NIACC's Lienhard is league's player of year, Egger earns coach of year award

MASON CITY - NIACC sophomore Laken Lienhard has been selected as the 2023 ICCAC Division II softball offensive player of the year and Matt Egger was selected as the league's 2023 coach of the year.

Lienhard, who was selected as a first-team all-region utility player, hit .532 in ICCAC contests with 16 doubles, seven home runs and 31 RBIs. As a pitcher, Lienhard was 11-3 in league games with a 4.00 earned run average with 58 strikeouts and 20 walks in 71 2/3 innings pitched.

Egger earned the league's coach of the year honors as he led the Trojans to an overall record of 36-13. The Trojans were 19-5 in league play and placed second in the ICCAC Division II standings, which earned them the right to host the NJCAA Region 11-B tournament for the first time in school history.

Egger guided a turnaround of 33 games in the win column from the 2022 to 2023 season.

A total of 10 NIACC players earned all-region honors, including four first-team selections, three second-team selections and three honorable mention picks.

Earning first-team all-region honors for the Trojans were Lienahard (utility), sophomore Brianna McPoland (catcher), freshman Emily Jones (infield) and freshman Brynnlin Kroymann (designated player).

NIACC's second-team all-region selections were freshman Brynn Stalberger (pitcher), freshman Katy Olive (infield) and sophomore Sydney Toman (outfield).

NIACC's honorable mention all-region picks were sophomore Ravyn Krachey (infield) and sophomore outfielders Taya Tucker and Shaye Theobald.

McPoland hit .437 with three doubles and 11 RBIs in league play.

Jones hit .422 with 11 home runs, 10 doubles and 41 RBIs in conference competition.

Kroymann hit .371 with five doubles, two  home runs and 20 RBIs in league play.

Olive hit .325 with six home runs, 18 RBIs, 31 stolen bases and scored 34 runs in conference competition.

Toman hit .389 with 10 home runs, 32 RBIs and scored 26 runs in league games.

In league play, Stalberger was 6-2 with a 4.68 earned run average with 53 strikeouts and 33 walks in 67 1/3 innings pitched.

Krachey hit .347 with four doubles, one home run and 17 RBIs in league play.

Tucker hit .308 with three doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs in league play.

Theobald hit .219 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in league competition.