BURNSVILLE, MINN. – Three University of Sioux Falls Softball standouts, Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag, Damaris Cuevas and Frankie Mickelson have been honored by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference which announced its end of the season awards on Wednesday.
Van Der Zwaag, a sophomore pitcher/utility standout from Hull, Iowa, was named to the All-NSIC First Team.
In earning her first career All-NSIC honor, Van Der Zwaag has been a standout in the pitcher’s circle and as an infielder/DP. She owns an 11-9 record with a 3.35 earned run average in 2021 when she has started 20 games and made 26 appearances. Van Der Zwaag has 10 complete games, two shutouts and a team-high 111 strikeouts. She has thrown a team-high 135.2 innings and allowed 65 earned runs while walked just 26 batters. In the field, the Hull, Iowa standout has been a standout at first base and has a .982 fielding mark with 31 assists and just three errors. She also leads USF with six home runs and 32 RBI. In 43 starts, she has 30 hits in 115 at bats for a .261 average. In addition, the junior has 51 total bases, a.443 slugging mark and .393 on-base percentage. Van Der Zwaag is 17-17 in her career with 245.1 innings and 55 appearances with 32 starts and 183 strikeouts.
Van Der Zwaag owns five multi-hit games this year and 13 in her career with 11 career multi-RBI games – 10 this year, which leads USF. In a 9-6 win over Winona State, she had two hits including a three-run home run which was the game-winning hit. She hit her first career grand slam in the 11-2 win over Minot State. Van Der Zwaag tossed a five-inning no-hitter over U-Mary (15-0) as she didn’t walk a hitter and had eight strikeouts. She also had a stretch in the circle with eight decisions, including five straight. A biology/business administration major, she was named to the 2020 NSIC Al-Academic Team.
“Kait has been a staple in the pitcher’s circle and at the plate this year. She is one of the hardest workers we have on our team, and as a leader by example encourages others to emulate the work she does. When I think of her successes this year I really recall those times she dug in the trenches and carried our team on her back – the 13.2 innings at Wayne, the Northern/Moorhead trip – she is a competitor in every sense of the word and I’m so proud of her,” said USF Head Coach Shannon Pivovar.
