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2024 Season Information

2024 Recap

Kaukauna (27-1 overall) claimed the FVA Title for the fourth consecutive season and went on to the WIAA State Tournament falling in the State Semifinals to Milton 5-3 and ended a 108 game winning streak. Oshkosh West (19-10) Finished second followed by Neenah (14-10), Hortonville (16-11) & Kimberly (15-13) tying for third. Oshkosh North (11-13), Appleton East (7-15), Fond Du Lac (12-15), Appleton North (7-18) and Appleton West (2-21) rounded out the standings.

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Predicted order of finish

1) Kaukauna
2) Neenah
3) Hortonville
4) Oshkosh West
5) Kimberly
6) Fond Du Lac
7) Oshkosh North
8) Appleton North
9) Appleton East
10) Appleton West

Players to watch

Karly Meredith Sr P, Kaukauna 
Jozy Ebben Sr IF Kaukauna
Kyleigh Mathe Jr P Neenah 
Olivia McNulty Sr IF Neenah 
Grace Danoski Jr P Hortonville
Graycin Foytik Sr OF Hortonville
Emmy Reichenberger Sr 1B/C Oshkosh West
Colleen Fitzpatrick Jr OF Oshkosh West
Sophie Hermus Sr SS, Kimberly
Paige Wyngaard Sr OF, Kimberly
Susan Vokes Sr P, Fond Du Lac 
Reghan Ziegler Sr C, Fond Du Lac 
Brooke Peters Sr P, Oshkosh North
Oliva Borowitz Jr SS, Oshkosh North
Alyssa Wald Jr UT, Appleton North 
Charlotte Radtke Fr P/1B, Appleton North
Aubrie Erickson So P/OF/IF Appleton East
Torie Neubauer Sr SS/2B Appleton East
Hattie Moscinski So P Appleton West
Ali Raddatz Jr C Appleton West

Team Previews

Kaukauna to no surprise will be the front runner of the FVA this season. The Galloping Ghosts boast excellent softball IQ and return one of the states best pitchers in Karly Meredith (18-1 121 ⅓ IP 0.35 ERA 249 Strikeouts, Virginia Commit). Kaukauna also looks to returning All-Conference players Jozy Ebben Sr IF (2nd Team), Paige Bodenheimer Jr OF (1st Team), Taylor Federwitz Jr C (1st Team), Lilly Boyle So OF (1st Team), Summer Schmidt Sr IF (2nd Team), Chloe Herzfeldt Sr IF (Honorable Mention) and Raivyn Rabideau Jr IF (Honorable Mention).

Notable Losses: Taryn Christopher, Karlee DeGroot, Cassiy VandenHeuvel

Neenah will look at its pitching, defense and their adaptability to a new coaching staff this season. Adam Habelwitz was named the new head coach for the Rockets in the off-season. All-Conference returnees include Kyleigh Mathe Jr P (8-5 88 IP, 101 Strikeouts, 1.43 ERA), Carson Harwood Jr C, Olivia McNulty Sr IF. The Rockets not only play in a tough conference but also have some tough non conference games this season against Milton (24-3, D1 State Runner-Up), Stevens Point (20-3), Cedarburg (25-5), Middleton, Ashwaubenon invitational (two games), Oakfield Invitational (two games).

Notable Losses: Taelyn Bauer - 2nd Team All-Conference Infield, Isabella Coulman - 2nd Team All - Conference outfield, Parker Zipperer - Honorable Mention All - Conference Infield All Graduated.

Other Returnees: Kaylee Marhefke (Sr), Jillian Matheny (Sr), Maddy Wild (Sr), Kayleigh Johnson (Jr), Taytum West (Jr), Ella Lindgren (Jr)

Newcomers: Megan Coffey (Jr), Ella Pingel (Jr), Norah Paider (So), Carli Baltus (So), Adrianne Oitzinger (So), Natalie Coffey (Fr)

Hortonville is expected to be in the top of the FVA again this season. The Polar Bears have a new head coach with John Garvey stepping into the lead role. Hortonville returns nearly 100 innings of pitching from Olivia Peters Sr and Grace Danoski Jr from a season ago. Peters and Danoski along with Ivy Schroeder Sr C, Graysin Foytik Sr OF, Lanie Schroeder Sr OF, Bella Dontje Sr IF, and Abbie Sippola Jr IF all had good offensive numbers last season.

Notable Losses: Paige Lillie, Molly Kelly

Newcomers: Kierra Wunderlich Fr P

Oshkosh West graduated a strong senior class last season and will look a bit younger this season. Eighth year head coach Tim Kohl mentioned, “We lost a lot of talent and senior leadership in 2024. We will be starting at least five sophomores this year, only one with varsity experience. It is a very skilled group, but they have some big shoes to fill. We will be young for sure. We have a core of sophomores who have worked hard to prepare for this season. Even though our varsity experience will be limited, we will certainly be competitive. We will not be a team that others should look past. If teams take us lightly, they may be in for a surprise.”

Notable Losses: Braelee Jodarski, Chloe Tritt, Alayna Sadowska, Savannah Swanke, and Laina Hammen

Newcomers/Returnees: Emmy Reichenberger Sr 1B (1st team all conference in 24, Moving to Catcher this season), Colleen Fitzpatrick Jr OF (2nd team all conference) Izzy Kramer So P/1B, Avery Tritt So P/IF, Alexia Monroe, So P/IF, Sam Frank So IF.

Kimberly expects to once again be in the thick of the FVA under fourth year Head Coach Chad Mix. “It is a young group that can hit well and has been and expects to once again be competitive against the state’s top teams,” says Mix. The Papermakers will play in the SPASH Quad (Lakeland Union, Westosha Central), travel to the Chippewa Falls Tournament (Superior, Watertown) and will host a Triangular with Freedom and Westosha Central. Kimberly is in a tough regional bracket featuring traditional powers Ashwaubenon, Kaukauna, and Green Bay Preble as well as D2 bump up Freedom. Kimberly will look to its freshman class of 15 players to compete for a varsity roster spot.

Notable Losses: Kathryn VanHandle (DP)

Returning Players: Sophie Hermus Sr SS (Wisconsin commit) Paige Wyngaard Sr OF (St. Cloud State commit), Bell Ellstead Jr P, Paige Schreck So P

Fond Du Lac looks to make a jump in the FVA this season and rely on the experience and talent of multiple returning players,  highlighted by Susan Vokes - Sr P - 1st Team All-FVA and HM All-District - University of Northwestern at Ohio commit - NAIA, MacKenna Shultis - Jr - CF - 1st Team FVA and HM All-District, Mallory Thorpe - Jr - 3B - HM All-FVA, Tristyn Ernst - Jr - OF - HM All-FVA, and Lillian Birschbach - So - OF - HM All-FVA. Sixth year head coach Brian Schleif stated that team chemistry, pitching and hitting are the team's strengths while the team will need to be more solid on defense and commit less errors. The Cardinals will have some notable games outside the FVA with regional opponents Hartford and Beaver Dam and will compete in the Sheboygan Shoreline Showdown which the team has placed first in two years in a row.

Notable Losses: Ava Vermillion - 2B - 1st Team All-FVA and HM - All - District .424 BA.

Other returning players: Ally Osier - Senior Pitcher , Reghan Ziegler - Sr Catcher, McKenna Thome - Sr Pitcher - pitched the second most innings last season. Breahna Mentink - Jr - SS - 3 year starter, .295 BA, Alayna Fink - Jr - 2B, Maddy Gau - So - 1st/P.

Newcomers : Rowan Sievert - So - OF, Alyssa Henke - Jr - DP, Victoria Rose - Jr - 2nd, Lia Liedke - Fr - P/OF, Evelyn Scheer - Fr - OF

Oshkosh North returns a majority of last years roster highlighted by Emma Niemczyk Sr (Drury University Commit) a First Team All-Conference outfielder (.450, 36 hits), Brooke Peters Sr - 2nd team all-conference at Pitcher - (Milwaukee Area Technical College commit) 95 ⅓ IP, 3.08 ERA, Anna Borst Sr - 1st team all-conference catcher, led the team with 10 walks and Olivia Borowitz Jr - 1st team all-conference shortstop (.507 Avg, 37 Hits, 19 RBI). Keith Koslowski, who enters his fifth season at Oshkosh North, said that if the team stays healthy they have the potential to push into the top tier of the FVA.

Other Returnees: Allie Leib Jr UT (1st team all-conference), Kara Cummings Sr P/UT, Sophia Housworth Sr 1B (Honorable Mention all conference), Morgan Kolodzik Sr 2B, Dory Butzlaff Sr OF.

Newcomers: Zara Zinth So C/UT, Sophia Fabiano So IF, Soph Ella Seeley So P/IF

Appleton North will need to fill the void of six graduates from last season but have six returning players looking to fill in spots as well as many newcomers for first year head coach Chris Nissen. Nissen stated that strengths are speed and softball IQ, while youth and inexperience will be areas to work on.

Returnees Alyssa Wald Jr UT (2nd team all conference), Lila Griffith Sr UT, (2nd team all conference), Callie Weber Sr IF,, Maggie Hendrick Sr UT,, Sophia Wald Sr P, Claire Therkildsen So IF.

Newcomers Ali Gawlick Sr UT, Charlotte Radtke Fr P/1B, Valerie Baranczyk Fr OF, Alice Hendrick Fr OF, Brianna Gehrman Fr UT, Tevi Mam So UT, Kiera Hughes So UT.

Appleton East has a new head coach Courtney Watkins, a 2012 Appleton North alum and Madison College baseball alum. The Patriots return All-Conference selections in Torie Neubauer Sr SS/2B and Aubrie Erickson So P/OF/IF. Joining those two with playing time last season will be Sarah Broeckert Sr 1B, Miley Bee Jr IF, Opal Sparkman Jr C.

Notable Losses: Ava Smarzinski SS/3B, Emma Behling 2B/OF, Maddie Heisler OF/C

Appleton West will look to rebound after nearly not fielding a team in 2024. The Terrors have a new head coach in Michael Richeson and have four senior starters returning this year. Richeson says he has a strong freshman class coming in to look forward to. Hattie Moscinski So P (FVA Honorable Mention), Ali Raddatz Jr C (FVA Honorable Mention), Madison Buchinger Sr OF, (Cornerstone University Commitment) are the top returnees this year with Kaydence Gilbert, OF, Sophie Rosenbaum, 2B, Lillian Hanke, 3B as up and coming players.