• Bob Ligouri named all-region Coach of the Year
• Two DMACC players named to the second team
• Five DMACC players receive honorable mention recognition

The Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) has announced the 2022 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XI all-region softball team and the list includes 14 players, seven of which were named to the first team. And head coach Bob Ligouri was named the All-Region Coach of the Year.

First team honors went to sophomore Abby Flanagan of Coggon (pitching), sophomore Sami Miller of Mason City and freshman Madison Kearns of Glenpool, Okla., (infield), freshman Kendal Clark of Humboldt and sophomore Abby Husak of Polk City (outfield), sophomore Jada Collins of Des Moines (designated player) and freshman Emma Dighton of Boone (utility player). Dighton was also named the ICCAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Freshman Sydney Kennedy of Peosta and sophomore Lexi Lander of Onawa were named to second team pitching positions and sophomores Layney Loyd of New London, Ellie Jacobson of Humboldt, Brionna Vasey of Pleasant Hill and Delaney Kelley of Rock Island, Ill., and freshman Kaylynne Salyars of Muscatine received honorable mention recognition, Loyd as a catcher, Jacobson as a pitcher and Vasey, Kelley and Salyars as infielders.

Dighton is hitting .444 this season and is tied with Clark for the national lead in home runs with 25. She has driven in 86 runs and scored 70 runs. Her 68 hits in 153 at-bats include 15 doubles and a triple. Her season also included a one-week performance that saw her hit seven home runs and drive in 29 runs over the course of seven days.

Dighton also pitched for DMACC, compiling a 13-1 record with a 3.26 earned run average and one save. She pitched 73 innings, allowing 43 runs on 80 hits. Thirty-four of the 43 runs allowed by Dighton were earned. She struck out 61 batters, walked 15 and is averaging 5.85 strikeouts per seven innings.

Flanagan has been named to the all-region first team for the second time in her career. She overall record is 13-0 with a 1.26 earned run average. She finished second in the ICCAC in ERA at 1.35 and was the winning pitcher in seven of the Bears' 22 conference wins. They finished league play at 22-2. Flanagan allowed just six earned runs in conference games this season.

Miller hit .487 this season with a .540 on-base percentage and a .900 slugging percentage. Her 73 hits in 150 at-bats included 17 doubles, three triples and 13 home runs. She drove in 66 runs and scored 73 runs.

Kearns compiled a .455 batting average with a .487 on-base percentage and a .917 slugging percentage. She had 66 hits in 145 at-bats, including 17 doubles, four triples and 14 home runs. Kearns drove in 69 runs and scored 56 runs.

In addition to being tied with Dighton for the national lead in home runs, Clark is the national leader in RBIs with 96. She is hitting .565 with a .639 on-base percentage and a .1.231 slugging percentage. In addition to her home runs and RBIs, Clark has 19 doubles, two triples and has scored 73 runs.

Husak is batting .536 with a .616 on-base percentage and a .556 slugging percentage. Her 82 hits in 153 at-bats include three doubles. She has driven in 19 runs and has scored 83 runs. Husak leads DMACC in stolen bases with 32.

Collins has a .506 batting average with a .544 on-base percentage and a .679 slugging percentage. She has 82 hits in 162 at-bats, including 13 doubles and five home runs. Collins has driven in 57 runs and scored 49 runs.

Kennedy is unbeaten at 7-0 and is DMACC's leader in saves with six. She sports a 2.13 earned run average and has thrown 62 and a third innings, allowing 26 runs on 47 hits. Nineteen of the 26 runs allowed by Kennedy are earned. She has struck out 80 batters, walked 15 and is averaging 8.98 strikeouts per seven innings.

Kennedy was also one of DMACC's top hitters, compiling a .435 batting average with a .467 on-base percentage and a .706 slugging percentage. Her 37 hits in 85 at-bats include nine doubles, a triple and four home runs. Kennedy has driven in 34 runs and scored 35 runs.

Lander is 8-1 this season with a 1.79 ERA and two saves. She has pitched 62 and two-thirds innings, allowing 26 runs on 56 hits. Sixteen of the 26 runs allowed by Lander are earned. She has struck out 73 batters, walked 13 and is averaging 8.15 strikeouts per seven innings.

Loyd is hitting .291 with a .394 on-base percentage and a .418 slugging percentage. She has 16 hits in 55 at-bats, including four doubles and a home run. Loyd has driven in 18 runs and scored 18 runs.

Jacobson has a 7-1 record with a 4.06 ERA and one save. She has pitched 41 and a third innings, allowing 27 runs on 46 hits. Twenty-four of the 27 runs allowed by Jacobson are earned. She has struck out 44 batters, walked 17 and is averaging 7.45 strikeouts per seven innings.

Vasey has a .355 batting average with a .364 on-base percentage and a .355 slugging percentage. She has 11 hits in 31 at-bats, has driven in three runs and scored 14 runs.

Kelley is hitting .360 with a .408 on-base percentage and a .433 slugging percentage. She has 54 hits in 150 at-bats with nine doubles and a triple. Kelley has driven in 50 runs and scored 28 runs.

Salyars is hitting .356 with a .495 on-base percentage and a .685 slugging percentage. Salyars has 26 hits in 73 at-bats including seven doubles, a triple and five home runs. She has driven in 21 runs and scored 38 runs.

Ligouri has led the Bears to a 48-3 record and a No. 1 ranking in the NJCAA Division II poll this season. He is 482-100 at DMACC and is 1,118-238 in 25 seasons as a head coach. His DMACC teams have been ranked in the NJCAA Division II top 10 nine times in nine seasons and have made eight appearances in the national tournament in nine seasons. The Bears have four top-four finishes in the national tournament and have won eight regional and eight district championships. Ligouri's teams have produced 32 All-Americans, NJCAA All-World Series teams or National Award Player selections. He has won four National Fast Pitch Coaching Association (NFCA) Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year awards and two Region XI Coach of the Year awards in addition to this season.