Meet the 2024 Herald-News All-Area Softball Team

Here is the 2024 Herald-News All-Area Softball Team.

FIRST TEAM

Gracie Anderson, jr., C, Minooka: Batted .461 on the season with a 1.427 OPS, 53 hits, 28 walks, 11 homers and 39 runs batted in. The Wisconsin-Green Bay commit was named Southwest Prairie Conference Most Valuable Player and caught every game in a 32-win season for the Indians.

Bella Dimitrijevic, jr., P, Lincoln-Way Central: The Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year as well as Herald-News Player of the Year, Dimitrijevic went 26-3 with two saves in leading the Knights to a sectional championship. In 169⅔ innings, she allowed just 13 earned runs for a 0.54 ERA, striking out 354 batters and holding opponents to a .088 batting average. The Florida State commit also hit .412 with 11 doubles, eight homers HR and 43 RBIs.

Tricia Hogrefe, sr., IF, Plainfield Central: Committed to Indiana Tech University, Hogrefe hit .469 with eight doubles, two homers and 24 RBIs for the Wildcats. She was also four-time All-Southwest Prairie Conference and two-time ICA Class 4A Second Team All-State.

Avery Houlihan, sr., IF, Joliet West: The Notre Dame commit hit .389 with five doubles, eight homers and 24 RBIs for the Tigers. All-Southwest Prairie Conference and ICA Class 4A Second Team All-State.

Josephine Jager, sr., IF, Lincoln-Way Central: University of Indianapolis commit hit .545 with 61 hits, 23 doubles, two homers and 42 RBIs for the Knights. ICA First Team All-State selection.

Cassidy Jagielski, so., IF, Lincoln-Way East: Hit .444 with five homers and 33 RBIs for the Griffins. All-SouthWest Suburban Conference and ICA Class 4A First Team All-State.

Taylor Mackin, sr., P, Minooka: Batted .431 on the season and led the Indians in hits with 59. In the circle, she was 16-2 with 114 strikeouts and held opposing hitters to a .209 average. She was first-team ICA Class 4A All-State and Southwest Prairie Conference Most Valuable Pitcher. Threw three playoff shutouts en route to a sectional championship.

Kelcie McGraw, jr., P, Lockport: Colgate University commit went 17-4 with 1.76 ERA for the Porters. In 143 innings, she struck out 229 against just 27 walks. SouthWest Suburban Blue Athlete of the Year.

Kailee O’Sullivan, sr., P/IF, Providence: Fairleigh Dickenson commit hit .495 with six homers and 43 RBIs for the Celtics. Also sported 14-5 pitching record with two no-hitters. Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Player of the Year and ICA Class 3A Second Team All-State.

Addy Rizzatto, so., IF, Joliet Catholic Academy: Hit 489 with three homers and 33 RBIs for the Angels. All-East Suburban Catholic Conference and All-WJOL Tournament selection as well as ICA Class 2A Second Team All-State.

Reese Rourke, so., P/IF, Lincoln-Way West: Hit .505 with school-record 15 homers for the Warriors to go with 17 doubles and 45 RBIs. In the circle, she was 14-7 with a 3.11 ERA. Named ICA Class 4A First Team All-State, the first Lincoln-Way West player to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons. Also made just three errors in 91 chances at shortstop.

Brooke Schwall, sr., IF, Joliet West: Hit .421 with 13 doubles, 11 homers and 46 RBIs for the Tigers. The Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit was Southwest Prairie East MVP for the second straight year and was named ICA Class 4A Second Team All-State.

Molly Southall, so., OF, Wilmington: Hit .667 with 12 homers, 49 RBIs and a 1.539 slugging percentage for the Wildcats. Named All-Illinois Central Eight and ICA Class 2A All-State First Team.

Avaree Taylor, sr., IF, Lemont: Truman State commit hit .435 with eight doubles, six homers and 31 RBIs for Lemont en route to a sectional championship. All-South Suburban Conference and ICA Class 3A Second Team All-State.

SECOND TEAM

Lucy Cameron, sr., C, Lincoln-Way Central

Angelina Cole, sr., IF, Providence

Jamie Crawford, jr., P/IF, Plainfield Central

Raegan Duncan, sr., IF, Lemont

Molly Finn, so., IF, Lincoln-Way West

Makayla Henline, sr., IF, Coal City

Brooke Keltner, sr., C, Lockport

Sophie Klawitter, so., P, Peotone

Tessa Krull, so., P, Seneca

Karli McMillin, jr., IF, Minooka

Madison Patrick, sr., OF, Joliet Catholic

Allison Pawlowicz, sr., OF, Lemont

Cami Pfeifer, fr., OF, Morris

Rheanna Slavicek, jr., OF, Lockport

HONORABLE MENTION

Karina Choi, jr. OF, Bolingbrook; Haydn Voss, so., IF, Joliet Central; Camryn Stecken, so., IF, Seneca; Kendall Pearson, sr., OF, Lincoln-Way Central; Kayla Doerre, jr., IF, Lincoln-Way Central; Maddie Simms, so., P/IF, Gardner-South Wilmington; Shelby Fraser, sr., IF, Joliet West; Ariana Olinger, jr., OF, Plainfield South; Rhiannon McKay, sr., C, Plainfield East; Ashley Veltman, sr., IF, Peotone; Juliana Anderson, jr., OF, Romeoville; Lily Roberts, so., P/OF, Romeoville; Averi Vander Woude, sr., OF, Lincoln-Way East; Carly Schopp, so., IF, Bolingbrook.