By ISU Sports Information
WICHITA, Kan. – Wednesday evening’s Missouri Valley Conference Tournament banquet was a time of celebration for the Illinois State softball team as six players were named to the All-MVC Teams.
Annie Heineman and Stephanie Gallant were named to the All-MVC First Team. Jordan de los Reyes, Regan Romshek and Riley Strandgard were named to the All-MVC Second Team while Kelsey Turczyn was named to the MVC All-Defensive Team.
Heineman led the Redbird offense this season, finished with a team-high in batting average (.345), hits (59) and stolen bases (11). She started all 53 games in centerfield and batted leadoff in every contest. Heineman was second on the team in runs scored with 39 and third in on-base percentage at .418.
The sophomore outfielder ranked in the top 10 in the MVC in batting average, hits and runs. She hit her first collegiate home run against North Texas in February and finished the regular season with seven homers, five of which came against Valley competition.
Despite batting leadoff, Heineman provided pop in the lineup, finishing the regular season with 15 extra-base hits, which ranked third on the team.
Gallant was named to the First Team for the second-straight year, and while her bat was important for the Redbirds’ success, her leadership behind the plate was vital. Gallant started all but six games at catcher and committed just four errors while leading the league in caught stealing.
At the plate, she hit .256 with five home runs and 28 RBIs. After a slow start to the season, Gallant heated up in time for Valley play and hit .286 against MVC opponents, including four of her five home runs on the season. At the beginning of April, Gallant carried a seven-game hit streak through the bulk of the MVC schedule.
De los Reyes continued to prove her hitting prowess as a sophomore, raising her numbers from her freshman campaign. On an ISU team that continually sent the ball out of the park, De los Reyes was the greatest of them all, crushing a league-high 16 home runs.
The Moline native tortured MVC pitching, slugging over .800 and striking out just 10 times. She hit .368 against Valley competition and hit a home run in nine of the ISU’s Valley games.
Romshek is named to the Second Team on the heels of her finest pitching performances this season. She struck out a season-high 11 batters against Drake on Sunday and it was the first time an ISU pitcher had struck out more than 10 batters since Romshek fanned 12 against Minnesota in 2013.
Along with being the ace of the pitching staff, Romshek has been a force with her bat as well. The junior led ISU in runs, doubles and triples and was second in on-base percentage, hits and home runs. In Valley play she batted an astounding .405 which led the team.
From March 14-April 3, Romshek put together a 10-game hit streak, the longest of any ISU player this season.
Strandgard was the lone ISU freshman to be honored Wednesday night. She burst on the scene during the Redbirds’ trip to Gainesville and played well enough to start the final 23 games at third base. Strandgard finished the season hitting .298 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs.
She hit a game-tying two-run homer in a comeback win over Loyola on April 25 and also had seven multi-hit games against Valley teams.
Kelsey Turczyn was named to the All-Defensive Team for her play in leftfield this season. The senior led the Redbird outfielders with five assists and made several highlight reel catches and throws.
ISU will open the MVC Tournament against Bradley at 12:04 p.m. in Wichita. Listen live here.
