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Local teammates continue to shine in Collegiate Level

Two former local standout softball players have been making waves throughout the Landmark Division in the NFCS Division III softball scene.

They were:

Courtesy of Elizabethtown Athletics

LOUISVILLE, Kent. — Freshman Kadyn Crisswell was named to the NFCA Division III All-Region V First Team on Monday. Crisswell is the first all-region honoree for the Elizabethtown College softball team since 2019.

Crisswell made her name known from the get-go. She compiled hits in eight of her first 10 career games played in Florida during Etown’s spring break trip and finished the season with a team-high 49.

She led the Blue Jays offensively while taking firm hold of the starting center field position for much of the season. Crisswell ranked top five in the conference in multiple categories.

Named a First Team outfielder by the Landmark Conference, Crisswell was selected as a First Team outfielder for Region V. She is the first all-region outfielder since Marian Guzik was a Third Team selection in 2009. Crisswell is the first player since Kelli Thon in 2006 to be named a First Team All-Region outfielder.

Crisswell, along with the other all-region honorees, will move forward to be considered for selection for the three NFCA Division III All-America squads, which will be announced May 24.

Hoppel Selected Third Team All-Region

Courtesy of Penn State Altoona Athletics

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Another individual recognition for a member of the Penn State Altoona softball team rolled in on Monday, when freshman first baseman Gianna Hoppel (Lewistown, PA/Mifflin County) was named to the third team of the Division III All-Region squad by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).

Hoppel is one of just three Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference players selected to the All-Region team, which represents Region VII of Division III softball. The All-Region awards honor student-athletes from the NFCA’s 10 regions and are nominated and voted upon by member coaches.

Hoppel appeared in 29 total games for Penn State Altoona, including making 26 starts while enjoying a strong freshman season with the Lions. She led the AMCC in batting average (.462) this spring while also ranking second in on-base percentage (.488), sixth in sacrifice hits (4) and home runs (1), ninth in slugging percentage (.538), 16th in hits (36), 20th in runs scored (21), 22nd in total bases (42), and 26th in runs batted in (16). The freshman fielded her position well, finishing 13th in the AMCC in fielding percentage (.982) while ranking fourth in putouts (160).

Last Thursday, Hoppel was announced as having been voted to the first team of the AMCC’s All-Conference team.

All honorees on the NFCA All-Region teams move forward to be considered for selection for the three NFCA Division III All-America squads, which will be announced next Tuesday, May 24.

Penn State Altoona softball went 20-13 overall this season, including going 12-4 in the AMCC to place second in the conference’s regular season standings. The team’s total of 20 overall wins was its most since 2018, and its 12 AMCC wins were the most since 2017. Penn State Altoona also made a strong run in the AMCC Tournament, reaching the championship game and finishing as the conference runners-up – the program’s best finish in the AMCC Tournament since 2014.

Editor’s note: Both players had spent time as teammates coming up through the local travel team and local softball programs.

Two other players from their travel team are playing college softball as well.   Morgan Brumbaugh, who is a 2021 graduate of Mount Union is currently playing at Shippensburg. And Alyssa Souders, a 2021 graduate of Mifflin County is playing at West Virginia Wesleyen.

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