Wichita State’s Jaegers named MVC’s top defensive player

Wichita State catcher Melanie Jaegers earned Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors to lead four Shockers on the All-MVC softball team.

Third baseman Mackenzie Wright, who hit .364 with three home runs and 18 steals, is the first WSU freshman named All-MVC since 2005, when shortstop Britnee Barnett and Katie McGeeney earned spots. Wright is the first freshman on the team since Creighton’s Bri Lingl in 2012.

Utility player Cacy Williams, last season’s Player of the Year, and outfielder Brittany Fortner joined them on the first team. Williams hit .291 with nine home runs and 37 RBI. Fortner led the Shockers with a .417 batting average, a .680 slugging percentage and 45 RBI. She hit nine home runs and a team-leading 17 doubles.

Jaegers threw out 19 of 33 runners to lead the MVC and set a WSU record with 18 pickoffs to earn the individual honor and a spot on the All-Defensive Team. She hit .288 with six home runs.

Pitcher Katie Malone, second baseman Kelli Spring and second baseman Liz Broyles earned second-team All-MVC.

Indiana State first baseman Megan Stone is the MVC Player of the Year after hitting .413 as a senior. Drake senior Rebekah Schmidt, who threw 21 complete games and struck out an average of 7.55 batters in MVC games, is the Pitcher of the Year. Missouri State outfielder Erika Velasquez Zimmer was named Newcomer of the Year.

MVC champion Drake took the Coaching Staff of the Year of the year honor.

The MVC Tournament begins on Thursday at Wilkins Stadium. Fourth-seeded WSU plays at 2:34 p.m.

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Wichita State’s Jaegers named MVC’s top defensive player."