First Team

Ramsey Hopp, Sr., P, New Ulm

Hopp, the 2024 All-Journal Softball Player of the Year, finished her senior season of softball by leading the Eagles to the Section 2AAA finals for the second year in a row.

The senior turned in a 2.02 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 114 innings of work (8.72 per game), with an 18-5 record in the circle. She also had six shutouts and a no-hitter on the year and was an All-Section, All-Conference, Second Team All-State player during her senior campaign that also played in the MFCA All-Star Series at Caswell Park on June 8 with teammate Kenzie Enter. At the plate, Hopp boasted a .410 batting average with a .521 slugging percentage, five doubles and 19 RBIs. With power, speed and selflessness, Hopp did whatever she could to get on base and allowed courtesy runners in for her despite her love to run the bases. She also led the team in suicide squeeze bunts this season.

Andersen Loose said Hopp was a kid that always did the right thing even when no one was looking and was someone she wanted her daughter to aspire to be like. She also said in all her years of coaching, she never had a kid like Ramsey Hopp and knew she would never have another like her. Hopp will play softball at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall next season.

Jaylin Hartness, Sr., C, Cathedral

Hartness finished an All-Conference, All-Section, All-State senior season of softball with the Tomahawk-Valley Conference champion Greyhounds by leading the team in batting average (.451), hits (37), RBIs (30), homers (5), doubles (11) and slugging percentage (.768). From behind the plate, she picked off 10 runners and threw out 11 trying to steal this season. Behind the plate, she had a fielding percentage of .995.

The team’s starting catcher for the past three seasons was a highlight and key reason the Greyhounds captured a state title in 2024 as she caught for two young pitchers in their first year on varsity in Abbey Hillesheim and Jayde Altermatt. Hartness was this year’s Tomahawk Division Player of the Year and exits the program with a Class A state championship under her belt after helping earn the program’s 8th state softball title last season.

Jayde Altermatt, 8th, P/DP/ Cathedral

Altermatt shared time in the pitching circle this year for the Greyhounds and was a full-time hitter that anchored the bottom of the lineup with big hits.

The All-Conference, All-Section player was also an All-State Honorable Mention for her dominant eighth-grade season, her second year on varsity. Altermatt hit .397 at the plate with 15 RBIs, eight doubles and a homer, but where she really shined was in the circle. As a pitcher, she had an ERA of just .69 to go with a 12-2 record in 81 innings pitched. She allowed 42 hits and 28 walks while striking out 136, an average of 10.5 strikeouts per start. She also had a WHIP of .864 and an opponent batting average allowed of just .152.

Kenzie Enter, Sr., 2B, New Ulm

Enter completed her varsity softball career with New Ulm as the team’s strongest offensive assets among a flurry of top-tier Eagles hitters. She got on base every game she played with the exception of the first Section 2AAA finals game against Mankato East and had a .479 batting average and an on-base percentage of .518. She also had 29 RBIs and led the team in stolen bases with 29. She added seven doubles, three triples and a home run to the stat sheets this season. In addition to her standout offensive skills, Eagles head coach Kristi Andersen Loose said Enter was also one of the most consistent and reliable defensive players this year and for the past several years. This season, Enter had just three errors and led the team in assists and putouts by any defensive player on the team. Andersen Loose said Enter always set lofty goals for herself each year got better and better, with her last year in purple being her best season yet.

Enter also played in the MFCA All-Star Series at Caswell Park on June 8 alongside teammate Ramsey Hopp. Enter has a softball scholarship to play for the Iowa Lakes Lakers next season.

Taylor Berkner, Jr., P, Sleepy Eye

Berkner finished the season earning her third consecutive All-Conference honor and was also named All-Section and an All-State Second Team member. In the circle, she had a 16-7 record with 202 strikeouts and a 3.02 ERA. At the plate, she hit .444 on the season with 36 hits, 35 RBIs and a .593 slugging percentage. With one year to play yet at Sleepy Eye, Berkner had 114 career hits, 93 career RBIs and 377 career strikeouts.

Maddie Backer, Sr., CF, New Ulm

Backer finished a standout career of softball with the Eagles with An All-Conference, All-Section and All-State Honorable Mention in the 2025 campaign.

She hit .378 during the season and stole 30 bases, adding 34 runs scored, four doubles, three triples, a home run and 11 RBIs.

The sure-handed, hard-throwing center fielder continued to make plays in center field also for New Ulm, committing only one error all season. Eagles head coach Kristi Andersen Loose said Backer covers ground better than any center fielder she’s ever had, tracking down balls that would ordinarily be hits while also using her arm strength to keep opponents from scoring at home.

Paige Haala, Sr., SS, Sleepy Eye

Haala finished her senior year of softball at Sleepy Eye as a three-time All-Conference member. The four-year varsity starter also struck out just four times this season, three coming against the Section 2A champion and Class A state champion United South Central, and turned in a batting average of .457. Haala had 37 hits, 33 runs scored, 24 RBIs, 13 extra-base hits, three home runs and a slugging percentage of .716. She was also an All-Section player, an All-State Second Team member and played in the MFCA All-Star Series at Caswell Park on June 8.

Callie Evers, Fr., CF, Sleepy Eye

Evers quickly made herself known as one of the top rising freshman players in the area as she hit .506 on the year. She led Sleepy Eye in hits with 41 and also had 15 extra-base hits, 32 RBIs and 29 runs scored to go with a slugging percentage of .741. She was an All-State Honorable Mention this season also in her second year of starting on varsity. Sleepy Eye head coach Cory Haala said Evers had excellent range, a strong arm and the ability to play anywhere in the field and will likely be at shortstop next season.

Lauren Schmiesing, Jr., SS, New Ulm

In her third year of varsity play for the Eagles’ softball team, Schmiesing continued to make plays from the infield and put the ball in play at the plate. She turned in an All-Conference season as the cleanup hitter, batting .437 with 12 doubles, a home run, 21 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Schmiesing redefined herself as a hitter this season, showing power at the plate while being a tough out as well, putting pressure on opposing pitchers. New Ulm head coach Kristi Andersen Loose said Schmiesing is one of the hardest-working and most selfless players she has ever coached, growing as an athlete every day and doing what is best for the team.

Second Team

Aylah Jenniges, Jr., P, Wabasso

In her first year as the team’s go-to pitcher, Jenniges pitched in all 27 games for the Rabbits for 168 2/3 innings in the circle as the Rabbits made the Class A State Softball Tournament for the first time since 2015. The All-Section pitcher struck out 125 batters and had an ERA of 2.45 wile allowing 160 hits and 39 walks. She had a WHIP of 1.18 and an opponent batting average allowed of .231. At the plate, the junior hit .282 with 24 hits, six doubles, 16 RBIs and 26 runs scored. She also led the team in stolen bases with 13 and was a unanimous All-Conference member.

Abbey Hillesheim, Jr., P/DP/Cathedral

Hillesheim wrapped up her junior year of play with the Greyhounds as an All-Conference player that completed a 1-2 pitching punch for her team for the second year in a row after taking home a state title last season. This season, Hillesheim pitched 65 2/3 innings and had a 9-1 record in the circle, posting an ERA of 1.71. She also struck out 46 batters while allowing 54 hits and 23 walks. At the plate, Hillesheim hit .354 with 15 RBIs and eight doubles.

Leah Bode, Sr., P, Nicollet

While serving as a quiet leader, Bode anchored the Raiders’ softball team for the past several years. She finished a standout athletic career at Nicollet with a Class A State Softball Title in 2022, two All-State, four All-Conference and two All-Section honors to her name in softball.

Bode also led her team at the plate this season, hitting .359 with a team-high 30 RBIs and 27 runs scored. She had five doubles, two triples, two home runs and stole 12 bases. In the circle, Bode made great progress after taking the pitching reins in 2023, finishing her senior year with a 4.23 ERA and a 13-8 record. She also had 101 strikeouts and allowed 53 walks in 134 innings of work and was a member of the Blue Team in the MFCA All-Star Series at Caswell Park on June 8.

For her career, Bode hit .441 with 144 hits, 126 RBIs, 27 doubles and 10 home runs.

Madelyn Haala, Sr., 1B, Cathedral

Greyhounds head coach Jamie Kuehn said while Haala isn’t the flashiest player and flies under the radar, she is a reliable player with an impressive stat line and a defensive ability at first to save many errors at first base. Haala was an All-Conference Honorable Mention that hit .342 this season at the plate, tying for the team lead in doubles with 11 and striking out just three times all season. She also had 16 RBIs and a fielding percentage of .977. She bows out of her prep softball career with the Greyhounds with a state championship to her name after the team won the Class A state title last season.

Macy Rohlik, Jr., 3B, Wabasso

Rohlik led the state-appearing Wabasso Rabbits at the plate this season with a team-high .333 batting average and team-high 30 hits. She had five doubles, four triples (team high), 21 RBIs (team high) and scored 28 runs while turning in a slugging percentage of .478. She was also an All-Section player this season, hitting .588 in the section tournament and .375 at state.

Brynn Wilfahrt, Fr., 2B, Cathedral

Wilfahrt was an All-Conference Honorable Mention this season that brought a lot of pop in her bat during her freshman campaign. She hit .435, second highest average on the team, and was also second on the team in RBIs with 25 while leading in triples with two. She also hit two home runs.

Karlee Prahl, Sr., SS, MVL

Prahl finished her senior year of softball with the Chargers as the team’s top hitter and most consistent fielders at shortstop. She hit .500 with a slugging percentage of .763 to go with 19 hits, 10 RBIs and eight runs scored. In the field, she had 40 putouts and a fielding percentage of .909.

Emma Hauger, Sr., CF/SS, Springfield

Hauger finished her senior year with the Tigers as an All-Conference, All-Section player. The three-year starter missed her sophomore season due to an ACL tear, but she bounced back her junior year and was named an All-Conference Honorable Mention as a junior. This season, she finished with a .377 batting average and a .536 slugging percentage. She also had 26 hits, nine doubles, a triple, 20 RBIs and 17 runs scored. She also played in the MFCA All-Star Series at Caswell Park on June 8.

Ava Brennan, Sr., LF, Cathedral

Brennan wrapped up her senior season of softball with the Greyhounds as an All-Conference and All-Section player. The leadoff hitter was always a threat to lay down a bunt for a hit, steal bases and take extra bases on hits. She showed off her quickness by stealing 15 bases this season, a team high. She also hit .333 at the plate with 10 doubles, 15 RBIs and 32 runs scored, also a team high. She exits the program with a state title to her name after the Greyhounds won the Class A state championship in 2024 during her junior year.

Honorable Mention

Payton Bruns, So., P/OF, Madelia (.404 batting average, .596 slugging percentage/33 strikeouts from circle)

Abby Groebner, Jr., OF/C, Springfield (.373 batting average, .613 slugging percentage, 10 doubles, 17 RBIs)

Taylor Mathiowetz, So., 2B/P, St. Mary’s (.302 batting average, .509 slugging percentage, five triples)

Eva Schweiss, So., DH/OF, St. Mary’s (.320 batting average, .460 slugging percentage)

Chloe Kachelmeier, So., LF, Nicollet (.303 batting average, 21 RBIs, 25 runs scored, 17 walks)