LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Penn State softball saw a trio of student-athletes land National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Great Lakes Region accolades, including a pair of First Team selections following the organization's announcement Thursday afternoon.
Fifth-year pitcher Bailey Parshall and junior third baseman Emily Maddock each landed spots on the All-Region First Team, while fifth-year pitcher Kylee Lingenfelter appeared on the All-Region Third Team. PSU saw two athletes selected to the First Team for just the third time in program history and first time since the 2005 season. The Blue & White watched Megan Humphrey and Erin Norton take home that accolade in the 2001 campaign, followed by Ashley Esparza and Hollee Haines hauling in the same recognition four seasons later in 2005.
One of the most storied players in PSU softball history, Parshall secured her second-straight appearance on the NFCA All-Region First Team, landing that honor in 2022 after a record-setting season. The Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, native saw continued dominance in the circle in the 2023 season, setting Penn State's career record in strikeouts, shutouts and appearances over the course of the year. Parshall tossed 168.1 innings, logged a 17-9 record, finished the year with a 1.54 ERA and coupled that with 176 strikeouts against just 28 walks. Parshall secured PSU's 13th All-Region First Team selection and 29th appearance overall. Additionally, Parshall becomes just the third two-time First Team designee in school history, joining program legends in Esparza and Cassidy Bell.
A breakout star for the Nittany Lions in 2023, Maddock secures the first NFCA All-Region selection of her collegiate career, becoming the 18th player in school history to appear on an All-Region team. An All-Big Ten First Team member out of Kempton, Pennsylvania, Maddock logged the second-best batting average in the B1G and 15th-best in Division I with a .439 mark in the box. She finished the season with 43 hits, slugging at a .500 mark while reaching base at a .491 clip. Maddock became Penn State's 15th All-Region First Team choice and recorded the Nittany Lions' 30th All-Great Lakes Region accolade all-time.
Part of one of the most dominant one-two pitching duos in Big Ten history, Lingenfelter produced the best single season of her career during her final year in Happy Valley. She secured her first All-Region selection on Thursday, becoming the 19th individual to book those honors during her time in the Blue & White. The 2023 campaign saw Lingenfelter toss a total of 114 innings, notching 114 strikeouts against 35 walks in addition to booking a career-best 12-6 record in the circle. Lingenfelter earned PSU's third All-Region Third Team accolade and 31st All-Great Lakes Region award overall.
Behind the efforts of Parshall, Maddock and Lingenfelter, the Blue & White compiled a 31-16 overall record with an even 11-11 mark against Big Ten Conference competitors. After last season's 33-22 campaign, the Nittany Lions officially published back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time since the 2005 and 2006 teams accomplished that feat. In the 58-year history of Penn State softball, the 2023 edition of the Blue & White became just the 14th squad to meet the 30-win threshold. Penn State finished the Big Ten regular season with a .500-or-better record for the second straight season and accomplished that feat for the first time since the 2005 and 2006 teams did so.
ABOUT THE NFCA
Established in 1983, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play. Although collegiate coaches comprised the majority of the organization's membership in the early days, today they are joined by high school, travel ball, professional and international coaches, along with umpires, clubs, companies and fans of fastpitch softball. Growing from 40 members in 1983 to over 6,700 today, the NFCA boasts members from all 50 states and several international countries.
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