The Mountain West softball regular season wrapped this past weekend. It is time for accolades.

Honors such as the all-conference teams (first and second team) and player of the year will be awarded, as well as the freshman of the year. The pitcher of the year, the defensive player of the year, and the coach of the year will also be presented.

Last year, the Aztecs had four All-Mountain West performers in Mac “Tank” Barbara, Dee Dee Hernandez, Allie Light, and Cali Decker.

Barbara, Hernandez, and Light made the first team, with Decker making the second. Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz won Coach of the Year for the Aztecs, and Barbara was named Co-Player of the Year with Nevada’s Gabby Herrera. This year, the Aztecs could see some awards come to The Mesa.

Here are my predictions for each award.

Mountain West Player of the Year

There are a couple of interesting names to choose from for MW Player of the Year in the conference, but none more deserving than Nevada senior catcher Aaliyah Jenkins.

In 22 conference games, Jenkins has an eye-boggling .522 batting average with an OPS of 1.766. Jenkins has played this way all year long, and it continued heading into conference play. Along with the batting average and OPS numbers, Jenkins had 36 hits, with 20 of them coming in the extra-base variety.

Along with extra base and home-run power, she recorded 16 stolen bases just in conference play alone. Jenkins is more than deserving of Mountain West Player of the Year and First Team All-Mountain West honors. Tatum Silva and Jenkins, fellow Wolf Pack teammates, Madison Clark, are also in consideration for this award.

Mountain West Pitcher of the Year

This award is very hard to decide between San Diego State Pitcher Cece Cellura and Fresno State’s Serayah Neiss. In the history of the Mountain West, they have not handed out a Co-Pitchers of the Year award. That will continue as the player who will be winning the Pitcher of the Year will be the Aztecs’ Cece Cellura.

Cellura had an amazing conference play with a Mountain West leading 1.77 ERA with a WHIP of 1.08. The right-handed pitcher gave up just 14 earned runs in 55.1 innings of work for the Aztecs, along with 38 strikeouts. Cellura has been the ace of the Aztec pitching staff and has been a star on The Mesa. She has won four Mountain West Pitcher of the Week awards, including the last regular-season Pitcher of the Week award.

Do not be shocked if Neiss or even Mia Reynolds were to win the award over Cellura. Those two played and pitched fantastically for their respective schools. Neiss went 74.2 innings with a 1.97 ERA, a WHIP of 1.07, and striking out 50 Mountain West batters. Reynolds of San Jose State went 87.2 innings of work, a true workhorse for the Spartans. With an ERA of 2.63 and a WHIP of 1.11, and struck out 45 along the way.

Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year

The MW Defensive Player of the Year award can be a little bit challenging to determine in such a talented Mountain West.

With plenty of numbers to base it on, this year’s award is hard to determine. With that being said, Quinn Waiki of San Diego State is the choice for the award. Waiki has been simply outstanding for the Aztecs at shortstop. In this year alone, the true freshman has already created a longer defensive highlight film than most players have in their entire career.

Waiki has made jaw-dropping after jaw-dropping plays to help her team secure clutch wins this year. With 61 assists in conference play, along with leading ten double plays, Waiki could be the winner this year. The award could go to any of the well-deserving players in the conference.

Mountain West Freshman of the Year

The Freshman of the Year award is almost as easy as the Player of the Year award choice, with it being Makenzie Butt of Boise State.

In conference play, she was a massive part of the Broncos making the Mountain West Tournament. She is in the top 5 in the conference in slugging percentage, with a .738 in conference play, and is number two with 27 RBIs for the Broncos. Butt has been a stable in the lineup for the Broncos and was a key contributor for them.

Butt won three Freshman of the Week awards this year, more than any other Freshman in the conference. Any time Boise State needed a big hit, or a momentum-shifting swing or play, she answered the call and gave the Broncos just what the Doctor ordered. Natalie Fritz of New Mexico is also deserving of this award, as she is a key component of New Mexico’s success.

Mountain West Coach of the Year

The decision for this award is relatively easy. It will go to Nevada head coach Victoria Heyward, who is familiar to Aztec fans and Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz.

Coach Heyward has done a spectacular job in just her first year as head coach of the Wolf Pack.

Nevada this year went 40-12 on the year with a conference record of 18-4, good enough to place first in the Mountain West and take the regular season title. Nevada is well on its way to a bid into the NCAA Tournament with an RPI of 39, just getting itself into the field. Nevada was impressive in all aspects of the game. Hitting, Fielding, Pitching, and Base running were all at elite levels this year.

All-Mountain West First Team

Aaliyah Jenkins, Nevada

Tatum Silva, Utah State

Madison Clark, Nevada

Cece Cellura, San Diego State

Sophia Knight, Boise State

Serayah Neiss, Fresno State

Mia Reynolds, San Jose State

Hailey McLean, Nevada

Ashley Archuleta, New Mexico

Ahmiya Noriega, San Jose State

Tess Bumiller, Nevada

Lacie Ham, San Jose State

Bella Espinoza, San Diego State

Cali Decker, San Diego State

Ariana Martinez, UNLV

All-Mountain West Second Team

Claudia Medina, San Jose State

Julie Holcomb, San Diego State

Grace Uribe, San Diego State

Olivia Bauer, Boise State

Makenzie Butt, Boise State

Grace Matej, San Jose State

Leah McAnally, Boise State

Reagan Wick, Colorado State

Kaylynn English, Colorado State

McKenna Guest, New Mexico

Yanina Sherwood, UNLV

Kya Pratt, San Jose State

Olivia Marble, San Jose State

Giselle Gonzalez, San Jose State

Dee Dee Hernandez, San Diego State

The Mountain West Tournament will be underway this Wednesday, May 7, with two games.

No. 5 Utah State will face off against No. 4 Boise State at 3 p.m. PT. No. 6 San Jose State will face off against  No. 3 Fresno State at approximately 6 p.m. PT.

Bryant Thursby

Assistant Coach at Heritage High School. A big time SDSU fanatic and Padres fan.