DICKINSON, ND (Press Release/HubCityRadio.com) – The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) announced its 2023 Softball All-Conference Teams, Gold Glove team and postseason awards Thursday evening on the eve of the postseason tournament. The awards recognition was held at the Biesiot Activities Center on the campus of Dickinson State (N.D.) & Presentation College was well represented. Saints Head Coach Erin Skinner won the NSAA Coach of the Year, while multiple other Saints were named 1st & 2nd team players.
Cassey Loa was named a 1st team infielder while Sarah Shevenell was named to the all-conference 2nd team. Victoria Vau was also named the Saints recipient for the Champions of Character.
Bellevue (Neb.) landed six recipients on the All-Conference Teams, all recipients on the First Team. Valley City State (N.D.) has a total of nine individuals on the All-Conference teams, four recipients on the First Team All-Conference.
The North Star also announced its 9-member Gold Glove team for displaying their outstanding defensive performance.
In NSAA postseason awards, Lauren Jurek of Bellevue was selected as Pitcher-of-the-Year while her teammate was chosen as the league’s Player-of-the-Year. Maddy Zander of VCSU ws selected as the Newcomer-of-the-Year. Erin Skinner of Presentation was named to the NSAA Softball Coach-of-the-Year.
The 2023 NSAA Softball Postseason Tournament begins with three opening round games on Friday, starting at 1:30 p.m. (Central Time)/12:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) with Viterbo (Wis.) taking on Dakota State (S.D.). Mayville State (N.D.) takes on Valley City State at 4 p.m. (CT)/3 p.m. (MT) and wraps up with the host-team Dickinson State (N.D.) facing Waldorf (Iowa) at 6:30 p.m. (CT)/5:30 p.m. (MT).
The double-elimination tournament format continues through Monday with the championship game. The conference tournament is being held at newly Bravera Field in Dickinson.
Below are the complete listings of all All-Conference Teams selections, postseason awards and Gold Glove Team:
2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball All-Conference First Team
| Position | First Name, Last Name |
Year | School | Hometown |
| P | Lauren Jurek | Senior | Bellevue (Neb.) | Bellevue, Neb. |
| P | Savannah Gunn | Junior | Bellevue (Neb.) | Forney, Texas |
| P | Maddy Zander | Sophomore | Valley City State (N.D.) | Bismarck, N.D. |
| C | Michelle Evdos | Sophomore | Dakota State (S.D.) | Parker, Colo. |
| C | Morgan James | Senior | Viterbo (Wis.) | Mineral Point, Wis. |
| INF | Reese Floro | Sophomore | Bellevue (Neb.) | Plattsmouth, Neb. |
| INF | Mackenzie Sims | Junior | Dakota State (S.D.) | Santee, Calif. |
| INF | Liana McMurtry | Sophomore | Bellevue (Neb.) | Bellevue, Neb.` |
| INF | Marissa Carter-Olson | Freshman | Viterbo (Wis.) | Oshkosh, Wis. |
| INF | Cassy Loa | Junior | Presentation (S.D.) | San Diego, Calif. |
| OF | Rhea Paiva | Senior | Dickinson State (N.D.) | Las Vegas, Nev. |
| OF | Riley Perryman | Senior | Valley City State (N.D.) | Cottage Grove, Minn. |
| OF | Sami Reding | Senior | Mayville State (N.D.) | Escalon, Calif. |
| OF | Ashlynne Copinga | Junior | Valley City State (N.D.) | Billings, Mont. |
| DP | Ashley Young | Senior | Bellevue (Neb.) | Los Lunas, N.M. |
| UTIL | Ari Martinez | Sophomore | Dickinson State (N.D.) | Arleta, Calif. |
| At-Large | Katie Cunningham | Sophomore | Bellevue (Neb.) | Bellevue, Neb. |
| At-Large | Dallis Mitchell | Junior | Dickinson State 9N.D.) | Phoenix, Ariz. |
| At-Large | Carrington Entringer | Senior | Dakota State (S.D.) | Dell Rapids, S.D. |
| At-Large | Sierra Crocker | Senior | Valley City State (N.D.) | Napa, Calif. |
2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball All-Conference Second Team
| Position | First Name, Last Name |
Year | School | Hometown |
| At-Large | Sarah Shevenell | Junior | Presentation (S.D.) | Madera, Calif. |
| At-Large | Hannah McFarland | Freshman | Dakota State (S.D.) | Lawtey, Fla. |
| At-Large | Ashlyn Diemert | Sophomore | Valley City State (N.D.) | West Fargo, N.D. |
| At-Large | Joelle Lamontagne | Senior | Valley City State (N.D.) | Oxbow, Sask., Canada |
| At-Large | Alyssa DePoorter | Sophomore | Valley City State (N.D.) | Casper, Wyo. |
| At-Large | Hailey Enriquez | Senior | Dickinson State (N.D.) | Sparks, Nev. |
| At-Large | Marissa Hawkins | Senior | Valley City State (N.D.) | St. Paul, Minn. |
| At-Large | Andrea Rodriguez | Junior | Valley City State (N.D.) | Austin, Texas |
| At-Large | Brooke Hickey | Sophomore | Waldorf (Iowa) | Adel, Iowa |
| At-Large | Rosie Philop | Senior | Dakota State (S.D.) | Fort Collins, Colo. |
| At-Large | Sam Shumway | Junior | Mayville State (N.D.) | Franklin, Idaho |
2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball Postseason Awards
Pitcher-of-the-Year: Lauren Jurek – Bellevue (Neb.)
Player-of-the-Year: Reese Floro – Bellevue (Neb.)
Newcomer-of-the-Year: Maddy Zander – Valley City State (N.D.)
Coach-of-the-Year: Erin Skinner – Presentation (S.D.)
2023 North Star Athletic Association Champions of Character recipients
Bellevue (Neb.): Lexi Blankenfeld
Dakota State (S.D.): Rosie Philop
Dickinson State (N.D.): Arjana Eilers
Mayville State (N.D.): Mackenzie Iverson
Presentation (S.D.): Victoria Vau
Valley City State (N.D.): Ashlynne Copinga
Viterbo (Wis): Courtney Denton
Waldorf (Iowa): Janessa Weston
2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball Gold Glove Team:
| Position | First Name, Last Name |
Year | School | Hometown |
| C | Kaitlyn Rizo | Junior | Dickinson State (N.D.) | Elko, Nev. |
| 1B | Reese Floro | Sophomore | Bellevue (Neb.) | Plattsmouth, Neb. |
| 2B | Andrea Rodriguez | Junior | Valley City State (N.D.) | Austin, Texas |
| 3B | Madison Machacek | Junior | Bellevue (Neb.) | Bellevue, Neb. |
| SS | Brooke Roeges | Senior | Mayville State (N.D.) | Baldur, Manitoba, Canada |
| OF | Sami Reding | Sophomore | Bellevue (Neb.) | Papillion, Neb. |
| OF | Rhea Pavia | Senior | Dickinson State (N.D.) | Las Vegas, Nev. |
| OF | Mackenzie Hughes | Sophomore | Mayville State (N.D.) | Thompson, N.D. |
| P | Savannah Gunn | Junior | Bellevue (Neb.) | Forney, Texas |