By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The MIAA announced its postseason awards and All-MIAA teams for the 2023 softball season on Tuesday, and Missouri Western's Sydni Hawkins was named the league's Player of the Year after a record setting 2023.
Hawkins, who was MIAA Player of the Year in 2021 as well, was the league's top hitter this season with 77 hits and an MIAA-best batting average of .443.
The fifth-year senior from Wichita, Kansas, also led the league in doubles (19) and tied for second in triples (5) and ranked among the league's top-five scorers with 47 runs scored on the season.
Her on-base percentage of .476 and her OPS of 1.120 also ranked in the league's top 10.
What's more, Hawkins rewrote the MWSU record books this season. Her 293 career hits, 189 career runs and 62 career doubles are all program records she set in 2023.
Hawkins was named the Missouri Western Female Athlete of the Year on Monday at the annual Golden Griff awards at the Missouri Theatre.
Hawkins has earned all-MIAA accolades for each of the last four seasons and was first-team all-American and All-Region in 2021.
Five other Griffon softball players earned all-MIAA honors Tuesday. Pitcher Sam Pedersen and outfielder Mackenzie Devine were named to the second team, while pitcher Harley Pruetting, catcher Kennedy Preston and outfielder Abby Dickey were honorable mention selections.
These players helped lead Missouri Western (35-18) to the No. 6 seed in the MIAA tournament, where the Griffons will take on the defending MIAA tournament champion and defending national champion Rogers State (41-10) in Topeka, Kansas Wednesday.
First pitch from the Envista Softball Complex is set for 5:30 p.m. Live coverage on St. Joseph Post starts at 5 p.m. You can listen live here.
Hawkins and Missouri Western head softball coach Joe Yegge talk about the postseason honors and the MIAA tournament below.
Sydni Hawkins interview
Joe Yegge interview