7 Lopes collect 10 All-WAC honors

Grand Canyon senior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow was awarded WAC Defensive Player of the Year while seniors Hannah Burnett, Kristin Fifield and Ramsay Lopez, junior Katelyn Dunckel and sophomore Meghan Golden earned All-WAC first-team honors; Fifield and Dunckel joined Koeltzow on the WAC All-Defensive Team, and senior pitcher Ariel Thompson was named to the All-WAC second team.

Koeltzow was named to the WAC All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive season while Dunckel earns her second consecutive All-WAC first-team and WAC All-Defensive Team honors, Fifield receives her third consecutive All-WAC first-team honor, and Golden and Lopez were chosen by conference coaches for the All-WAC first team in their first Lopes season.

Kinsey Koeltzow | WAC Defensive Player of the Year | WAC All-Defensive Team

Koeltzow, Kinsey Koeltzow, a senior catcher, claims her third and fourth career postseason honors and her third and fourth WAC postseason awards in two seasons, earning All-WAC second-team and WAC All-Defensive Team honors last season as well.

Koeltzow posted a 1.000 fielding percentage, gathered a conference-best 226 putouts and 22 assists and caught eight runners stealing on 15 tries.

The native of Tuttle, Oklahoma, posted her season's single-game high of 10 putouts vs. Tarleton on March 24.

Kristin Fifield | All-WAC first team | WAC All-Defensive Team

Fifield has now collected five WAC postseason awards in her four years at GCU, receiving first team All-WAC distinction in 2021, 2022 and Fifield, Kristin this season.

The Lopes' all-time career (43) and single-season (20) record holder for home runs also reached the Lopes' Division I-era record for career RBIs (177),. The native of El Paso, Texas, lead the nation withh 77 RBIs entering the WAC Tournament. The senior right fielder also ranks second in RBIs per game (1.35), eighth in home runs (20) and 10th in total bases (139).

Fifield leads the WAC in slugging percentage (.818), RBIs, home runs, sacrifice flies, RBIs per game and home runs per game (0.37).

Succeeding offensively and defensively, Fifield also led the Lopes in doubles (17), slugging percentage (.818) and sacrifice flies (6) while tallying 106 putouts this season.

Katelyn Dunckel | All-WAC first team | WAC All-Defensive Team

Dunckel, Katelyn

Dunckel, a junior shortstop, claims her fourth and fifth postseason awards in her three seasons as a Lope, earning All-WAC first team and WAC All-Defensive team in 2022 along with NFCA All-Region third team.

The 2023 preseason All-WAC selection led the team in assists (128) and sacrifice bunts (6), and ranks among the Lopes top-three in slugging percentage (.618), total bases (97), runs scored (51), doubles (13), fielding double plays (12), stolen bases (11), and triples (2).

Hannah Burnett | All-WAC first team

Burnett, a senior center fielder, has now earned her second WAC postseason award in her two years at GCU, receiving All-WAC Tournament distinction in 2022.

Burnett leads the Lopes in batting average (.422), hits (65), runs scored (64) and stolen bases this season (32), and has maintained a 1.000 fielding percentage with 65 putouts on 75 chances. The Independence, Kan. native also leads the WAC in runs scored, stolen bases, runs scored per game (1.19) and stolen bases per game (0.59).

Ramsay Lopez | All-WAC first team

Lopes, a New Mexico State transfer, receives her first WAC postseason award as a Lope, but fourth in her career, earning first team All-WAC in 2021 and 2022 as an Aggie, in addition to a 2021 All-WAC Tournament team slot.

Lopez leads GCU in walks (32), and ranks second in slugging percentage (.724), batting average (.372), total bases (113), RBIs (56), and home runs (17).

Meghan Golden | All-WAC first team Golden, Meghan

Golden, a Northern Colorado transfer, receives her first WAC postseason honor in her first season at GCU, after pitching 110 strikeouts in 86.1 innings this year.

The sophomore from Centennial High School in Peoria, Arizona, is 12-2 on the season with a WAC leading 1.78 ERA, seven complete games and two shutouts.

Golden leads the WAC in strikeouts, opposing batting average (.192), strikeouts per game (8.92), earned runs allowed (22), hits allowed per game (4.95) and aerned runs per game (1.78).

Ariel Thompson | All-WAC second team Thompson, Ariel

Thompson has now claimed three WAC postseason awards, earning All-WAC first team and All-WAC Tournament MVP in 2022.

This season, the Claremore, Oklahoma, native is wielding an 11-3 record with a 2.48 ERA, in three complete games, two saves, and 101.2 innings pitched.

2023 WAC Softball Postseason Award Winners

WAC Player of the Year: Shea Clements, Sr., C/OF, Utah Tech
WAC Pitcher of the Year: Kate Dolinski, Grad, RHP, Utah Tech
WAC Defensive Player of the Year: Kinsey Koeltzow, Sr., C, Grand Canyon
WAC Freshman of the Year: Tanya Windle, OF, Utah Tech
WAC Coach of the Year: Randy Simkins, Utah Tech

All-WAC 1st team

Hannah Burnett, Grand Canyon
Katelyn Dunckel, Grand Canyon
Kristin Fifield, Grand Canyon
Meghan Golden, Grand Canyon
Ramsay Lopez, Grand Canyon
Kayla Bowen, NM State
Tai Wilson, Seattle U
Mackenzie Bennett, Stephen F. Austin
Brooke Gainous, Stephen F. Austin
Shea Clements, Utah Tech
Kate Dolinski, Utah Tech
Hannah Hughbanks, Utah Tech
Tanya Windle, Utah Tech

All-WAC 2nd team

Priscilla Estrada, California Baptist
Ariel Thompson, Grand Canyon
Riley Carley, NM State
Brailey Wasik, Sam Houston
Jocelynn De La Cruz, Seattle U
Emily Gonzalez, Southern Utah
Gaby Garcia, Stephen F. Austin
Kelci Hill, Tarleton
Katy Schaefer, Tarleton
Marley Neises, UT Arlington
Lauren Almeida, Utah Tech
Sauren Garton, Utah Tech
Megan Gibbs, Utah Valley

WAC All-Defensive Team

Mercedes Eichelberger, Abilene Christian
Katelyn Dunckel, Grand Canyon
Kristin Fifield, Grand Canyon
Kinsey Koeltzow, Grand Canyon
Kayla Bowen, NM State
Lily Garcia, Seattle U
Madison Kahwaty, Seattle U
Gaby Garcia, Seattle U
Lauren Almeida, Utah Tech
Hannah Hughbanks, Utah Tech

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Hannah Burnett

Katelyn Dunckel

Kristin Fifield

Meghan Golden

Kinsey Koeltzow

Ramsay Lopez

Ariel Thompson

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