252. Heyer ends the regular season ranked in the Top 25 nationally in hits allowed per seven innings (4.12), strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.81), strikeouts (252), strikeouts per game (11.2), and victories (22). Heyer also set a UNI record for most weekly honors from the MVC, being named the Pitcher of the Week on six separate occasions. Heyer was the MVC Pitcher of the Week for a month straight from March 14th through April 4th. 
 
The MVC Defensive Player of the Year was Abi Ledbetter of Belmont. The senior from Livingston, Tennessee has posted an impressive season at first base for the Bruins. With appearances in all 50 games and 47 starts for the Bruins the first baseman has had a fantastic season. Aside from Belmont’s catcher, Ledbetter posted the team high of 234 putouts in 246 chances for a .976 fielding percentage. Ledbetter was also a part of five successful double plays for the team’s high. 
 
The Freshman of the Year honors went to UNI catcher Alexis Pupillo of UNI. In her first year as a Panther, Pupillo has held down two important positions in UNI’s lineup as the second hitter and behind the plate. Pupillo has quickly become a star at the plate, leading both the Missouri Valley Conference and the Panthers in batting average (.416), on base percentage (.505), and total bases (127). With her confident hitting, Pupillo has been the second UNI player named to the Tucci/NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 25 list. Along with her power at the plate, Pupillo has been a strong defensive presence for the Panthers behind the plate. Pupillo leads the conference in putouts (421) making her a dual threat for UNI for the next three years.
 
Drake’s Emma Dighton as the MVC Newcomer of the Year honors. Drake welcomed DMACC transfer and Boone, Iowa native Dighton into the program after an impressive year at the junior college ranks. Dighton continued her offensive prowess while also becoming a key factor in the pitching circle for the Bulldogs this season. She has started in all 50 contests for the Bulldogs and is one of two players hitting north of the .300 mark with a .306 batting average. Dighton leads the team with eight homers and 42 RBI while predominantly filling the designated player role for Drake. She has also picked up six wins in the circle with 47 K’s and leads the entire MVC with just 17 walks allowed in 76.2 innings pitched.
 
Ryan Jacobs and his assistants Monica Wright and Garret Furnal won this year’s Coaching Staff of the Year award for the third-consecutive year. The Panther coaching staff of Ryan Jacobs, Monica Wright, and Garrett Furnal continue to elevate UNI Softball. Under their direction, the Panthers had one of their best seasons in program history, setting 11 separate new records. This includes setting new Missouri Valley Conference records in team runs (342) and team doubles (95). This is the fifth time since taking over the program in 2008 that Head Coach Ryan Jacobs has headed the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
League awards are voted on by the head softball coaches.

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