Completed Event: Softball at Utah State on March 28, 2026 , Win , 10, to, 1
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
5 Lopes garner WAC preseason honors
2/2/2023 2:00:00 PM | Softball
GCU picked 1st in coaches’ poll; Dunckel, Thompson named WAC Preseason Player, Pitcher of the Year
Grand Canyon softball was predicted to defend its WAC title this season by a conference coaches' poll, which also selected GCU junior Katelyn Dunckel as Preseason Player of the Year and senior Ariel Thompson as Preseason Pitcher of the Year and placed the duo on Preseason All-WAC with teammates Kristin Fifield, Kinsey Koeltzow and Ramsay Lopez.
"It's nice to get recognition and respect from the coaches in our conference," Lopes head coach Shanon Hays said of his five Preseason All-WAC honorees. "Of course, we know this recognition comes from last year, so this 2023 team will have to make a new name for itself on its own, but trying to do that is what makes each year fun."Â
Sitting atop the coaches' poll with 120 points, GCU leads Seattle U (109) and Stephen F. Austin (88).Â
GCU returns after the program's best season, which included a 26-11 home record, a 19-5 conference record, earning its third WAC Tournament title and punching a ticket to NCAA regionals for the first time.
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Hays, who enters his second season with the Lopes, put GCU softball on the map of premier programs and transformed the team's identity in record time, making a 20-win improvement to tie for the fourth-largest advancement in the nation. Hays won 2022 WAC Coach of the Year and oversaw five All-WAC award winners, including Dunckel, Fifield and Thompson's first-team All-WAC honors last season.
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Dunckel was selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association all-region third team, All-WAC first team and the WAC All-Defensive team after starting in 54 games at shortstop last season with a team-best 118 assists, 74 putouts and 13 double plays.Â
The Oklahoma Christian transfer also rapidly rose through the ranks at the plate and on the bag, to find herself first on the team in RBIs (55), second on the team in batting average (.388), hits (62), runs (51) and on-base percentage (.466). She also ranked fourth on the team in stolen bases with 14 steals on 18 attempts.Â
"KK (Dunckel) had a super year last year," Hays said. "She's a dynamic player with both experience and athleticism that is very important for our team."
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Meanwhile, Thompson, the 2022 WAC Tournament MVP, threw 17 complete games, tossed five shutouts and collected two saves to become the winningest Lopes single-season pitcher with 21 victories, including her no-hitter at Seattle U.
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The All-WAC first-team pitcher posted a 2.70 ERA with a 21-6 record and a team-best 135 strikeouts.
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"Ariel was fantastic for us last year," Hays said. "Her leadership in the circle will be key for us to get to where we want to be at the end of the season."
Fifield, putting on the purple jersey for her fourth season, earned All-WAC first-team honors last year after leading the team in slugging percentage (.673), tying the GCU single-season home run record (14) and totaling 57 hits. Fifield started in right field for the Lopes in all 55 games.Â
The native of El Paso, Texas, ranked second in the WAC for slugging percentage and RBIs while tying for second in home runs.
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Koeltzow, named to the 2022 All-WAC second team and WAC All-Defensive team, hit .335 with 56 hits, 34 runs, 28 RBIs, seven home runs and had a team best of 16 doubles to rank fourth in the GCU single-season record book. She also ranked 22nd in the nation for doubles.
The Oklahoma transfer also posted an impressive .989 fielding percentage with 247 putouts and threw out 14 of 22 base runners for a .636 percentage. She also was the only catcher in the WAC to pick off two runners last season.
Lopez, transferring from New Mexico State, earned first-team All-WAC honors with the Aggies last season, when she slugged .710 and hit a conference-leading 17 home runs.
The native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, hit .317 with 46 hits, 40 runs, 42 RBIs and six doubles. In three seasons at New Mexico State, Lopez slammed 37 home runs and tallied 83 RBIs in 123 career starts.
GCU opens its season at Incarnate Word on Friday, Feb. 10, against Green Bay, and will return home to host its first tournament, the Littlewood Classic, on Feb. 17-19. For its home Opening Day, the Lopes will play twice on Feb. 17 at GCU Softball Stadium — at 4 p.m. vs. DePaul and at 6:30 p.m. vs. Illinois State.
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"It's nice to get recognition and respect from the coaches in our conference," Lopes head coach Shanon Hays said of his five Preseason All-WAC honorees. "Of course, we know this recognition comes from last year, so this 2023 team will have to make a new name for itself on its own, but trying to do that is what makes each year fun." Sitting atop the coaches' poll with 120 points, GCU leads Seattle U (109) and Stephen F. Austin (88).Â
GCU returns after the program's best season, which included a 26-11 home record, a 19-5 conference record, earning its third WAC Tournament title and punching a ticket to NCAA regionals for the first time.
Â
Hays, who enters his second season with the Lopes, put GCU softball on the map of premier programs and transformed the team's identity in record time, making a 20-win improvement to tie for the fourth-largest advancement in the nation. Hays won 2022 WAC Coach of the Year and oversaw five All-WAC award winners, including Dunckel, Fifield and Thompson's first-team All-WAC honors last season.
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Dunckel was selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association all-region third team, All-WAC first team and the WAC All-Defensive team after starting in 54 games at shortstop last season with a team-best 118 assists, 74 putouts and 13 double plays. The Oklahoma Christian transfer also rapidly rose through the ranks at the plate and on the bag, to find herself first on the team in RBIs (55), second on the team in batting average (.388), hits (62), runs (51) and on-base percentage (.466). She also ranked fourth on the team in stolen bases with 14 steals on 18 attempts.Â
"KK (Dunckel) had a super year last year," Hays said. "She's a dynamic player with both experience and athleticism that is very important for our team."
Â
Meanwhile, Thompson, the 2022 WAC Tournament MVP, threw 17 complete games, tossed five shutouts and collected two saves to become the winningest Lopes single-season pitcher with 21 victories, including her no-hitter at Seattle U.Â
The All-WAC first-team pitcher posted a 2.70 ERA with a 21-6 record and a team-best 135 strikeouts.
Â
"Ariel was fantastic for us last year," Hays said. "Her leadership in the circle will be key for us to get to where we want to be at the end of the season."
Fifield, putting on the purple jersey for her fourth season, earned All-WAC first-team honors last year after leading the team in slugging percentage (.673), tying the GCU single-season home run record (14) and totaling 57 hits. Fifield started in right field for the Lopes in all 55 games. The native of El Paso, Texas, ranked second in the WAC for slugging percentage and RBIs while tying for second in home runs.
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Koeltzow, named to the 2022 All-WAC second team and WAC All-Defensive team, hit .335 with 56 hits, 34 runs, 28 RBIs, seven home runs and had a team best of 16 doubles to rank fourth in the GCU single-season record book. She also ranked 22nd in the nation for doubles.The Oklahoma transfer also posted an impressive .989 fielding percentage with 247 putouts and threw out 14 of 22 base runners for a .636 percentage. She also was the only catcher in the WAC to pick off two runners last season.
Lopez, transferring from New Mexico State, earned first-team All-WAC honors with the Aggies last season, when she slugged .710 and hit a conference-leading 17 home runs.The native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, hit .317 with 46 hits, 40 runs, 42 RBIs and six doubles. In three seasons at New Mexico State, Lopez slammed 37 home runs and tallied 83 RBIs in 123 career starts.
GCU opens its season at Incarnate Word on Friday, Feb. 10, against Green Bay, and will return home to host its first tournament, the Littlewood Classic, on Feb. 17-19. For its home Opening Day, the Lopes will play twice on Feb. 17 at GCU Softball Stadium — at 4 p.m. vs. DePaul and at 6:30 p.m. vs. Illinois State.
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Preseason conference awards |
|
| AWARD | PLAYER, SCHOOL |
| Player of the Year | Katelyn Dunckel, GCU |
| Pitcher of the Year | Ariel Thompson, GCU |
Preseason All-WAC Â |
|
| POSITION | PLAYER, YEAR, SCHOOL |
| Infielder | Katelyn Dunckel, junior, GCU |
| Outfielder | Kristin Fifield, senior, GCU |
| Catcher | Kinsey Koeltzow, senior, GCU |
| Infielder | Ramsay Lopez, senior, GCU |
| Pitcher | Ariel Thompson, senior, GCU |
| Utility/Designated Player | Kayla Bowen, graduate, New Mexico State |
| Infielder | Madison Kahwaty, senior, Seattle U |
| Outfielder | Olivia Viggiano, graduate, Seattle U |
| Pitcher | Stefanie Madrigal, senior, Seattle U |
| Infielder | Gabby Garcia, senior, Stephen F. Austin |
| Infielder | Katy Schaefer, junior, Tarleton |
| Infielder | Hannah Hughbanks, senior, Utah Tech |
| Outfielder | Shea Clements, senior, Utah Tech |
Preseason coaches poll |
|||
| RANK | TEAM (first-place votes) | POINTS | |
| 1 |
 |
Grand Canyon | 120 |
| 2 |
 |
Seattle U | 109 |
| 3 |
 |
Stephen F. Austin | 88 |
| 4 |
 |
California Baptist | 83 |
| 5 |
 |
Utah Valley | 80 |
| 6 |
 |
Tarleton | 62 |
| 7 |
 |
Abilene Christian | 60 |
| 8 |
 |
Utah Tech | 58 |
| 9 |
 |
UT Arlington | 45 |
| 10 |
 |
New Mexico State | 40 |
| 11 |
 |
Sam Houston | 28 |
| 12 |
 |
Southern Utah | 14 |
Players Mentioned
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