ROTHWELL HEADLINES OCAA WOMEN'S SOFTBALL AWARDS

TORONTO — Humber Polytechnic's Rilee Rothwell (Cambridge) is the 2025 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Softball Player of the Year.

The fourth-year outfielder was the only player in the league in the Top 5 in batting average, RBIs, home runs, runs scored and stolen bases. The OCAA Batting Champion led all players with a .521 average, 29 runs and four homers. Rothwell also contributed 20 RBI and 10 stolen bases from the dish. Rothwell is also an OCAA First-Team All-Star.

Jasmine Seager (Burlington) of Fanshawe College is the OCAA Rookie of the Year. The utility player was in the Top 3 among student-athletes in the conference with 31 hits, a .548 on-base percentage, and a .484 batting average. The OCAA Second-Team All-Star headlines the OCAA All-Rookie Team.

Emily Stea of Sheridan College is the OCAA Coach of the Year. The Bruins completed their best regular season to date since joining the league in 2022, finishing above .500 for the first time with a mark of 11-9. Their fourth-place finish also sets a new standard for the program. Stea has focused on building a positive team culture, and player development.

Makayla Benz (Simcoe) of Durham College is the OCAA Pitcher of the Year. The fourth-year right-hander led the OCAA in most pitching categories, including wins (9), shutouts (2), strikeouts (77), and ERA (1.34). Benz's impact helped Durham secure the OCAA regular season title. Benz is also an OCAA First-Team All-Star.

Joining Rothwell and Benz as OCAA First-Team All-Stars are Daniela Ernst (Georgetown) and Kelly Tikel (Cambridge) of Conestoga College; Jessica Benz (Simcoe) and Emily Taylor (Oshawa) of Durham; Reese Velocci (Rexdale) of Humber; Zahnyah Jackson (Brampton) and Judy Lafleur (Essex) of St. Clair College; and Payton Barkley (Napanee) of Sheridan.

In addition to Seager, OCAA Second-Team All-Stars include Jessica Greene (Stratford), Vanessa Ng (Rochester, N.Y.), Jocelyn Shelton (Aylmer), Georgia Willsie (Waterloo) of Durham; Kyle Dalrymple (Exeter) of Fanshawe; Genevieve Fry (Beamsville) of Mohawk College; and Kamryn Coombs (Atwood), Reese Grondin (LaSalle) and Danna Juarez (Airdrie, Alta.) of St. Clair.

Along with Seager, members of the OCAA All-Rookie Team include Durham's Willsie; Humber's Maddy Friesen (Altona, Man.); Mohawk's Fry; and Sheridan's Julie Good (Mississauga).

2025 OCAA WOMEN'S SOFTBALL AWARDS

OCAA Women's Softball Player of the Year
Rilee Rothwell, Humber

OCAA Women's Softball Rookie of the Year
Jasmine Seager, Fanshawe

OCAA Women's Softball Coach of the Year
Emily Stea, Sheridan

OCAA Women's Softball Pitcher of the Year
Makayla Benz, Durham

OCAA Women's Softball Batting Champion
Rilee Rothwell, Humber

OCAA Women's Softball League Champion
Durham Lords

OCAA Women's Softball First-Team All-Stars
Payton Barkley, Sheridan
Jessica Benz, Durham
Makayla Benz, Durham
Daniela Ernst, Conestoga
Zahnyah Jackson, St. Clair
Judy Lafleur, St. Clair
Rilee Rothwell, Humber
Emily Taylor, Durham
Kelly Tikel, Conestoga
Reese Velocci, Humber 

OCAA Women's Softball Second-Team All-Stars
Kamryn Coombs, St. Clair
Kyle Dalrymple, Fanshawe
Genevieve Fry, Mohawk
Jessica Greene, Durham
Reese Grondin, St. Clair
Danna Juarez, St. Clair
Vanessa Ng, Durham
Jasmine Seager, Fanshawe
Jocelyn Shelton, Durham
Georgia Willsie, Durham

OCAA Women's Softball All-Rookie Team
Maddy Friesen, Humber
Genevieve Fry, Mohawk
Julie Good, Sheridan
Jasmine Seager, Fanshawe
Georgia Willsie, Durham

- OCAA -

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Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
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E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com