By Press Times staff
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – On May 9, the Horizon League announced its All-League Awards, in which several Green Bay Phoenix athletes were honored, including Horizon League Player of the Year Tiffany Giese.
Giese was also named to the All-League First Team; Paige Hanson collected Freshman of the Year, All-League First Team, and All-Freshman Team honors; and Randi McKay and Jadin Justman received All-League Second Team accolades.
“After breaking a half-dozen records in the last two seasons, Giese solidified herself as the best leadoff hitter in the conference, posting an impressive .338 batting average while swiping 25 stolen bases, tying her single-season mark. She paced the team in walks (28) and was one of four GB players to appear in all 50 games alongside Justman, Sam Saloun, and McKay. The Huntley, Ill., native was especially lethal against Horizon League opponents, batting a scorching .452 with a .551 on-base percentage and 1.003 OPS. Giese makes it two years in a row that the Phoenix has won the Player of the Year award after Alicia Peters was named the first POTY in program history last season,” a Green Bay Athletics release stated.
“Hanson, a Cottage Grove, Wisconsin native, proved to be a threat in the middle of Green Bay’s lineup from day one, finishing the regular season third on the team in batting average (.305) and RBIs (19). The versatile infielder had an .815 OPS, the second-highest on the squad, and reached base at a .388 clip. The freshman third baseman was also strong against HL competition, finishing with a .390 conference batting average and a team-high 1.032 OPS. Hanson is the fourth Phoenix to make the All-Freshman team since 2021 and first ever conference Freshman of the Year.
“McKay, one of four Phoenix in their final season, garners her first career All-League accolade this season. A mainstay in the lineup, she has hit .310 through 71 conference at-bats and tallied 10 RBIs. McKay has racked up 41 total bases, best for the fourth-most on the team.
“Justman, named a top-20 second baseman to watch in the nation by Extra Innings Softball during the preseason, garners her third career All-League award. She was tabbed to the All-Freshman Team in 2021 and All-League First Team in 2022. Her 15 doubles led the team (she was the only GB player with 10 or more doubles), and last weekend against Detroit Mercy, she became the program leader in doubles with her 35th career two-bagger. Justman blasted two home runs, tied for the second-most on the team with Hanson, and her 29 RBIs were also the second-highest on the squad.
Green Bay was named the host site for the 2023 Horizon League Softball Championships after the Phoenix swept a doubleheader last against Detroit Mercy.
The games ran May 10-13 at King Park in Green Bay.