The Wichita State softball team wrapped up a successful 2016 season this May with an NCAA tournament appearance, the third in program history.
The team’s previous appearances came in 1989 and 2005. This time around, the Shockers traveled to Norman, Okla., for NCAA Regional battles with Oklahoma, Tulsa and Ole Miss.
The Shockers lost to Oklahoma and Ole Miss, but beat Tulsa for the first NCAA Regional win in school history.
The Shockers won the regular-season title and the MVC tournament title in the same year for the first time in head coach Kristi Bredbenner’s five-season tenure.
This was the team’s second regular-season title in three years and second conference tournament championship all-time. The team finished the regular season by winning 12 of its last 13 games, with the 12-game winning streak being the second longest in school history.
Each starter hit over .300 on the season, which contributed to a team batting average of .311. Wichita State finished the regular season with a record of 33-19, going 18-6 in the MVC.
The team’s overall record stood at 36-21 following post-season play.
Individually, Cacy Williams and Macklin Hitz were honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, with Williams being named to the NFCA Division I All-Midwest Region first team and Hitz to the second team.
Williams finished the regular season with a batting average of .362. She collected a team-high 55 hits, while also leading the Shockers in home runs (14) and RBI (48).
In three seasons, she has set the career home run record with 39 and the career RBI record with 133. She was also named to the MVC First Team and chosen as MVC Player of the Year.
Hitz was also a big contributor to the Shockers’ offense, finishing the regular season with a team-high batting average of .378. She played in 50 of the team’s 52 games and collected nine doubles, 10 home runs and 44 RBI.
She had 12 multiple-hit games and a hitting streak of eight games. Additionally, Paige Luellen set the Shocker record for walks in a season with 43.
Joining Williams and Hitz on the All-MVC first team were Liz Broyles and Brittany Fortner. Joining Luellen on the second team were Jenni Brooks and Mackenzie Wright.
Wright was also named to the All-MVC Defensive Team.
