After a breakout sophomore season, center fielder Jenissa Conway was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I All-American third team. It is her first All-American nomination.
Conway is the 70th All-American nomination in the Michigan softball team’s history, with 42 players having received the award. She is the 15th to be named to the third team and is the ninth outfielder to be named an All-American for Michigan.
“It’s always been my biggest goal to be an All-American,” Conway told The Michigan Daily on Apr. 25. “I think that’s a really big accomplishment, especially from how I transitioned from my freshman to my sophomore year. I see all these names on the walls and that’s just so cool. I want to be the type of player when you’re walking and on the back of our field, you have all the pictures of amazing athletes. I want to be like that.”
The accolade caps off a memorable sophomore season for Conway, who improved her batting average 140 points from her freshman campaign to .379, good for third on the team. Conway was undeniably one of the most important players for the Wolverines, leading the team in production across the board and consistently placing herself as one of the premiere offensive players in the Big Ten. She was 15th in the conference in slugging percentage with .737, 12th in home runs, ninth in hits and eighth in runs while having the third most at-bats. Her play against Big Ten opponents, where she posted a team-leading .432 batting average, garnered her unanimous All-Big Ten accolades.
Earning All-American honors as a sophomore is impressive, but perhaps even more so because of the struggles of Conway’s freshman campaign. Her .236 batting average was the third worst on the team, despite being tied for the team lead in runs. Over the past year, she worked extensively with Michigan assistant coach Amanda Chidester on her hitting and found her stride this year, doubling her home run production from nine last year to 18 this year.
In a year of offensive struggles for the Wolverines, Conway was a bright spot in the lineup, frequently providing key hits. She isn’t nearing her ceiling, either. This All-American award could be the first of many.
