Cougars place four on NFCA All-Midwest Region teams

Four BYU softball student-athletes received NFCA All-Region honors on Saturday.

BYU softball celebrates a Violet Zavodnik home run against Baylor on April 25, 2024BYU softball celebrates a Violet Zavodnik home run against Baylor on April 25, 2024

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Four BYU softball student-athletes received National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Midwest Region honors, the organization announced on Saturday morning.

First baseman Huntyr Ava, outfielder Violet Zavodnik and utility player Lily Owens were named to the All-Midwest Region First Team, while shortstop Ailana Agbayani was named to the Second Team. With this year's quartet of honorees, the Cougars have been represented on an NFCA All-Region team in 10-straight seasons going back to 2014.

Ava tallied team highs in slugging percentage (.677), RBI (62), home runs (12) and total bases (111) as well as the second-highest batting average (.390), hits (64), doubles (9), sacrifice flies (4) and at bats (164). A product of Rose Park, Utah, Ava started all 52 games she played in, drew 14 walks and recorded a .972 fielding percentage, with 239 putouts at first base. This is the third All-Region honor for Ava as she was named for the first team in 2022 and third team last season.

Zavdonik posted the second-highest on base percentage (.481), home runs (11), hit by pitches (7) and stolen bases (10), also finishing with a .346 batting average, 38 runs scored, eight doubles, 36 RBI, 27 walks and a .669 slugging percentage. Hailing from Murrieta, California, the center fielder went 10-for-10 on stolen bases and had a .960 fielding pecentage. A second teamer in 2021 and first teamer in 2022, this is also Zavodnik's third All-Region honor.

Owens tied for the most triples on the season (2) and has the second most runs (39) and RBI (40). She also had the third-highest batting average (.348) and fourth-most home runs (6) and total bases (82) The Chino Hills, California product was 9-for-9 on stolen bases, recorded a .529 slugging percentage and a .914 fielding percentage. This is the first All-Region honor of Owens' career.

Agbayani led the team in batting average (.424), on base percentage (.534), runs scored (48), hits (70), hit by pitches (11), stolen bases (12), total plate appearances (209) and at bats (165). The Mililani Mauka, Hawai'i native hit five home runs on the year and tallied 33 RBI. In the field, she recorded a .949 fielding percentage with a team-high 101 assists. Agbayani garners her second All-Region honor after being named to the third team last season.

View the full list of All-Region honorees at the NFCA website.