By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – Illinois State softball’s Riley Strandgard and Jordan de los Reyes have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Mideast Region teams, as announced by the NFCA Thursday. Strandgard was named to the second team, while de los Reyes earned third team honors.
Strandgard settled into the shortstop position this season and thrived. She was named to the All-MVC Second Team, MVC All-Tournament Team and named an MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention. Strandgard started all 53 games at shortstop and led the team in batting average (.368), hits (60), triples (2), total bases (91), slugging percentage (.558) and on-base percentage (.421).
The sophomore had 18 multi-hit games, including five with three hits. After a slow start, she had 16 hits during the team’s 11-game road trip March 3-12. She followed that stretch up by striking out only three times from March 11 – April 23, including 17 games in that span without a strike out.
De los Reyes flourished behind the plate this season, becoming the team’s everyday catcher. Along with All-Region honors, de los Reyes has already earned All-MVC First Team, All-MVC Defensive Team and was named MVC Defensive Player of the Year. She ends the season ranked fourth in program history in home runs, fifth in RBIs and third in slugging percentage.
De los Reyes started all 53 games, primarily at catcher and hit .333 with 54 hits, 32 RBIs and 21 runs scored. Of her 54 hits, she hit 10 doubles, a triple and seven home runs, while leading the team in home runs, RBIs, walks and fielding percentage. Behind the plate, she threw out 18 runners stealing, including eight of 11 in MVC play.
