BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team continued to add to its postseason awards collection Friday afternoon as the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) announced their 2024 All-Region teams. Sophomore catcher Kyla Igawa (Long Beach, Calif.) and graduate outfielder Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.) were named to the first and third teams, respectively. For Pettenger, it marks her second straight all-region nod, having also been named to the third team in 2023. With this duo earning all-region accolades, it marks the third straight season the Black & Gold has had at least one student-athlete recognized.
Igawa earned her first all-conference nod after an efficient season, batting .414 with 34 RBI that ranked second and third in the league, respectively. The sophomore's breakout season also included a team-high 14 doubles and a .432 on base percentage.
Across her career, Igawa bats .363 with a .461 slugging percentage, notching 21 doubles, 54 RBI, and three home runs. Her seven sacrifice flies tie for first in the program's all-time ranks.
Pettenger etched her name further into the program's record books in her fifth season, being named CCC Player of the Year while batting .409 at the plate with 54 hits, including 10 doubles and two triples, and holding a .561 slugging percentage and a .506 on base percentage that ranked second conference-wide. Her 45 runs scored and 24 stolen bases both ranked first in the CCC. Pettenger was also named CCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and to the all-conference first team.
Pettenger ranks arguably at the top among all-time Leopards per her career, ranking first in the following statistical categories: games played (148), runs scored (139), hits (193), triples (19), total bases (287), and stolen bases (54). Her .388 batting average and .469 on base percentage each rank second. In addition to this season's accolades, which now includes her second straight NFCA All-Region nod, the outfielder was named all-region a season ago and has been named to the All-CCC First Team each of the last two seasons prior to 2024 after being named to the second team as a freshman.
The Leopards made their third straight trip to the CCC Tournament, finishing with 20 or more wins (25-19) for the third straight season while making their second straight appearance in the CCC semifinal round.
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June 18, 2024
Pettenger Named CSC Academic All-American
May 17, 2024
Igawa, Pettenger Earn NFCA All-Region Honors
May 10, 2024
WNE Rallies Past Softball in CCC Tournament Action
May 6, 2024
Rowe Earns CCC Player of the Week Honor
April 30, 2024
Rowe Shines in Softball's Sweep of Framingham State
April 28, 2024
Softball Picks up Triumph in Split with Suffolk
April 23, 2024
Pettenger Named CCC Player of the Week
April 17, 2024
Softball Torches Salem State in Non-Conference Play
April 14, 2024
Softball Shuts Down Roger Williams to Salvage Split
April 13, 2024
Softball Grabs Two Wins Against Gordon in CCC Action
April 10, 2024
Softball Splits with Curry in Pair of Defensive Bouts
April 9, 2024
Rowe, Miller Haul Home CCC Weekly Awards
April 2, 2024
Softball Sinks Emmanuel Ahead of CCC Opener
March 30, 2024
Hartford Tops Softball
March 29, 2024
Softball Rolls Past Simmons
March 25, 2024
Rodriguez, Rowe Named Leopards of the Week
March 22, 2024
Softball Silences Eastern Nazarene
March 16, 2024
Softball Falls in Home Opener to Brandeis
March 11, 2024
Three Student-Athletes Named Leopards of the Week
March 8, 2024
River, Adrian Top Softball
March 6, 2024
Softball Falls to Carthage and Neumann
February 8, 2024
Softball Picked to Finish Third in CCC Preseason Poll