Trio Garner All-Heart Awards
Oskaloosa–Three members of the Statesmen softball team received postseason recognition as the 2024 all-Heart of America Athletic Conference teams were announced Friday.
Outfielder Peyton Naranjo (Fr., Ripon, Calif., Biology) led William Penn as she was one of 20 individuals named to the second team. Utility player Laila Smith (Fr., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education) and pitcher Chelsey Huff (Jr., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) were part of the 20-person honorable-mention squad as well.
An additional 20 players earned first-team laurels.
The award is the third for Huff, while Naranjo and Smith are first-time honorees.
The trio helped WPU to a 21-27 record this spring, including a 10-14 mark in the Heart.
Naranjo hit .352 (38-for-108) in 2024 with four doubles, 15 RBIs, and eight runs scored. The owner of a .415 on-base percentage (.389 slugging), she also walked 11 times, was hit by pitch on two occasions, had two sacrifice flies, six sacrifice hits, and two stolen bases.
The freshman managed 11 multi-hit games this year with a season-high four against Park-Gilbert (Ariz.) on March 12.
Smith finished her freshman campaign with a .303 batting average (47-for-155), including 15 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 21 RBIs, and 28 runs scored. She had a .542 slugging percentage and a .364 on-base clip, while walking 16 times and recording two sacrifice flies.
A one-time Heart Player of the Week, Smith tallied 12 multi-hit performances with a season-best four base knocks against Olivet Nazarene on March 15.
Huff, who has now been placed on the honorable-mention team twice, owned an 11-13 record and a 2.94 Earned Average over the span of 27 games (140 1/3 innings). She started 18 contests, posted 13 complete games, and had two shutouts to her credit.
The junior struck out 124 batters (29 walks) and limited opposing hitters to a .276 batting average.
Huff worked at least six innings in 16 outings and produced 12 games with at least five strikeouts (high of 11 on four occasions).
Elizabeth Palumbo of Central Methodist was named Heart Player of the Year, while her teammate Jordyn Ball claimed the Pitcher of the Year laurel.
Baylee Knoor (Benedictine) received the league’s Newcomer of the Year honors, while Nevaeh Randall (Grand View) was picked as Freshman of the Year. Pat Reardon of Central Methodist received the Heart Coach of the Year accolade by his peers.
