Magnificent Seven Land On Softball All-Conference Teams

(LATHAM, N.Y.) – The United East has announced its 2025 Softball All-Conference Teams and the Wilson Phoenix feature seven selections on the squad. The seven matches that of conference champion Penn State Brandywine for most in the league.

Payton Kendall (Sr., McConnellsburg, Pa. / Forbes Road) highlights the septet as an at-large first team outfield selection. Carleigh Magers (FY, Mount Airy, Md. / Urbana), Kayla Talbert (So., Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown), Sydney Hartle (FY, Keedysville, Md. / Boonsboro), and Julia Wilkes (FY, Abingdon, Md. / John Carroll) were chosen to the second team. Jenna Weaver (FY, Camp Hill, Pa. / Cedar Cliff) and Katelyn Keller (FY, Orrtanna, Pa. / Gettysburg) round out the honorees as third team picks.

Kendall receives first team honors after being one of the most consistent players for the Blue and White. In addition to being third on the team in runs scored, she led the team and was second in the conference in sacrifice hits. The speedy senior also shored up the outfield where she made just one error the entire season. She becomes a two-time all-conference selection after she received second team honors at second base last season.

Magers made quite the splash in her first season and was rewarded with a selection to the second team at first base. She was third on the team and ninth in the conference with a batting average of .415 on the year. Magers was one of the top fielders in the league regardless of position with a .992 fielding percentage as well.

Talbert joins Magers to make it an all-Wilson right side of the infield with a second team selection at second base. In her first year with the Blue and White after transferring from Division I Saint Peter's, Talbert was 10th in the United East with a .612 slugging percentage and ninth with a 1.100 OPS. Her 13 doubles led the team and were sixth in the conference as well.

Hartle also made quite the impact for the Phoenix and was named to the second team at designated player. She was second on the team and No. 11 in the United East with a .425 batting average. Her .589 slugging percentage was top 15 in the league, while her .451 OBP ranked in the top 20.

Wilkes earns a spot on the second team as a pitcher and had an impressive rookie season despite missing part of it because of an injury. Opponents only hit .208 against her this season, the second-best mark in the entire conference. She sported a 2.36 ERA to put her seventh in the league while going 6-1 as the pitcher of record this season. After returning from injury, she tossed a no-hitter, the first for the Phoenix in exactly three years.

Weaver was on the receiving end of the pitches for most of the season and gave Wilson's battery a third team selection. She proved to be solid defensively with a .977 fielding percentage to put her in a tie for 24th in the United East. She tied Hartle for third on the team with 31 hits on the year.

Keller exploded onto the scene with a .475 batting average which was second in the league and 42nd in Division III. Her slugging percentage of .817 and OPS of 1.309 topped the league easily, while her 42 runs scored were third and her 39 RBIs were fourth. Keller recorded 57 hits which is tied for fifth in the conference, and 19 of them went for extra bases. Five of them were home runs which was tied for second, while her 12 triples lead not only the United East, but are the most in the entirety of the NCAA regardless of division.

Major Award Winners

Player of the Year - Josilynn Garcia (Saint Elizabeth University)
Pitcher of the Year - Mackenzie Weaver (Penn College)
Rookie of the Year - Emma McElroy (Penn State Brandywine)
Coach of the Year - Donna Ference (Penn State Berks)

FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE

Position	Student-Athlete	Institution
Catcher	Shelby DeCillis	Penn State Brandywine
First Base***	Josilynn Garcia	Saint Elizabeth University
First Base***	Lauren Ziegler	Penn State Berks
Second Base	Lexi Bussinger	Penn State Brandywine
Shortstop	Phoebe Clemens	Lancaster Bible College
Third Base	Jordan DuBois	Penn State Brandywine
Outfield	Emma McElroy	Penn State Brandywine
Outfield	Hailey Gamble	Penn State Abington
Outfield	Ava Craddock	Penn State Brandywine
Pitcher	Mackenzie Weaver	Penn College
Pitcher	Iabella Hurta	Penn State Brandywine
Designated Player	Caitlyn Smith	Gallaudet University
Utility	Kara Reyes	Saint Elizabeth University
At-Large (Outfield)	Lacey Drolsbaugh	Gallaudet University
At-Large (Outfield)	Bethani Newbold	Notre Dame of Maryland
At-Large (Outfield)	Madison Herriman	Penn College
At-Large (Outfield)	Payton Kendall	Wilson College

 

SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE

Position	Student-Athlete	Institution
Catcher	Payton Crawford	Penn College
First Base	Carleigh Magers	Wilson College
Second Base	Kayla Talbert	Wilson College
Shortstop	Madelyn Lehigh	Penn State Harrisburg
Third Base	Kiara Taylor	Keystone College
Outfield	Kylie Krauss	Penn State Berks
Outfield	Maddie Minney	Penn State Harrisburg
Outfield	Isabella Hanos	Saint Elizabeth University
Pitcher	Kylee Miller	Penn State Harrisburg
Pitcher	Mackenzi Tice	Penn College
Designated Player	Sydney Hartle	Wilson College
Utility	Quinn Rosario	Penn State Brandywine
At-Large (Outfield)	Isabella Benitez	Keystone College
At-Large (Outfield)	Maddie Atkins	Lancaster Bible College
At-Large (Pitcher)	Paige Brightwell	Penn State Berks
At-Large (Pitcher)	Julia Wilkes	Wilson College

THIRD TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE

Position	Student-Athlete	Institution
Catcher	Jenna Weaver	Wilson College
First Base	Lainey Scotese	Penn State Abington
Second Base***	Mac Fisher	Penn State Harrisburg
Second Base***	Naomi Fay	Penn State Berks
Shortstop	Katelyn Keller	Wilson College
Third Base	Peyton Vivan	Penn State Berks
Outfield	Grace Lorson	Penn College
Outfield	Hanna Brown	Saint Elizabeth University
Outfield	Kylie Mastillo	Cedar Crest College
Pitcher	Mallory Duff	Penn State Berks
Pitcher	Kami DeGaetani	Saint Elizabeth University
Designated Player	Olivia Herncane	Penn State Harrisburg
Utility	Julianna Leatherwood	Notre Dame of Maryland
At-Large (Outfield)	Natalie Hasert	Cedar Crest College
At-Large (Outfield)	Samantha Hemhauser	Saint Elizabeth University
At-Large (Outfield)	Alyssa Taylor	Lancaster Bible College
At-Large (Outfield)	Candace Forgach-Aguilar	Notre Dame of Maryland