Mankato’s Zender is Player of the Year and La Crosse’s Willis is Pitcher of the Year

Rochester, Minn. – Northwoods League Softball announced the 2024 Postseason All-Star Team and award winners on Friday, August 9.

Mankato Habanero Paige Zender is named the Northwoods League Softball Player of the Year after leading the League in Batting Average (.417), Home Runs (15), and RBI (60).  In leading in all three of these statistical categories, Zender also clinched the prestigious Triple Crown in the League’s inaugural season. The rising Iowa State University sophomore was an integral part of the Northwoods League Champion Mankato Habaneros offense as she also claimed 12 doubles, with a .882 slugging percentage and a .522 on-base percentage.

Mackenzie Willis of the La Crosse Steam is the Northwoods League Softball Pitcher of the Year, posting a League-best 2.10 ERA. The Belmont University rising sophomore struck out a league-high 129 batters in 118.2 innings pitched. She held an 11-5 record in 18 starts and claimed three saves.

Coley Ries Welter has been named the Northwoods League Softball Coach of the Year after leading the Mankato Habaneros to the first ever NWLS Championship. Under Ries Welter, the Habaneros posted a 31-11 record over the course of the summer with a team batting average of .318. The Habaneros had league highs offensively in doubles, triples, and home runs. The Mankato pitching staff also led the League with a league low team ERA of 3.59. Ries Welter will enter her fifth season as head coach of the Gustavus Adolphus College softball team in the 2024-25 academic year.

Zender and Willis are among the 13 players selected to the NWL Softball Postseason All-Star team.

“We are so excited to recognize Coach Ries Welter, Paige Zender, and Mackenzie Willis, for their outstanding achievements in the Northwoods League this summer,” said Northwoods League Softball President/Commissioner Kathryn Reynolds. “These three individuals elevated the level of play in the League daily. We are honored by the part they played in making the inaugural summer of Northwoods League Softball a success.”

The full roster for the Post-Season All-Star team can be found here: 2024 NWLS Post-Season All-Stars

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Leveraging the 30-year success of the Northwoods League, the first for-profit Summer Collegiate Baseball League, Northwoods League Softball (NWLS) will be the first for-profit Women’s Summer Collegiate Softball League beginning play in the Upper Midwest in the summer of 2024.  The purpose of the League will be to develop players for their college, Olympic and future professional play.  Teams will be promoted similar to minor league baseball teams, playing games in front of fans in a fun, friendly, family-oriented environment.