BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – For the second straight season Kayla Simacek was named the MIAC Pitcher of the Year while head coach Penny Foore was named MIAC Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons.
 
BU landed six on the All-MIAC squad highlighted by Allie Fauth-Kilgore who becomes the first player in conference history to be a five-time All-MIAC honoree. Simacek is joined by Lexi DeBace as a three-time honoree while Autumn Earney earns it in back-to-back years. Landing their first All-Conference accolade is Izzy Wilhelm and Sidney Bartels. Kayla Hokanson was named to the Honorable Mention team.  
 
Head coach Penny Foore is in her ninth season with the Royals compiling an all-time record of 202-114. She guided the Royals to their first-ever perfect MIAC season at 20-0, making it the first time since 2013 at MIAC squad finished undefeated. At 36-3, Foore's squad is one win away from tying the single-season record, a mark they accomplished last year. It's the fifth time the Royals have posted 25-plus wins in a season.
 
Simacek, DeBace and Fauth-Kilgore were named to the inaugural MIAC All-Playoff Team with sophomore first basemen Mikaela Girard joining them.  
 
Kayla Simacek • P • Sr. • Hastings, Minn.
• Three-time All-MIAC honoree
• Nation's leader in strikeouts with 344, five shy of tying her single-season record.
• Against MIAC opponents she went 19-0 with a 0.86 ERA in 122.1 innings of work. She recorded 163 strikeouts, the fourth most in a conference season, while only giving up 9 walks. The opposition hit a mere .171 against her.  
• Holds a 34-4 record in 38 starts with a 1.02 earned run average.
• In 247.1 innings of work has issued a minimal 22 walks with opponents hitting .170 against her.
 
Allie Fauth-Kilgore • OF • Gr. • Hutchinson, Minn.
• Five-time honoree
• Against MIAC opponents it .319 playing in all 20 league games. She had 14 runs, 22 hits, six extra base hits and 10 RBIs. She drew five walks and stole 18 bags.
• Hitting .326 for the year appearing in all 39 games for the Royals.
• As the Royals leadoff hitter posts a .396 on-base percentage and .477 slugging percentage.
• Team-leading 35 runs with 43 hits, 11 doubles, three triples and 17 RBIs while drawing 12 walks.
• MIAC-leading 35 stolen bases that ranked 11th nationally.
 
Lexi DeBace • OF • Gr. • Little Canada, Minn.
• Three-time honoree
• Hit .415 against MIAC opponents, sixth best in the league, with a .493 on-base percentage. Her 27 hits were fourth most while touching home plate 18 times. Drew 10 walks and only struck out two times in 78 plate appearances.
• Her 30 stolen bases rank 26th nationally, 18 of which came in MIAC play
 
Izzy Wilhelm • 2B • Sr. • Little Canada, Minn.
• Versus MIAC foes, she hit .377 in 20 games with a .525 slugging percentage and .406 on-base percentage.
• She has 23 hits with nine doubles, second most in conference games, while driving in 14.
• Did not commit an error at second base.
• For the year hitting .309 with 35 hits, 15 doubles and a.445 slugging percentage.
 
Autumn Earney • SS • So. • Ellsworth, Wis.
• Two-time honoree
• In 20 MIAC games hit .397 with a .524 slugging percentage and a .435 on-base percentage. She had 25 hits, seven which went for extra bases, and drove in 12 runs.
• Defensively had a .983 fielding percentage in MIAC games.
• For the year hitting .357, second on the team, with 40 hits, seven doubles and 14 driven in.
 
Sidney Bartels • DP • Fr. • Ellsworth, Wis.
• In 18 conference games she is hit .395 with a .579 slugging percentage, .510 on-base percentage and a 1.089 OPS. She crossed home plate 11 times, had 15 hits, four doubles and 10 RBIs. She drew seven walks and was hit by four pitches.
• In her rookie season she is hitting .317 with a .471 on-base percentage, .460 slugging percentage and a .931 OPS.
 
Kayla Hokanson • 3B • Sr. Shakopee, Minn.
• All-MIAC honoree in 2022
• In 20 MIAC games she hit .310 with a .397 slugging percentage and a .406 on-base percentage. She had 18 hits with five doubles and drove in 23 runs.
• For the year hitting .302 in 39 games with a .448 slugging percentage. She had 35 hits with 11 doubles and two homers while driving in 25 and drawing 15 walks.