SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – North Dakota State had five selections to the Summit League Softball All-League Awards, as selected by the league head coaches and announced by the league Tuesday morning. Headlining the honors for the Bison with first team selections were Dez Cardenas and Cameryn Maykut.
Cardenas and Maykut each earned All-League First Team honors for the first time in their careers. Maykut, a senior, was selected to the infield and Cardenas, a junior, was selected to the outfield. Joining them on the all-league team were senior pitcher Paige Vargas, and sophomores Emilee Buringa and Reanna Rudd, as the trio earned All-League Second Team honors.
Cardenas started every game for the NDSU in right field, and led the team it hitting, as she batted .353 on the season, which was also in the top 10 in the Summit League. Cardenas was one of four Bison to lead the league with 13 doubles on the season. She also had two triples and a home run to go along with 29 RBIs and 29 runs scored. Cardenas also had 16 walks for a .425 on base percentage, which was in the top 10 in the league.
Like Cardenas, Maykut also started every game for the Bison and joined Cardenas in the team and league lead in doubles with 13. The first baseman was second on the team with a .331 batting average and she led the Bison and the Summit League with 48 RBIs on the season. Maykut, who added four home runs at the plate, had 51 hits which was in the league top 10. She also scored 29 runs and had 16 walks.
Vargas made 24 appearances in the circle for the Bison in her senior season, posting a 14-9 record with a 2.32 earned run average, which was fourth best in the league. A workhorse for the Bison, Vargas tossed 153.2 innings and had four shutouts on the season, including a two-hitter against Virginia. She finished the season with 140 strikeouts, which was third best in the league. Vargas is the only repeat honoree for the Bison, as she earned second team honors in 2019.
Buringa, who started every game in centerfield for NDSU, earned an all-league selection for the first time after a breakout season. The sophomore finished the regular season with 46 hits and 25 walks as she posted a .311 batting average and a team best .425 on base percentage, which was also in the league top 10. Buringa had 16 extra base hits with nine doubles, a triple, and six home runs. She also had a perfect fielding percentage with 66 putouts and two outfield assists.
Rudd also earned all-league honors for the first time as she was named to the designated player/utility player slot following a powerful season at the plate. Rudd led the Bison with eight home runs on the year, which was seventh in the league. She also had four doubles and finished the season with 26 RBIs and 17 runs scored. Rudd also had 13 walks for a .359 on base percentage.
It is the second-straight season the Bison finished with five all-league selections. Last season the Bison had just one first team selection.
North Dakota State will begin the Summit League Championship on Wednesday, May 11, as they carry the No. 3 seed into the opening round and take on No. 6 seed North Dakota. First pitch is slated for 4:30 p.m. in Brookings, South Dakota.
2022 All-Summit League Softball Teams and Individual Awards
Player of the Year: Rozelyn Carrillo, South Dakota State
Pitcher of the Year: Grace Glanzer, South Dakota State
Defensive Player of the Year: Rozelyn Carrillo, South Dakota State
Freshman of the Year: Brooke Ellestad, St. Thomas
Coach of the Year: Krista Wood, South Dakota State
First Team
P – Grace Glanzer, South Dakota State
P – Tori Kniesche, South Dakota State
P – Kamryn Meyer, Omaha
C – Allison Yoder, South Dakota State
INF – Rozelyn Carrillo, South Dakota State
INF – Brooke Ellestad, St. Thomas
INF – Cylie Halvorson, South Dakota State
INF – Cameryn Maykut, North Dakota State
INF – Aleesia Sainz, South Dakota
OF – Dez Cardenas, North Dakota State
OF – Izzy Eltze, Omaha
OF – Kloe Hilbrenner, Kansas City
OF – Madi Moore, North Dakota
DP – Jordyn Pender, South Dakota
Second Team
P – Clara Edwards, South Dakota
P – Mia Hoveland, Kansas City
P – Paige Vargas, North Dakota State
C – Bela Goerke, South Dakota
INF – Cheyanne Masterson, South Dakota State
INF – Lynsey Tucker, Omaha
INF – Tatum Villotta, South Dakota
INF – Ally Vonfeldt, Kansas City
INF – Jamie White, Omaha
OF – Emilee Buringa, North Dakota State
OF – Jocelyn Carrillo, South Dakota State
OF – Gabby Moser, South Dakota
OF – Courtney Wilson, South Dakota
DP – Reanna Rudd, North Dakota State
*Ben Dishong, NDSU Athletics
