Colorado State University Athletics
Four Rams softball players earn all-conference recognition
5/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Complete All-Mountain West Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Colorado State Rams softball team had four players earn All-Mountain West recognition on Tuesday, including two first team recipients. Junior Haley Hutton and Senior Jaelyn Manzanares were selected first team all-conference while senior Kristina Akiona and freshman Amber Nelson landed on the second team.
The four all-conference selections are the most for CSU since 2012. Overall, the Rams have had at least four All-Mountain West honorees eight times dating back to the league's inception in 1999-2000.
Hutton, a Civil Engineering major from Platteville, Colorado, received first team all-conference honors for the first time in her career. The shortstop was named to the league's second team in both 2014 and 2015, becoming the first CSU player to be named All-Mountain West for three consecutive years since Caitlan Stem (2009-11). Hutton led the league in batting average (.419) and on base percentage (.525) and ranked second in triples (seven), sixth in runs scored (43) and fifth in hits (62). She also stole a career-best 15 bases and drew 26 walks.
Manzanares, a History major and the President of S.A.A.C., earned her first all-conference selection after leading the Rams in Mountain West play with a .443 batting average and boasting a slugging percentage of .800 against league foes. The catcher also reached base safely in 19-of-20 conference games, including 17 games with at least one hit. The Pueblo, Colo., native was one of CSU's top power hitters all season, ranking second on the team in slugging percentage (.591) and RBI (31).
Akiona, a Liberal Arts major from Garden Grove, California, closes her one season at CSU as a Second Team All-Mountain West recipient. She led the Rams in multiple offensive categories, including slugging percentage (.647), home runs (eight), RBI (33) and doubles (13). The outfielder capped her career with a two-home run performance at UNLV on May 8. Akiona had 10 multi-RBI games, including a trio of three-RBI games.
Nelson, a native of Murrieta, Calif., led CSU in on base percentage during league play (.507), ranking fifth in the Mountain West in the category. Nelson, who spent time in the outfield, at catcher and as the designated player, ranked second on the team overall in on base percentage (.492) and third in both batting average (.343) and doubles (11). The freshman also exhibited excellent patience at the plate, drawing 28 walks, the fourth-most in the league.
