MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its major award winners and all-conference team for the 2025 softball season.
Concordia University Wisconsin senior shortstop
Jess Pozezinski repeated as NACC Position Player of the Year, while Dominican University senior
Emma Woodhouse was named NACC Pitcher of the Year and fellow Star
Isabella Olmos, an infielder, was named NACC Freshman of the Year. Additionally, Concordia University Chicago was recognized as the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.
NACC Position Player of the Year --- Jess Pozezinski, sr., SS, Concordia University Wisconsin
Pozezinski, a senior shortstop, once again ranked as one of the NACC's most consistent offensive threats. In 39 games headed into the NCAA Tournament, Pozezinski hit .432 with a .513 on-base percentage and a .904 slugging per centage. She had 54 hits in 125 at-bat with 17 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 48 runs scored, and 37 runs batted in. Pozezinski also drew 21 walks, was hit by a pitch twice, and stole four bases. She posted a .896 fielding percentage defensively, committing just 14 errors in 135 total chances.
Pozezinski had 15 multiple-hit games, including a NACC season-best 5-for-5 effort with two doubles, one home run, four RBIs, and three runs scored in a game at Aurora on April 12. She also went 4-for-5 with a double, a home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored in a win over Benedictine three days later. Pozezinski had 10 multiple-RBI games.
Pozezinski currently ranks in the top 30 nationally in slugging percentage (13th), home runs (18th), doubles (18th), and runs scored (27th) with NACC-leading totals in all but doubles (Olivia Hebert, Edgewood, 20). She also ranks second amongst all NACC hitters in batting average, fourth in RBIs, and fifth in hits.
Pozezinski is the only CUW student-athlete to be recognized as NACC Position Player of the Year, and the third all-time to receive the honor more than once (Lexi Martin, Wisconsin Lutheran, 2021-22; Dana Cebular, Aurora, 2007-08).
NACC Pitcher of the Year --- Emma Woodhouse, sr., Dominican University
Woodhouse made 24 starts in 29 appearances this season, posting an 18-6 record with a 1.99 earned-run average, 107 strikeouts, and four saves while walking just 31 batters. She amassed 148.0 innings pitched and twirled 15 complete games with five shutouts.
Woodhouse struck out at least seven batters on five occasions, including a NACC season-high 10 against Lebanon Valley on March 2.
She also batted .283 (13-of-46) with a double and five RBIs and was 5-of-7 on stolen-base attempts.
Woodhouse led all NACC pitchers in victories, saves and WHIP (1.07), and ranked second in games started, innings pitched, shutouts, and hits allowed per seven innings (6.01), third in appearances, earned-run average, strikeouts, and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.45), fourth in complete games, and strikeouts per seven innings (5.3).
Woodhouse is the third Dominican pitcher to be named NACC Pitcher of the Year. Kayla Faber-Cournane received the honor last year, while Emily Mahoney was recognized in 2013.
NACC Freshman of the Year --- Isabella Olmos, INF, Dominican University
Olmos started every game for the Stars in 2025 except the season opener against RPI, registering a .355 batting average, a .410 on-base percentage, and a .532 slugging percentage in 42 games. She finished the year 50-of-141 with seven doubles, three triples, four home runs, 24 RBIs, and 39 runs scored, while also drawing 11 walks and being hit by a pitch three times. She was also a perfect 29-for-29 on stolen-base attempts, posting five games with multiple swipes. On two occations Olmos stole three bases in a game - March 6 against Emmanuel (Mass.) and April 30 against Elmhurst.
Olmos had 15 multiple-hit games, including a 4-for-4 effort with three runs scored and a NACC season-high three doubles in a 9-0, game-one win over Aurora on April 6. She also had four multiple-RBI games, including a season-high four as part of a 3-for-6 effort with a double and two runs scored in the final game of the regular season against Concordia Chicago.
She ranked second amongst NACC players in stolen bases and stolen bases per game (0.69), fourth in runs scored and runs per game (0.93), fifth in total bases (75), ninth in triples, and 11th in hits. She is also just one of 22 players in NCAA Division III (who meet the required minimums) to not be caught stealing this season.
Olmos is the second Dominican student-athlete to be named NACC Freshman of the Year (Cat Klostermann, 2017).
NACC Coaching Staff of the Year --- Concordia University Chicago (Sarah O'Malley-Fisher, head coach)
The Cougars, led by 13th-year head coach
Sarah O'Malley-Fisher, posted a 23-17-1 mark overall and tied for third place in the final NACC standings with a 16-8 record. The third-place NACC finish and 16-8 league mark both ranked as program-bests for CUC under O'Malley-Fisher and represent a stark improvement from a 2024 season that saw the Cougars record an 11-26-1 mark overall and finish 11th in the NACC with just seven league wins.
The Cougars hit .317 as a team with a .380 on-base percentage, and a .417 slugging percentage. They also hit 13 home runs, good for fourth in the NACC. The Cougars drew 25 hit-by-pitches - second in the league - and, defensively, turned a league-high-tying 16 doubles plays.
O'Malley-Fisher, who has led the Cougars since 2013, is assisted by
Dave Golitko,
Taylor Kulaszewicz,
Tony Leopold,
Izzy Ortiz,
Sydney Paulauskis-Lauher, and
Bella Archuletta.
This is the first time a CUC coaching staff has been recognized by the league's head coaches. Overall, the program has had two other NACC major award winners - both coached by O'Malley-Fisher. Archuletta was named NACC South Division Freshman of the Year in 2021, and
Melissa Balkema was named NACC Position Player of the Year in 2018.
All-Conference Team Announced
A total of 26 student-athletes from 11 NACC schools received all-conference honors this season. Both Concordia Wisconsin and Dominican received four all-conference honors, each landing three on the first team and one on the second team. Benedictine and Concordia Chicago each earned three all-league selections, with Benedictine landing two on the first team. Aurora, Lakeland, MSOE, and St. Norbert all had two all-conference picks with MSOE landing two on the first team and Aurora and Lakeland each securing one on the top team. Alverno and Edgewood both placed their lone all-league pick on the first team, while Marian's lone representative was situated on the second team.
| 2025 All-NACC Softball Team |
| Position Player of the Year - Jess Pozezinski, sr., SS, Concordia Wisconsin |
| Pitcher of the Year - Emma Woodhouse, sr., P/DP, Dominican |
| Freshman of the Year - Isabella Olmos, INF, Dominican |
| Coaching Staff of the Year - Concordia Chicago (Sarah O'Malley-Fisher, head coach) |
|
|
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Giselle Moreno |
Alverno |
Jr. |
INF |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Katelyn Serafin |
Aurora |
Fr. |
P |
North Aurora, Ill. |
| Mckenzie Johnson |
Benedictine |
Jr. |
P |
Cary, Ill. |
| Morgan Bruno |
Benedictine |
Jr. |
INF |
Romeoville, Ill. |
| McKyler Morris |
Concordia Chicago |
So. |
UT |
Belvidere, Ill. |
| Megan Bloyer |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
1B/C |
Oregon, Wis. |
| Jess Pozezinski |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
SS |
Lake Villa, Ill. |
| Emma Shellstrom |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
P/OF |
San Diego, Calif. |
| Isabella Olmos |
Dominican |
Fr. |
INF |
Mokena, Ill. |
| Liliana Santoyo |
Dominican |
Sr. |
SS |
Crete, Ill. |
| Emma Woodhouse |
Dominican |
Sr. |
P/DP |
Sacramento, Calif. |
| Olivia Hebert |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
C |
Middleton, Wis. |
| Jordan August |
Lakeland |
Sr. |
C |
Schererville, Ind. |
| Jayda Nelson |
MSOE |
So. |
INF |
Appleton, Wis. |
| Katie Pollock |
MSOE |
So. |
P/INF |
Griffith, Ind. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Aubrey Ortiz |
Aurora |
So. |
OF |
Escondido, Calif. |
| Stephani DeBise |
Aurora |
So. |
INF |
Peyton, Colo. |
| Haley Barnes |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
INF |
Buffalo Grove, Ill. |
| Jessica Geng |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
C/3B |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
| Emily Garcia |
Concordia Chicago |
So. |
UT |
Eastvale, Calif. |
| Jenna Shadoski |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
OF |
Janesville, Wis. |
| Raegyn Davis |
Dominican |
Fr. |
C/INF |
Gilbert, Ariz. |
| Maddie Raske |
Lakeland |
So. |
OF |
Tinley Park, Ill. |
| Ariana Schliepp |
Marian |
Jr. |
C/INF |
Elkhorn, Wis. |
| Ava Engwall |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
INF/OF |
Elk Grove Village, Ill. |
| Allison Ardito |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
INF |
Bartlett, Ill. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Nina Richards |
Aurora |
Sr. |
INF |
Terre Haute, Ind. |
| Victoria Duszynski |
Benedictine |
Jr. |
OF |
Norridge, Ill. |
| Alyssa Campos |
Concordia Chicago |
Fr. |
P |
Eastvale, Calif. |
| Kaitlyn Way |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
INF |
Blaine, Minn. |
| Priscylla Rutter |
Dominican |
Sr. |
DP/INF |
Arleta, Calif. |
| Lauren Prigge |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
P |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Lexi Howard |
Lakeland |
Fr. |
C/INF |
Crown Point, Ind. |
| Sabrina DiVito |
Marian |
So. |
P/INF |
Prospect Heights, Ill. |
| Erin Cowe |
Marian |
So. |
P/OF |
Palos Hills, Ill. |
| Kendall Pliner |
Marian |
Sr. |
INF |
Mayville, Wis. |
| McKenna Repovich |
Marian |
So. |
P/INF |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| Alyssa Jacobson |
MSOE |
Sr. |
OF |
Horicon, Wis. |
| Autumn Sadler |
MSOE |
Fr. |
C/INF |
Muskego, Wis. |
| Chayton Krueger |
Rockford |
Sr. |
INF |
Lafayette, Ind. |
| Kariana Williams |
Rockford |
Sr. |
P/OF |
Pensacola, Fla. |
| Bella Lima |
Rockford |
Sr. |
OF/P |
Foley, Ala. |
| Teagan Piven |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Fr. |
P |
Plainfield, Ill. |