Outfield trio each named All-Conference First-Teamers as Bengals dominate Big Sky softball honors

POCATELLO — The Idaho State Bengals continued their historic season this week, claiming a record 15 Al-Conference honors.

According to the program’s official Twitter/X account, the Bengals are the first Big Sky team ever to sweep all three first-team outfield positions, with Gracie Smith, Ava Brown and Alyssa Yee. They are also the first team ever to sweep both first-team pitcher positions, with Kasey Aguinaga and Lizzy Tommasini.

Brown was also named the Conference Player of the Year, by a unanimous vote from the league’s coaches, after clubbing a conference record 24 home runs. Aguinaga was named Conference Pitcher of the Year and Conference Co-Newcomer of the Year, after leading the league in wins (14). Head coach Andrew Rich rounded out the ISU individual honors as the Conference Coach of the Year, leaving the Bengals left without at least a share of only one individual award — Freshman of the Year.

As a cherry on top, the Bengals were also named the Big Sky Conference Commissioners’ Team of the Month.

Only four First-Team All-Conference positions were filled by unanimous selection. Three of those four spots belong to Bengals — catcher Jenna Kearns, and outfielders Ava Brown and Gracie Smith.

In all, 11 Bengals were named All-Conference performers — filling more than one-quarter of the total number of spots (39). Here are the full All-Big Sky Conference teams.

Note: * denotes unanimous selections

First Team
Catcher: Jenna Kearns, Idaho State*
First Base: Amailee Morales, Northern Colorado*
Second Base: Sadie Kirk, Weber State
Shortstop: Krista Francia, Northern Colorado
Third Base: Abby Grundy, Weber State
Outfield: Ava Brown, Idaho State*
Outfield: Gracie Smith, Idaho State*
Outfield: Alyssa Yee, Idaho State
Pitcher: Kasey Aguinaga, Idaho State
Pitcher: Lizzy Tommasini, Idaho State
Pitcher/UTL: Caroline Evans, Sac State
Non-Pitcher/UTL: Riley Whalen, Weber State

Second Team
Catcher: Katie Marsh, Sac State
First Base: Kiaira Smith, Weber State
Second Base: Belle Navarrete, Idaho State
Shortstop: Camryn McDonald, Idaho State
Third Base: Madison Evers-Lyles, Sac State
Outfield: Lafulafu Melepeai, Sac State
Outfield: Presley Jantzi, Montana
Outfield: Andrea Lira, Sac State
Pitcher: Kennedie Magorian, Sac State
Pitcher: Cali McCraw, Weber State
Pitcher/UTL: Sherreigh Nakoa-Chung, Portland State
Non-Pitcher/UTL: Shannon Garcia, Sac State

Honorable Mention (all players who received at least three All-Conference votes)
Catcher: Sabrina Javorsky, Northern Colorado
Catcher: Eva Richardson, Weber State
First Base: Kennedy Dudley, Idaho State
First Base: Alex Carino, Sac State
Second Base: Jaycie Gandert, Northern Colorado
Second Base: Jenna Birch, Sac State
Shortstop: Taegan Smith, Weber State
Shortstop: Anna Cockhill, Montana
Third Base: Katie Walling, Northern Colorado
Third Base: Brooke Peterson, Idaho State
Outfield: Olivia Birkinshaw, Weber State
Outfield: Ellie Babbitt, Portland State
Pitcher: Anna Wilming, Northern Colorado
Pitcher: Alexa Ortiz, Sac State
Non-Pitcher/UTL: Olivia Robison, Idaho State