Softball Puts Four on Heart All-Conference Team, One Gold Glove Winner
Marshall, Mo., (May 3, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College softball team has put four of its student-athletes on the 2024 Heart of America Athletic Conference All-Conference Team.
Three Vikings were named to the all-conference second team, including Senior Pitcher Kim Horsten (Moergestel, The Netherlands), Sophomore Outfielder Hailey Simons (Pleasanton, Calif.) and Sophomore Infielder Olivia Bettencourt (Murrieta, Calif.).
Horsten led the team in a number of statistical categories at the end of the regular season, including wins (10), complete games (11), innings pitched (117.2) and strikeouts (119). She also is the program's all-time leader in strikeouts (374), and was a second team all-conference selection in 2023.
Simons earned her first all-conference selection after leading the team at the end of the regular season in runs (24) and on-base percentage (.389). She also finished second in hits (40), stolen bases (4) walks (11) and batting average (.336).
Bettencourt also earned her first all-conference selection after leading the team at the end of the regular season in batting average (.342) and doubles (10) to go with 38 total hits, 13 runs scored, 14 RBI's.
A fourth member of the team was named to the honorable mention list, Junior Centerfielder Caitlyn Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.). Vela led the team at the end of the regular season in hits (44), doubles (10), triples (3), home runs (3), RBI's (24), stolen bases (8) and slugging percentage (.500). Vela was a 2022 second team all-conference selection.
In addition to her second team all-conference selection, Bettencourt was named to the Heart Gold Glove Team. This is the eighth Gold Glove selection all-time for the program, and first for Bettencourt. This season, Bettencourt led the team in fielding percentage (1.000), total chances (234) and putouts (230).
Missouri Valley finished the regular season with an 18-26 overall record, and a 12-12 record in the Heart. The team qualified for the Heart Postseason Tournament for the first time since 2017, and opened with a 5-4 victory over Baker (Kan.). Next is a winner's bracket game against Benedictine (Kan.), Saturday at 9:30 a.m., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
All-Conference Team-Click Here
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Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.