Trio of Belles Tabbed All-MIAA as Cassie Young Named MIAA MVP

FREELAND, Mich. - Cassie Young became the third Saint Mary's softball player in program history to earn Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Most Valuable Player accolades as she, Jamie Young, and Morgan Raymer were all recognized with All-MIAA honors as announced by the league on Thursday.

Cassie Young was both an All-MIAA First Team and Most Valuable Player selection after leading the conference in batting average and total hits while posting multiple hits in nine of 16 league games in 2016. A two-time MIAA Player of the Week this spring, the sophomore outfielder was tied for second in doubles, tied for fourth in runs scored, and seventh in on-base percentage. In centerfield, she had 23 putouts and a pair of outfield assists while not committing an error for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in conference play. She is the first member of the softball program to earn MIAA MVP honors since 2010 and is the first underclass student-athlete to do so for the Belles since 2006. Additionally, the All-MIAA First Team honor is the first of her career after being named All-MIAA Second Team last spring.

Jamie Young was also tabbed as an All-MIAA First Team honoree for the 2016 season. The sophomore shortstop led the conference in at bats while being tied for second in runs scored, tied for fifth in total hits, tied for sixth in stolen bases, and 14th in overall batting average. Young had at least one hit in 14 of the 16 league games in 2016. She had the best batting average among MIAA shortstops while boasting a .938 fielding percentage in conference games during the season. An All-MIAA Second Team honoree in 2015, the First Team honor is the first of her career.

Morgan Raymer was an All-MIAA Second Team selection after a solid season both at bat and in the pitching circle. The sophomore was tied for the tenth-highest batting average in conference play while posting the fourth-best on-base percentage of the season. Pitching, she was tied for the league lead in total wins, was fourth in total innings pitched, sixth in strikeouts, and eighth in strikeouts per game. It is the first All-MIAA honor of her career.

It is the second consecutive season the Saint Mary's softball program has garnered three All-MIAA honors. Additionally, it is the seventh time in program history the Belles have had multiple First Team student-athletes. A member of the Saint Mary's softball program has been recognized with all-conference honors each year since joining the MIAA in the 1997-98 academic year.

2016 All-MIAA Softball Honors
Most Valuable Player: Cassie Young, Saint Mary's
Most Valuable Pitcher: Morgan Stratton, Alma

2016 All-MIAA Softball First Team
Autumn Anderson, Hope
Sarah Collier, Alma
Erin DuRoss, Kalamazoo
Kaylee Fox, Trine
Anna Gernant, Calvin
Lydia Gildea, Calvin
Ashlynn Grubb, Olivet
Kendra Marshall, Trine
Justine Robles, Trine
Morgan Stratton, Alma
Cassie Young, Saint Mary's
Jamie Young, Saint Mary's

2016 All-MIAA Softball Second Team
Sammi Adams, Hope
Kaitlyn Clark, Trine
Bre Cooper, Trine
Maddie DeGroot, Calvin
Sydney Jones, Hope
Katie McClure, Alma
Sierra Mutschler, Hope
Rachell Noble, Trine
Morgan Raymer, Saint Mary's
Ashley Riemersma, Calvin
Taylor Smith, Olivet
K’ya Toles-Burton, Adrian