MOREHEAD, Ky. – In recognition of the Morehead State softball's team's offensive prowess, three Eagles were named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference teams in voting done by the league's softball coaches and the sport's communication contacts, the OVC office announced Tuesday morning.
Sophomore outfielder
Maddy Christopher (Marengo, Ill. Marengo HS) and sophomore infielders
Kendra Lewis (Ankeny, Iowa Ankeny HS) and
Sela Pickford (Poquoson, Va. Poquoson HS) became the 55th, 56th and 57th Eagles to earn end-of-season all-conference honors. Christopher was named to the First Team, while Lewis and Pickford were tabbed on the Second Team.
"We are so proud of our Eagles for their all-conference accolades," said MSU head coach
Megan Griffith. "Each of these athletes competed all season. Maddy, Sela and Kendra were a huge part of our offensive successes this year."
The selections mark the third straight year Morehead State had individuals recognized on either the First Team, Second Team or Newcomer Team. The three award winners were the most since the Blue and Gold had three honorees in 2017. You must go back all the way to 2010 to find three MSU players placed on the First or Second Team. Christopher was Morehead State's first First-Team All-OVC selection since
Emily Williams in 2023.
Despite their 8-41 overall record and 6-20 conference mark, the Eagles put together an historic season offensively. MSU posted a .274 team batting average, its best since 2013. It had 10 games in which it recorded double-digit hits, the most since 2016. The club also had at least five hits in 36 games, four or more five additional times and at least three in all but five contests. MSU also recorded its most hits in a season since 2013, its most runs since 2016, its most RBI since 2013, its most doubles since 2009, its most triples since 2017, its most homers since 2018, its most walks since 2011 and its fewest strikeouts since 2013.
Christopher finished the campaign hitting .368, scoring 27 runs, collecting 57 hits, in 155 at-bats, with three doubles, 11 RBI, 60 total bases, seven walks and seven stolen bases, while recording a .387 slugging percentage and a .395 on-base percentage over 48 games, all of which she started. She also notched a 14-game hitting streak, from March 30 to April 27, the second longest known mark in MSU history.
Christopher's batting average was the 10th-best in MSU history. She also tied for seventh in single season hits and tied for second with 55 singles. In the OVC, she ranked seventh in batting average, fifth in hits and seventh in at-bats. She led the team in batting average, hits, sacrifice bunts and stolen bases.
"I'm extremely honored to be named first-team all-conference. This season I felt I was seeing the ball really well and just had a lot of fun," Christopher said. "It was exciting to see Sela and Kendra be named all-conference as well. It is very well deserved for them and is a reflection of how much work they put in."
Lewis tallied a .351 batting average, a 1.118 OPS, scored 37 times, recorded 10 hits, in 134 at-bats, with 10 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 31 RBI, 88 total bases, 28 walks, six stolen bases, a .657 slugging percentage and a .461 on-base percentage, playing and starting in all 49 games.
She finished among MSU's single-season all-time top-10 in runs (tied for fifth), home runs (tied for sixth), total bases (10th), slugging percentage (third), on-base percentage (seventh) and walks (tied for fourth). She led the Eagles in six categories (runs, home runs, total bases, RBI, stolen bases and slugging percentage).
Lewis sits 10th in the OVC in batting average, fourth in runs, tied for fourth in home runs, fifth in total bases, second in walks, third in on-base percentage, third in slugging percentage, eighth in assists (89) and second in fielding double plays (13).
"I'm so grateful and honored to be named second-team all-conference. I felt good at the plate this season and am proud of how I performed individually," Lewis said. "I'm especially happy for my teammates, Sela and Maddy, for also being recognized – we pushed each other all year, and it's awesome to see that pay off for all of us."
Pickford complied a .331 batting average, with 157 at bats, 25 runs, 52 hits, 12 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 28 RBI, 82 total bases, 11 walks, three total sacrifices, a .522 slugging percentage, a .380 on-base percentage and a .966 fielding percentage. Like Christopher and Lewis, she started every game she played, 49. Pickford, Lewis and senior outfielder
Darlene Montoya played and started in all 49 games.
She even saw spot duty pitching, appearing in nine games, with a 0-2 record, a 6.13 ERA, with four strikeouts and three walks in 16 innings.
Pickford also recorded the longest hitting streak on record at MSU at 15 games, from March 30 to May 3. She also opened the year with a nine-game hitting streak.
She finished seventh in hits, 10th in doubles, tied for fourth in triples, seventh in total bases, third in assists (112) and tied for eighth in fielding double plays (seven) in the OVC. She led the team in doubles, triples and at-bats.
"Seeing my name for All-OVC really made all the extra reps outside of practice worth it," Pickford said. "Even though (the) season didn't go how we planned, I have gotten stronger, faster and improved my skills tremendously this season."
2025 All-Ohio Valley Conference Softball Teams
2025 OVC CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kendall Grover, Eastern Illinois
2025 OVC CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Payton Brown, Western Illinois
2025 OVC PITCHER OF THE YEAR: McKenzie Oslanzi, Eastern Illinois
2025 OVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Avery Arwood, SIUE
2025 OVC COACH OF THE YEAR: Ben Sorden, SIUE
FIRST TEAM
P - McKenzie Oslanzi, Eastern Illinois - So. - Marseilles, Ill.
P – Karlie McKenzie, Eastern Illinois – Jr. – Cottage Grove, Wis.
P – Avery Arwood, SIUE – Fr. – St. Joseph, Mich.
C – Sydney Melton, Southeast Missouri – Sr. – Eddyville, Ky.
IF - Kendall Grover, Eastern Illinois – Jr. – Mooresville, Ind.
IF – Sydney Dennis, Southeast Missouri – Sr. – Eureka, Mo.
IF – Kaylynn Salyars, SIUE – Sr. – Muscatine, Iowa
IF – Payton Brown, Western Illinois – So. – Taylor Ridge, Ill.
OF – Karson Davey, Eastern Illinois – So. – Montgomery, Ill.
OF – Maddy Christopher, Morehead State – So. – Marengo, Ill.
OF – Madison Winkler, Southeast Missouri – Jr. – Crofton, Ky.
DP – Morgan Hance, Eastern Illinois – Fr. – Clay City, Ill.
UTIL – Piper Montgomery, SIUE – Sr. – Arnold, Mo.
At-Large – Brooklyn Saysoff, Southeast Missouri – So. – Blue Springs, Mo.
SECOND TEAM
P – Avery Wapp, Lindenwood – Jr. – Bloomington, Ill.
P – Delaney Kell, Southeast Missouri – Sr. – Salem, Ill.
C – Tori Hatton, Lindenwood – Jr. – Troy, Mo.
IF – Kendra Lewis, Morehead State – So. – Ankeny, Iowa
IF – Sela Pickford, Morehead State – So. – Poquoson, Va.
IF – Emma Henderson, SIUE – Sr. – Battle Ground, Ind.
IF – Sydney Kirby, Tennessee Tech – Sr. – Cypress, Texas
OF – Abbey Crain, Eastern Illinois – Gr. – Carterville, Ill.
OF – Nicole Henson, Lindenwood – Sr. – West Branch, Iowa
OF – Caroline Stapleton, Southern Indiana – Jr. – Shirley, Ind.
DP – Hailey Hunt, Tennessee State – Fr. – Clermont, Fla.
UTIL – Jordan Mackey, Southern Indiana – Fr. – Evansville, Ind.
At-Large – Kylie Witthaus, Southern Indiana – Fr. – Jonesburg, Mo.
At-Large – Alli Robinson, UT Martin – Gr. – Buckhannon, W. Va.\
ALL-NEWCOMER
Payton Brown, Western Illinois – So. – Taylor Ridge, Ill.
Avery Arwood, SIUE - Fr. – St. Joseph, Mich.
Morgan Hance, Eastern Illinois – Fr. – Clay City, Ill.
Madison Winkler, Southeast Missouri – Jr. – Crofton, Ky.
Hailey Hunt, Tennessee State – Fr. – Clermont, Fla.
Kylie Witthaus, Southern Indiana – Fr. – Jonesburg, Mo.
Ryleigh Owens, Lindenwood – Jr. – Edwardsville, Ill.
Jordan Mackey, Southern Indiana – Fr. – Evansville, Ind.
Abbi Hatton, Eastern Illinois – Fr. – Neoga, Ill.
Ruby Tarr, Western Illinois – Fr. – Sydney, Ill.
Jace Jackson, Tennessee State – So. – Locust Grove, Ga.
Kaylin Fahy, SIUE – Jr. – Niles, Ill.
