WACO, Texas – As part of the Heartland’s 20th Anniversary celebration, the league is honored to announce the 20th Anniversary Heartland Conference Softball Team.
Honorees include Heartland record holders, all-Americans and Heartland individual award winners. In order to qualify for the team, student-athletes must have been awarded at least one Heartland Player of the Year or Pitcher of the Year, and one All-American honor or been awarded multiple Heartland Player of the Year awards or multiple All-American honors and have played for a full Heartland Conference member entering the 2019 season.
St. Mary's had 10 named to the team followed by St. Edward's with three, and Lubbock Christian and Incarnate Word with one each.
20TH ANNIVERSARY HEARTLAND CONFERENCE
SOFTBALL TEAM
Liz Beyer – St. Mary’s – 2004-2005
Beyer was the Heartland Conference Co-Player of the Year in 2004 and was honored with All-America honors that same season. She still ranks among the top-10 in several single-season categories including RBI, batting average and on-base percentage. Beyer ranks fourth all-time in batting average in the Heartland Conference at .413.
Emily Brittain – St. Mary’s – 2011-2014
Brittain was a three-time Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year from 2011-2013 and was also named the Heartland’s Freshman of the Year in 2011. Brittain was named an All-American in 2013 and 2014 during her final two seasons with the Rattlers. She ranks second in the conference in wins with 95 and fourth in complete games with 74.
Morgan Colburn – Lubbock Christian – 2014-2016
Colburn was a multiple All-American winner in her time with Lubbock Christian earning both NFCA and D2CCA honors. Colburn still ranks first in conference history in slugging percentage hitting .872 in her two seasons with the Lady Chaps. Colburn is also among the conference leaders in home runs for a career (43), batting average (.405) and on base percentage (.507).
Sarah Debrow – St. Edward’s – 2012-2014
Debrow was twice named the Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year in back-to-back seasons in 2013 and 2014. Debrow was induced into the Heartland Conference Hall of Fame in 2018 as one of the best pitchers in conference history. She still ranks second in complete games (96), second in strikeouts (727), fourth all-time in wins (70), fourth in shutouts (21) and third in innings pitched (755.0).
Arlynda Flores – St. Mary’s – 2008-2010
Flores was named the Heartland Conference Player of the Year in 2009 and earned All-America honors the same season for St. Mary’s. Flores still ranks tied for first in single-season home runs and single-season RBI both of which happened during the 2009 season. Flores ranks sixth all-time in home runs for a career with 38.
Veronica Garcia – St. Mary’s – 2010-2013
Garcia was named the Heartland Conference Player of the Year in 2005 and earned All-America honors in back-to-back-to-back seasons from 2013-2015. Garcia ranks inside the top 10 all-time in runs scored (148), hits (279), doubles (51), home runs (38) and RBI (179).
Vianna Gutierrez – St. Mary’s – 2012-2015
Guttierez was named the Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2015 and earned All-America honors the same season. Guttierez ranks eighth in conference history in earned run average (1.87) and ninth in shutouts (17). She also ranks among the top 10 in single-season records for shutouts (9, 2015) and wins (28, 2015).
Natalie Hill – St. Mary’s – 1999-2002
Hill was one of the first two Heartland softball players to earn All-America honors earning the award during the 2002 season. Hill was also named the Division II National Tournament Most Valuable Player during the Rattlers’ 2002 championship run. Hill still ranks 10th all-time in runs scored (144) and triples (10).
Kym Kling – St. Mary’s – 2002-2004
Kling is one of only two three-time All-Americans in conference history winning the award in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Kling was named the conference Player of the Year in 2003 and was inducted into the Heartland Conference Hall of Fame in 2016. Kling still leads the conference all-time in earned run average with a 1.05 over three seasons. She also ranks third in the wins with 88, and eighth in complete games with 55.
Kristen Lozano – St. Edward’s – 2006-2008
Lozano was named the Heartland Conference Player of the Year in 2008 and was awarded All-American honors the same season for the Hilltoppers. Lozano also ranks seventh all-time in triples (12) and second in single-season triples with 7 in 2008.
Malissa Magee – St. Mary’s – 2005-2008
Magee is perhaps the most decorated player in conference history earning Pitcher of the Year honors all four seasons in San Antonio from 2005-2008. Magee also earned All-American honors in 2005, 2007, 2008. She remains the only four-time Pitcher or Player of the Year in conference history. Magee was inducted into the Heartland Hall of Fame in 2018 and still litters the record book as the conference leader in career wins (119), appearances (179), starts (143), complete games (111), shutouts (48), innings pitched (994.0) and strikeouts (1,061).
Briana Sanchez – Incarnate Word – 2010
Sanchez played just one season in the Heartland Conference in Incarnate Word’s final season in the league. She was named both the Freshman of the Year and Pitcher of the Year becoming just one of two to win Pitcher of the Year in her rookie season. Sanchez still ranks third all-time in single-season strikeouts with 283 ranking behind a pair of seasons from Malissa Magee.
Nicole Sardelich – St. Mary’s – 2012-2015
Sardelich was the Heartland Conference Player of the Year two times in 2013 and 2015 and earned All-American honors in 2015. Sardelich ranks second all-time in batting average with a .416 mark over four seasons. She also ranks inside the top five in runs scored (210), hits (314) and doubles (87).
Lexi Stephens – St. Edward’s – 2008-2011
Stephens was a two-time conference Player of the Year earning the award in both 2010 and 2011. Stephens was also the Heartland Freshman of the Year in 2008 and was awarded All-America honors that same season. Stephens still ranks as the conference leader in all-time batting average hitting an astonishing .433 over four seasons. Stephens also leads the career record book in runs scored (216) and hits (375).
Sydney Wellmann – St. Mary’s – 2015-2016
Wellmann was the conference Player of the Year in 2016 and was also an All-American in the same season. Wellmann ranks fifth all-time in on base percentage with a .485 mark. She is also one of the top defensive players in conference history ranking seventh in fielding percentage for a career with a .988 fielding percentage.