Five players from Arizona softball earn NFCA All-Region honors

With the regular season complete, it’s time to hand out awards for the 2023 softball season. Arizona players have had their names called on several occasions with seven Wildcats being honored this week for their performances on the field and in the classroom.

On Thursday, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced its all-region teams. Five Wildcats landed on the West All-Region Second Team: junior third baseman Blaise Biringer, freshman catcher/designated player Olivia DiNardo, freshman outfielder Dakota Kennedy, junior first baseman Carlie Scupin, and junior second baseman Allie Skaggs.

Skaggs is the 2023 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. She and Kennedy were both named First Team All-Pac-12 this season. DiNardo earned Second Team All-Pac-12. Both DiNardo and Kennedy were on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.

Members of the all-region teams become eligible for the NFCA All-American distinction. Skaggs was a Second Team NFCA All-American last season.

Earlier in the week, the College Sports Communicators announced its awards that honor players for their on-field contributions and their academic accomplishments. Four players from Arizona were on that list, making it the largest group in program history.

The CSC Academic All-District honorees are fifth-year catcher Izzy Pacho, junior pitcher/infielder Devyn Netz, Skaggs, and Scupin.

Pacho graduated with a degree in elementary education last year and is now working on a graduate degree. She was the College of Education’s Student Teacher of the Year in 2022. She has a 3.974 GPA in her five years as a student-athlete.

Skaggs has a 3.96 GPA and majors in journalism. She worked as an intern with Arizona Athletics last year. Scupin carries a 3.679 GPA in marketing and Netz has a 3.667 GPA in physiology and medical sciences. Both Skaggs and Netz were All-Pac-12 this season with Netz landing on the second team.

The four CSC all-district honorees are now eligible to be named Academic All-Americans.