COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West announced the 2023 Softball All-Conference teams and individual honors today, as voted on by the league’s nine head coaches. Boise State head coach Justin Shults garnered MW Coach of the Year honors, while Broncos senior Kelsey Hall is the MW Player of the Year. San Diego State junior Allie Light has been tabbed MW Pitcher of the Year. MW Defensive Player of the Year honors go to Fresno State senior Alesia Denby and Utah State’s Jaden Colunga is the MW Freshman of the Year.

Shults led Boise State to a Mountain West regular-season title after finishing the regular season with a 31-15 overall record, including 16-5 in league play. The second-year head coach is just the second Bronco to earn MW Coach of the Year honors and first since 2018.

Hall started 21 games for Boise State in Conference action, hitting .444 with 37 RBIs on 24 hits. Her 37 RBIs led the MW, while the .444 batting average was third-best. The native of Sacramento, California, tied for a league best with eight home runs, while leading the Broncos to the No. 1 seed in the upcoming MW championship. Hall, who earned three MW player of the week honors this season, is the third-ever Boise State student-athlete to earn the MW Player of the Year award, joining Tara Glover (2012) and Rebekah Cervantes (2018).

Light appeared in 16 MW games for the Aztecs, recording a 7-1 record and two saves. She led the league with a 1.37 ERA, just 12 earned runs in 61.1 innings pitched, while limiting opponents to a .213 batting average. Light is the second-consecutive San Diego State student-athlete to be named MW Pitcher of the Year and 11th all-time.

Denby led the Mountain West with 56 assists in the field and had 21 putouts. The native of Murrieta, California, is the first MW Defensive Player of the Year from Fresno State since 2016 (Paige Gumz) and fourth all-time.

Colunga started all 22 MW games for the Aggies in 2023, recording a .338 batting average with 23 hits, 11 RBIs and nine runs scored. The native of Colton, California, is the first Aggie to win MW Freshman of the Year since Victoria Saucedo in 2014 and second all-time.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kelsey Hall, Sr., OF, Boise State

PITCHER OF THE YEAR 
Allie Light, Jr., P, San Diego State

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 
Alesia Denby, Sr., INF, Fresno State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR 
Jaden Colunga, Fr., OF, Utah State

Coach of the Year
Justin Shults, Boise State

ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM 
Kelsey Hall, Sr., OF, Boise State
Taylor Caudill, Jr., P, Boise State
Eliyah Flores, Sr., INF, Boise State
Ashley York, Jr., OF, Colorado State
Hailey Smith, Jr., OF, Colorado State
Alesia Denby, Sr., INF, Fresno State
Keahilele Mattson, Jr., OF, Fresno State
Chelie Senini, Jr., OF, Nevada
Ashley Archuleta, So., INF, New Mexico
Rachael Hathoot, R-Jr., INF, New Mexico
Mac Barbara, So., DP, San Diego State
Allie Light, Jr., P, San Diego State
Makena Brocki, Jr., INF, San Diego State
Jenessa Ullegue, R-Sr., P, San José State
Ariana Martinez, So., DP, UNLV

ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM 
Autumn Bennett, Sr., INF, Boise State
Jordyn Hutchins, Jr., OF, Boise State
Serena Huchingson, R-Sr., C, Boise State
Molly Gates, Jr., OF, Colorado State
Danielle Serna, Sr., INF/P, Colorado State
Aaliyah Jenkins, So., C, Nevada
Cali Decker, So., C, San Diego State
Bella Espinoza, So., OF, San Diego State
Jillian Celis, Jr., INF, San Diego State
Sarah Lehman, Sr., P, San Diego State
Alyssa Graham, R-Sr., INF, San José State
April Visser, Sr., INF, UNLV
Maddie Schmidt, Sr., INF/UTL, UNLV
Skyler Shaw, Jr., OF, UNLV
Gabby Jimenez, Sr., INF, Utah State