UMAC Announces Softball All-Conference Teams; Eight Eagles Represented - University of Northwestern Athletics (2024)

Softball 5/14/2024 3:07:00 PM David Pederson

ST. PAUL, Minn.- The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference released its postseason awards and All-Conference teams for the 2024 season on Tuesday. After going 12-6 in UMAC play and qualifying for the postseason tournament, it is no shock that the University of Northwestern Softball team had many players land on the All-Conference teams.

• UMAC Press Release

The UMAC announced that the Eagles had three First Team All-Conference players, three All-Conference Honorable Mentions, three players on the All-Defensive Team, and one on the All-Sportsmanship Team.

The trio of First Team All-Conference Eagles was made up of Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake), Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock), and Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian). Beer plays excellent defense for Northwestern in centerfield (keep reading to hear more about her defense…) and she was the toughest out in the Eagles' lineup in conference play. In the 18 UMAC regular season games, Beer led UNW with a .509 batting average. She had an OPS (on base plus slugging percentage) of 1.235. She scored 21 runs in conference play (which led the team), had 16 RBIs, and had seven hits go for extra bases (six doubles and a home run) against conference opponents.

Nobody in the Eagles' lineup had more pop in their bat in 2024 than Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock). Let us rephrase: nobody in the conference had more pop in their bat than Keith. Keith hit 10 total home runs on the season and led the UMAC with four long balls in conference play. The junior's ten home runs set a new program record for most round-trippers in a single season. However, Keith wasn't just named First Team All-Conference because of the home runs. In UMAC competition, Keith hit .465, scored 12 runs, hit seven doubles, and collected a team-high 23 RBIs.

When opposing pitchers stepped into the circle against Northwestern, the first face they saw in the batters' box was the Eagles' lead-off hitter: Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian). This was a scary sight for opposing pitchers in 2024. Lane was named First Team All-UMAC after hitting .413, having an OPS of 1.227, scoring 15 runs, leading the team with 16 extra base hits (10 doubles, four triples, and two home runs), and driving in 16 runs in conference play.

Two pitchers and the person catching their pitches made up the trio of Eagles that were named All-Conference Honorable Mentions: Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian), Maddie Bottineau (Andover, Minn./Andover), and Megan Lundt (Frisco, Texas/Lone Star). Strubbe led the Eagles in victories in the circle in 2024 finishing at 5-2 in UMAC play. Out of her seven starts against conference opponents, Strubbe pitched a complete game in five of them. She had an ERA of 2.31 and struck out a team-high 44 batters.

Maddie Bottineau (Andover, Minn./Andover) made a big impression on the UMAC in her first season as an Eagle. Highlights from her first season include throwing a no-hitter against a conference opponent and being named an All-Conference Honorable Mention. Bottineau had an ERA of 2.43 and won three games in conference play. She pitched three complete games and struck out 25 batters.

Megan Lundt (Frisco, Texas/Lone Star), who did the catching (again, keep reading to hear more about her defensive performance in 2024…) for these All-Conference pitchers, also received Honorable Mention honors. Lundt, who consistently hits in the middle of the Eagles' lineup, finished with a batting average of .468 in conference play. She had an OPS of 1.041, scored 10 runs, hit five doubles, and had 12 RBIs.

As was foreshadowed earlier in this story, three Eagles were named to the 2024 UMAC All-Defensive Team and two of them were also recognized as All-Conference players. Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake), Megan Lundt (Frisco, Texas/Lone Star), and Jadyn Iverson (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo) were named to the All-Defensive team at their positions. One player from each position is chosen (three outfielders) as the top defensive player at that position in the conference. Beer was chosen as the top centerfielder in the conference, Lundt at catcher, and Iverson was recognized for her defense as first base.

Lindsey Dvorak (Richmond, Minn./ROCORI) was named to the UMAC All-Sportsmanship team. Dvorak was one of the senior leaders on this UNW Softball squad and has been a great representation of how to Compete With Purpose.