USF’s Callahan, Vachon Highlight CCAC Softball Honor Roll

USF’s Callahan, Vachon Highlight Softball Honor Roll

CHICAGO, Ill. — Regular-season champion University of St. Francis and conference tournament champion Saint Xavier University came away toting the most awards when the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2023 softball honor roll Tuesday afternoon.

St. Francis accrued 14 of the 50 total awards presented with Saint Xavier one off that mark with its 13. Both teams had eight starters gain a spot on either the first or second all-conference teams, which were comprised of 18 players each. St. Francis had the most first-team selections with five, while Saint Xavier gained the most second-team picks, also with five.

Saint Xavier also boasted a league-best five members on the first-ever softball Gold Glove Team, including all three outfield positions, while St. Francis accounted for three of the other four spots. Roosevelt University also had one representative on that squad.

St. Francis came away the big winner, as well, in top individual honors, claiming three of the four that were presented, highlighted by Danielle Callahan (New Lenox, Ill.) being named the CCAC Player of the Year.

A graduate student third baseman, Callahan ranked among the top ten players in the league in no less than nine categories, including leading the conference in home runs (10), runs batted in (46), total bases (97) and slugging percentage (.724). She also gained runner-up honors in batting average (.418).

Callahan’s other numbers had her fifth in total hits (56), sixth-best in on-base percentage (.462), seventh in runs scored (34) and tenth in doubles (11).

Matching Callahan’s marks but on the pitching side was teammate Hannah Vachon (Oxford, Mich.), who was recognized as the CCAC Pitcher of the Year. Like Callahan, Vachon boasted Top 10 league statistics in nine categories, including a conference-best six shutouts. The senior’s 15 wins and 1.72 earned run average were second-best.

Vachon also recorded 11 complete games and 101 strikeouts, both of which placed her fourth in the CCAC. Her 26 appearances, 126 innings pitched and .235 opponents’ batting average ranked her fifth among league leaders, while her 20 starts were the sixth most.

The other top individual player award went to Olivet Nazarene University first baseman Mallory O’Connor (Bourbonnais, Ill.), who captured CCAC Freshman of the Year accord. She ranked among the top seven players in no fewer than eight categories in her first collegiate season with her 60 hits, 41 runs batted in and .411 batting average being her top marks. She placed third in the conference in each of those areas.

O’Connor also rated fifth-best in on-base percentage (.464), sixth in runs scored (35) and total bases (74) and seventh in doubles (12) and walks (17).

The final individual honor was presented to St. Francis’ Amanda Jensen, who claimed her second career CCAC Coach of the Year honor. She guided the Fighting Saints to an 18-2 league record, which led to the program’s first CCAC regular-season title since 2018. USF is 32-9 overall heading into NAIA National Tournament Opening Round play on Monday.

Among other awards presented, Calumet College of St. Joseph captured the CCAC Champions of Character Team award.

Of the 18 players named to the all-conference first team, Olivet Nazarene’s Haley Dobson (Beecher, Ill.), Roosevelt’s Anaisa Lozada (Streamwood, Ill.), St. Francis’ Brittany Osborne (Romeoville, Ill.) and Saint Xavier’s Lyda Robinson (Seneca, Ill.) were repeat selections. Robinson was also a first-team pick in 2021.

After St. Francis and Saint Xavier, Olivet Nazarene was next in line with seven total awardees, followed by Roosevelt with four. Calumet St. Joseph and St. Ambrose University were recognized three times, while Trinity Christian College and Indiana University South Bend secured two spots on the all-conference team. Judson University and Cardinal Stritch University each had one representative.

2023 CCAC SOFTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year   Danielle Callahan – St. Francis (Ill.)
Pitcher of the Year  Hannah Vachon – St. Francis (Ill.)
Freshman of the Year  Mallory O’Connor – Olivet Nazarene
Coach of the Year  Amanda Jensen – St. Francis
Champions of Character Team  Calumet College of St. Joseph
Gold Glove Team
1B Madisen Tucker Sr. St. Francis (Ill.) St. John, Ind.
2B Emily Zuniga So. Roosevelt Pasadena, Calif.
SS Morgan Haefling Sr. Saint Xavier Gilberts, Ill.
3B Kaitlyn Wright Fr. Saint Xavier Chicago, Ill.
LF Sarah Bowen Sr. Saint Xavier Hampshire, Ill.
CF Lyda Robinson Sr. Saint Xavier Seneca, Ill.
RF Nicole Lovato Sr. Saint Xavier Channahon, Ill.
P Hannah Vachon Sr. St. Francis (Ill.) Oxford, Mich.
C Maddie Massaro Sr. St. Francis (Ill.) Romeoville, Ill.

First Team All-Conference
3B Danielle Callahan Gr. St. Francis (Ill.) New Lenox, Ill.
IF Abbie Carr So. Saint Xavier Indianapolis, Ind.
C Giulia Cianfriglia Sr. Trinity Christian Veneto, Italy
IF Haley Dobson Gr. Olivet Nazarene Beecher, Ill.
OF Shai Erdrich Jr. St. Ambrose Aurora, Ill.
DP Roxanne Ines Jr. Calumet St. Joseph Las Vegas, Nev.
IF Anaisa Lozada Sr. Roosevelt Streamwood, Ill.
OF Faith Mikos So. Olivet Nazarene Manhattan, Ill.
OF Rose Mwaro Jr. St. Francis (Ill.) Almere, Netherlands
IF Mallory O’Connor Fr. Olivet Nazarene Bourbonnais, Ill.
IF Brittany Osborne Gr. St. Francis (Ill.) Romeoville, Ill.
P Erica Ralfs Sr. St. Ambrose Davenport, Iowa
OF Lyda Robinson Sr. Saint Xavier Seneca, Ill.
IF Charlie Sartoris Jr. Trinity Christian Pontiac, Ill.
IF Adelina Staden So. Calumet St. Joseph Romeoville, Ill.
P Laila Summers Jr. Saint Xavier Joliet, Ill.
IF Madisen Tucker Sr. St. Francis (Ill.) St. John, Ind.
P Hannah Vachon Sr. St. Francis (Ill.) Oxford, Mich

Second Team All-Conference
OF Sarah Bowen Sr. Saint Xavier Hampshire, Ill.
P Kori Fricke Sr. Olivet Nazarene Manteno, Ill.
IF Morgan Haefling Sr. Saint Xavier Gilberts, Ill.
IF Sarah Herbert Sr. Judson Chicago, Ill.
OF Scout Kram Jr. Roosevelt Lindenhurst, Ill.
OF Margaret Landis Jr. Olivet Nazarene Beecher, Ill.
UT Maddy Leisher So. Indiana South Bend Lizton, Ind.
OF Nicole Lovato Sr. Saint Xavier Channahon, Ill.
IF Meghan Mann Sr. Olivet Nazarene Midland, Mich.
C Maddie Massaro Sr. St. Francis (Ill.) Romeoville, Ill.
OF Haley Matlock Fr. Saint Xavier Indianapolis, Ind.
DP Bridget McDermott Sr. St. Francis (Ill.) Palos Heights, Ill.
P Samantha Norman Jr. Roosevelt Shorewood, Ill.
IF Alexus Reese Jr. Saint Xavier Schererville, Ind.
IF Bradey Saxon Fr. Cardinal Stritch Batavia, Ill.
IF Alyssa Schumacher Jr. St. Ambrose Whitewater, Wis.
OF Kaylie Sippel Jr. St. Francis (Ill.) Beecher, Ill.
IF Abigail Yarnell So. Indiana South Bend Danville, Ind.