OLLU celebrated the accomplishments of the softball team from the 2022-2023 season during the virtual 11th Annual Big Blue Athletics Banquet.
The season was highlighted by the team’s first-ever NAIA World Series participation. The Saints won the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) regular season and tournament. They went on to win the San Antonio Bracket of the NAIA Opening Round and earned their first trip to the NAIA World Series. The team also won the NAIA Scholar-Team Award, and the coaching staff was selected as the NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year.
Cassandra Valdez and Madison Nunn were both selected to the NFCA-NAIA All-American First Team, while Valdez earned NAIA All-American First Team honors and Nunn received NAIA edam, earned a bevy of awards throughout the season.
In addition, Nunn was named OLLU’s Big Blue Top Saint Female Athlete of the Year.
OLLU softball standoutsCassandra Valdez and Madison Nunn have earned All-America recognition from multiple selectors.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) recognized Valdez and Nunn as First-Team NAIA All-Americans. The NAIA announced Valdez as a First-Team All-American, as selected by the NAIA Softball Coaches Association Committee, while granting Nunn Honorable Mention honors.
This is the first time OLLU softball student-athletes have earned First-Team All-American honors. In 2016, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association named Taylor Doege a Second-Team All-American.
In 2014, Katrisha Arocha was named to the NAIA Honorable Mention All-America Team.
Nunn, an outfielder, and Valdez, the Saints starting pitcher and third baseman, represent Region II of the NFCA for the NAIA. The two were earlier named to the NFCA-NAIA All-Region First Team.
Nunn played in her final year for the Saints. In the season, she recorded 137 at-bats, had 43 runs, 52 hits, 11 doubles, a leading five triples, 11 homer runs, a leading 47 RBIs, 16 walks, a leading 17 stolen bases, a leading .380 batting average, on-base percentage of .449 and a .774 slugging percentage. Nunn marked a 1.000 fielding percentage. She received All-Conference First-Team honors and was part of the All-Tournament Team. Earlier this year, she received NAIA Softball Player of the Week honors. In addition, Nunn was selected OLLU’s Big Blue Top Saint Female Athlete of the Year.
Valdez played two years for the Saints. In the season, she led the team in at-bats with 156, runs with 46, hits with 58, triples with five, home runs with 14, RBIs with 47, walks with 24, stole bases with 17, on-base percentage with .454 and slugging percentage with .782. In the circle, she was 28-5 and had three saves in 211.2 innings pitched with 274 strikeouts for an ERA of 1.72. She was named All-Conference First Team and received Pitcher and Player of the Year honors. She was also selected Tournament MVP. In addition, she was named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced the 149 student-athletes from 68 schools who comprise the 2023 NFCA NAIA All-Region teams.
Oregon Institute of Technology in Region IV led all schools with six players chosen for its region’s list, with four earning first-team recognition. Four schools — NAIA World Series participants Central Methodist (Region V) and Georgia Gwinnett (Region I), Our Lady of the Lake University (Region II) and Texas A&M-Texarkana (Region I) — had five selections each.
Baseball’s Alec Martinez and softball’s Madison Nunn have been named winners of the 2022-2023 Big Blue Top Saints awards.
As the Big Blue Top Saint Male Athlete of the Year, Martinez was recognized for multiple All-Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) and All-RRAC Tournament Awards and RRAC Pitcher of the Week honors. He earned an undergraduate degree in Biology in 2020 and is scheduled to complete his Master of Science in Nonprofit Management in fall 2023.
As the Big Blue Top Saint Female Athlete of the Year, Nunn was recognized for numerous awards, including All-RRAC and Defensive Player of the Year honors, RRAC Player of the Week and RRAC Scholar-Athlete awards. She earned an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and is pursuing a Master of Science in Psychology: Marriage and Family.
The Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) announced the 2023 RRAC Softball All-Conference Team and Player of the Year awards on May 4. Coaches determined the selections, with those on the first team being eligible for NAIA All-America consideration at the completion of the season.
The Saints ended the regular season with a 28-0 RRAC record and are now 43-4 overall with a 34-game winning streak. The Saints – the NAIA’s No. 2 team, Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) – won three of five top awards of the year and placed six on the all-conference first team and one on the second team.
The Saints’ Cassandra Valdez won RRAC Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year awards for the second year. Head Coach Bruce Lenington was selected as Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
The following are current, significant stats (top five) for all the honorees:
RRAC Player of the Year and RRAC Pitcher of the Year – Cassandra Valdez: She dominated the circle with 21 wins and 291 strikeouts – both conference-bests. She was also third in the conference in ERA (1.53). As a hitter, Valdez batted .398 (fifth in the conference) with a conference-best 13 home runs and conference second-best 39 RBIs. Her other stats include first in runs (38), first in slugging percentage (.864), fourth in hits (47), fifth in batting average (.398)
RRAC Coach of the Year – Bruce Lenington: In his fourth year at OLLU, Lenington guided the Saints to a 43-4 mark for the season so far. OLLU leads the conference with 327 runs, 93 doubles, 64 home runs, 302 RBIs, 148 walks, .426 on-base percentage and .609 slugging percentage. The Saints are also first in strikeouts with 291. They are second in hits with 385, triples with 28, and batting average at .334. The Saints are second in innings pitched with 279.2 and in ERA at 1.70. Finally, the Saints are first in overall fielding percentage at .970.
Rebecca Duran – first in runs (38), fifth in hits (45), fourth in doubles (13)
Madison Nunn – first in RBIs (40), second in home runs (10), second in slugging percentage (.792), fifth in runs (35), first in fielding percentage (1.000)
Madison Garza – third in slugging percentage (.675), fourth in doubles (14)
Caitlin Terrazas – first in hit-by-pitch (19), third in home runs (8)
