IRVINE, Calif. -  The No.11 Concordia University Irvine softball team made quite the impression in the All-PacWest awards.

Three CUI players were named PacWest Players of the Year including Callie Nunes as PacWest Pitcher of the Year, McKinsey Thorpe as PacWest Player of the Year, and Kelsea Sweeney as Newcomer of the Year.  Several more Eagles were featured as selections on All-PacWest Teams such as Megan Massa, Missy Nemeth, Erika Morris, and Sydney Sprinkle.
 
"So proud of my team and so well-deserved to be recognized for an all-around great year," said head coach and athletic director Crystal Rosenthal. "McKinsey carried us all year and to have Callie and Kelsea come up big on the mound has made our success possible. Missy, Sprinkle, Massa, and Erika were all big time as well. I think this shows how much of a well-rounded team we really are."
 
McKinsey Thorpe: PacWest Player of the Year
Thorpe is CUI's first-ever PacWest Player of the Year winner.  She has been explosive and reliable at the plate, leading No. 11 Concordia's offense. The Archbishop Mitty HS alum has started every game at second base and led the Green and Gold's offense with a .373 batting average heading into this week's contests as well as ranking first on CUI for hits (44), doubles (7), steals (13), at-bats (118), and on-base percentage (.435).  She is tied for second all-time at CUI with 66 career steals.  She was named PacWest Player of the Week after the last week of regular season where she racked up five fits on Senior Day as well as the game-winning RBI single in a 1-0 win over APU.

"It is an honor to be selected as Player of the Year as I am surrounded with some of the best teammates and coaching staff as they have continued to push me throughout this season," said Thorpe, who was able to compete in her fifth season for the Eagles.  "Being able to get another year of eligibility, due to COVID-19, has been a blessing as it has allowed me to come back this year and play in the best program in the country! We have so much more to do within our program and I'm excited to continue with this team everyday!"

"I am forever grateful to Crystal and Rose as they have continued to push me these past five years," continued Thorpe.  "They have believed in me and have pushed me to be the best athlete and woman that I can be. I am so glad that I decided to come to CUI five years ago and am excited for our season to continue!"

Callie Nunes: PacWest Pitcher of the Year
All-American Callie Nunes was named PacWest Pitcher of the Year for the third time in her career. Nunes is known to be lights out on the mound and continues to show her competitive edge for the Green and Gold in the circle. In the 2021 season Nunes set two career school records. She is the only player in the program to reach above 700 strikeouts and is the leader of saves with 10. She led the nationally-ranked Eagles in the following categories: 10 wins, 1.69 ERA, 75 strikeouts, seven completed games, and two saves. Nunes has been named PacWest Pitcher of the week a whopping 12 times, a feat that is the second-most in the conference's history.

Nunes was recently named the 2021 CUI Female Athlete of the Year at Concordia's Senior Legacy Banquet. On Senior Day also she tossed an incredible complete game one-hit shutout. 
 
"Earning any award is always an honor, but this year is a bit more special because it really was a pitching staff win," stated Nunes. "Working with five other pitchers and learning from each of them has been a blessing I'll always keep with me. I have worked so hard my entire pitching life/career, and this year was no different. Thanks to everyone who helped me earn this award!"

Kelsea Sweeney: PacWest Newcomer of the Year
A senior transfer from Idaho State, Sweeney earned PacWest Newcomer of the Year.  She has been great on the mound, effectively keeping the opposing team's bats off balance. Sweeney is second on the team in wins, complete games, innings pitched and ERA among starters.  Her efforts in the circle helped the No.11 Eagles win their third consecutive PacWest title. Sweeney had some epic outings against Biola. She tossed back-to-back complete games in a pair of wins over BU in a span of 24 hours.
 
"I feel so blessed to be named Newcomer of the Year and I couldn't have done it without my teammates and their ability to make me feel so welcome on a new team," said Sweeney. "I've loved my short time here at Concordia and can't wait to compete in post season!"

First Team All-PacWest 
CUI had four selections earn First Team All-PacWest honors. All-PacWest Pitcher of the Year Nunes for the third time of her career and All PacWest Player of the Year Thorpe for the second time of hers.
 
Megan Massa and Missy Nemeth were the final Eagles to make First Team All-PacWest. Massa was second on the team in batting average (.327) amound starters, as well as hits (37), at-bats (113), and walks (19). She tied for the squad's lead in doubles with seven for the season. She has played in every game and started in all but one in the outfield.
 
Nemeth has had a great eye in the box this season and has been deliberate with her swings. She led the No.11 Green and Gold in homers (7), RBI (33), walks (21), slugging percentage (.515) and hit by pitches in the batter's box. In addition, she has posted 10 games with two RBI. A highlight from this season is when she smacked two homers in a crucial victory over Biola. On defense she held it down at first base with a .984 fielding percentage and a had a team-high of 230 putouts.
 
Second Team All-PacWest
All-PacWest Newcomer of the Year Sweeney, Sydney Sprinkle, and Erika Morris were Second Team All-PacWest selections.  
 
Sprinkle was First Team All-PacWest her freshman year and received All-American honors. This year she was second on the squad in homers (5) and RBI (25), and third in total hits (28) and walks (17).  She hit .275 and started 35 or the possible 37 contests in the regular season.  On defense, the Palm Desert, Calif. native had 148 putouts, threw out seven runners, and only committed three errors all season with a .932 fielding percentage. 
 
Morris was previously Third Team All-PacWest. She is a dangerous player on the field as a hitter and a pitcher. This season Morris cranked two pinch-hit home runs in 25 at-bats, including a big time grand slam on Senior Day against APU. She also went 5-1 in 31.2 innings on the mound with a 2.21 ERA, including two wins in a doubleheader vs APU on the last day of regular season to help CUI clinch the SoCal Pod Title. 
 
What's Next... 
The Green and Gold are up in Northern California for the PacWest Conference Automatic Qualifier Pod Series, which begins this Wednesday, May 12. The two-day event features each of the pod champions from the PacWest's three geographic regions. The winner will get an automatic berth into the NCAA DII Regional Tournament that Concordia will be hosting at Eagles Field starting on Wednesday, May 19. 
 
To view the CUI softball team's updated schedule CLICK HERE.