Colorado State University Athletics
Six Rams Named to Mountain West All-Conference Teams
5/8/2024 10:00:00 AM | Softball
Matsubara, Allen and York named to first-team while Gates, Hornbuckle and Wilson earn second-team
FORT COLLINS -Â The Colorado State softball team had six Rams named to the Mountain West All-Conference first and second teams, the league announced Wednesday morning. Six honors are the most by Colorado State since 2019 when they also earned six. Maya Matsubara, Peyton Allen and Ashley York were all named first-team All-Mountain West while Molly Gates, Sydney Hornbuckle and Jailey Wilson were all named to the second-team All-Mountain West.
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The first honoree for the Rams is shortstop Maya Matsubara who was named to the first-team all-conference. Matsubara finished the conference regular season leading the Mountain West in batting average at a .456 conference clip, she also led the league in hits and runs scored with 31 and 24 respectively. The senior slugged at a .721 percentage, ranking fifth, with seven doubles which is tied for second. She also batted in 18 RBI, good for sixth in the Mountain West. From shortstop, Matsubara added 17 putouts and 40 assists. This is the first all-conference honor of Matsubara's career.
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The second honoree, rounding out an all-conference middle infield for the Rams is second baseman Peyton Allen who was named the All-Mountain West first-team. The senior led the league in runs scored and RBI with 24 and 33 respectively while slugging at a .848 clip, good for second in the league. Hitting seven triples, tied for second, three triples, tied for first and six home runs, tied for fourth, Allen earns the first all-conference honor of her career in her fifth season as a Ram while adding 52 putouts and 34 assists. She also earned a Mountain West and NCAA Player of the Week honor, adding to her career resume at CSU.
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Rounding out the first-team honorees for the Rams is center fielder Ashley York. The senior finished tenth in batting average in the conference with a .386 clip while also finishing third in runs scored with 23, only trailing her own teammates as the senior bat in the leadoff position throughout the whole season for the Rams. York also finished the conference season with a .947 fielding percentage in center field with 35 putouts and an assist. She earned first-team all-conference for the second season in a row while adding a Mountain West Player of the Week honor to her legacy at CSU.
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Kicking off the second-team honorees is left fielder Molly Gates. The senior finished the Mountain West regular season ranked fourth in league batting average at a .400 clip with 26 hits which ties for twelfth. She also ranked sixth in the Mountain West in on-base percentage, earning a base at a .480 percentage. Gates finished the regular season with 24 putouts from left field as well. In just her two seasons with Colorado State she will leave CSU a two-time All-Mountain West honoree earning her second, second-team All-Mountain West honor of her career after she was named to the second-team after last season as well.
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Sydney Hornbuckle is another Ram senior earning her first all-conference honor as the pitcher, utility player was able to contribute to the Rams in both the circle and batter's box this season, earning her a spot on the All-Mountain West Second-Team. Not only did Hornbuckle make 13 conference pitching appearances for a 4.47 ERA and 27 conference strikeouts, she also ranked within the top ten of conference slugging percentage from the plate. With six home runs and 17 RBI, Hornbuckle slugged a .661 clip which finished ninth in the conference. Earning the first all-conference honor of her career, the senior exits the 2024 regular season as one of the top two-way players in the league with 62.2 innings pitched and 62 at-bats.
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Rounding out the honors for the Rams is first baseman Jailey Wilson. The freshman highlights the future of the Rams softball program with the first all-conference honor of her career being named to the All-Mountain West Second-Team. Wilson hit at a .358 average with 19 hits and four home runs, including a three-home run game against Utah State. She finished the regular season ranked eighth in league slugging percentage at .667 while also adding two triples. At first base, she added 125 putouts and three assists for a .992 fielding percentage.
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The Rams will begin their post-season at the Mountain West Tournament in Boise, Idaho Thursday May 9th when they take on the No. 3 Nevada Wolf Pack at 10 a.m. The Rams enter the tournament as the No. 6 seed.
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The first honoree for the Rams is shortstop Maya Matsubara who was named to the first-team all-conference. Matsubara finished the conference regular season leading the Mountain West in batting average at a .456 conference clip, she also led the league in hits and runs scored with 31 and 24 respectively. The senior slugged at a .721 percentage, ranking fifth, with seven doubles which is tied for second. She also batted in 18 RBI, good for sixth in the Mountain West. From shortstop, Matsubara added 17 putouts and 40 assists. This is the first all-conference honor of Matsubara's career.
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The second honoree, rounding out an all-conference middle infield for the Rams is second baseman Peyton Allen who was named the All-Mountain West first-team. The senior led the league in runs scored and RBI with 24 and 33 respectively while slugging at a .848 clip, good for second in the league. Hitting seven triples, tied for second, three triples, tied for first and six home runs, tied for fourth, Allen earns the first all-conference honor of her career in her fifth season as a Ram while adding 52 putouts and 34 assists. She also earned a Mountain West and NCAA Player of the Week honor, adding to her career resume at CSU.
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Rounding out the first-team honorees for the Rams is center fielder Ashley York. The senior finished tenth in batting average in the conference with a .386 clip while also finishing third in runs scored with 23, only trailing her own teammates as the senior bat in the leadoff position throughout the whole season for the Rams. York also finished the conference season with a .947 fielding percentage in center field with 35 putouts and an assist. She earned first-team all-conference for the second season in a row while adding a Mountain West Player of the Week honor to her legacy at CSU.
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Kicking off the second-team honorees is left fielder Molly Gates. The senior finished the Mountain West regular season ranked fourth in league batting average at a .400 clip with 26 hits which ties for twelfth. She also ranked sixth in the Mountain West in on-base percentage, earning a base at a .480 percentage. Gates finished the regular season with 24 putouts from left field as well. In just her two seasons with Colorado State she will leave CSU a two-time All-Mountain West honoree earning her second, second-team All-Mountain West honor of her career after she was named to the second-team after last season as well.
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Sydney Hornbuckle is another Ram senior earning her first all-conference honor as the pitcher, utility player was able to contribute to the Rams in both the circle and batter's box this season, earning her a spot on the All-Mountain West Second-Team. Not only did Hornbuckle make 13 conference pitching appearances for a 4.47 ERA and 27 conference strikeouts, she also ranked within the top ten of conference slugging percentage from the plate. With six home runs and 17 RBI, Hornbuckle slugged a .661 clip which finished ninth in the conference. Earning the first all-conference honor of her career, the senior exits the 2024 regular season as one of the top two-way players in the league with 62.2 innings pitched and 62 at-bats.
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Rounding out the honors for the Rams is first baseman Jailey Wilson. The freshman highlights the future of the Rams softball program with the first all-conference honor of her career being named to the All-Mountain West Second-Team. Wilson hit at a .358 average with 19 hits and four home runs, including a three-home run game against Utah State. She finished the regular season ranked eighth in league slugging percentage at .667 while also adding two triples. At first base, she added 125 putouts and three assists for a .992 fielding percentage.
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The Rams will begin their post-season at the Mountain West Tournament in Boise, Idaho Thursday May 9th when they take on the No. 3 Nevada Wolf Pack at 10 a.m. The Rams enter the tournament as the No. 6 seed.
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