LSUA's Kwakernaak, OLLU's Hernandez take top honors with announcement of 2025 RRAC softball all-conference awards
WACO, Texas – Following a season where the league became further entrenched as a softball power conference nationally, the best of the best were selected for the 2025 RRAC All-Conference Team and individual awards. The honorees were announced tonight at a pre-tournament ceremony.
2025 RRAC Softball All-Conference Team
Our Lady of the Lake and LSU Alexandria, which were separated by one game in the regular season standings, collected their share of hardware above their conference counterparts. The No. 5 Saints finished 27-1 in conference play and the No. 8 Generals went 26-2, but LSUA ended up with the edge in total awards.
The Generals were recognized with four of the top 5 awards and seven first-team all-conference selections to OLLU's six. Texas A&M-Texarkana, which is ranked 22nd nationally, earned four first-team selections. Houston-Victoria and Texas A&M-San Antonio had one first-teamer each.
LSUA's haul included Julia Kwakernaak being named RRAC Player of the Year with Madi Baker earning RRAC Defensive Player of the Year and Kaetlyn Dunbar receiving the Newcomer of the Year honor. Their leader, Trent Partridge, was voted the RRAC Coach of the Year.
OLLU's Ava Hernandez, who played a key role in the Saints' national championship last year, was announced as the RRAC Pitcher of the Year.
Repeat first-team selections included OLLU's Hernandez and Grace Ross as well as LSUA's Haley Fontenot.
Following are summaries of this year's major award winners.
RRAC Player of the Year – Julia Kwakernaak (LSU Alexandria)
Kwakernaak was the most productive player in the RRAC with 57 RBIs. The junior third baseman from The Hague, Netherlands, also finished second in hitting (.521) and home runs (11). Kwakernaak was in the top 10 of every hitting category, leading in doubles, total bases and slugging percentage. She was also eighth in stolen bases with 20.
RRAC Pitcher of the Year – Ava Hernandez (Our Lady of the Lake)
Hernandez posted a league best 1.53 ERA while going 20-3 in the circle. The sophomore righthander from Alice, Texas, was second in wins and third in strikeouts with 126. She recorded seven shutouts in 16 complete games. Hernandez earned her second consecutive first team all-conference selection.
RRAC Newcomer of the Year – Kaetlyn Dunbar (LSU Alexandria)
Dunbar joined the Generals this season and produced the second-best RBI total in the conference with 53. The junior outfielder from Spring, Texas, also finished in the conference's top 10 for hits (62), runs (42) and batting average (.413).
RRAC Defensive Player of the Year – Madi Baker (LSU Alexandria)
Baker split time between catcher, first base and left field throughout the season. The senior utility player usually played catcher in the first game of doubleheaders and performed well as a receiver and blocker. Teams only attempted 28 stolen bases against her. In the second game, Baker would move into the field so her bat could stay in the lineup, and she didn't commit any errors in those positions.
RRAC Coach of the Year – Trent Partridge (LSU Alexandria)
Partridge raised LSUA to a top 10 program and a second-place finish in the RRAC regular season standings. The talent of his team is reflected in the number of all-conference selections and as well as a 43-5 record. LSUA split with OLLU in their head-to-head meetings this season, and they defeated the Saints twice in the RRAC tournament last year to claim that championship.