Linfield's major award winners from the 2022 season all went back to back in 2023 as the Wildcats landed nine players on the All-Northwest Conference Softball Team, released Thursday.
 
Jackson Vaughan was named the NWC Coach of the Year for the 13^th time in his illustrious 22-year head coaching career. Star players Katie Phillips and Tayah Kelley repeated as the NWC Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, becoming the first duo in conference history to accomplish the feat.
 
Vaughan was selected by his peers as the Coach of the Year after leading Linfield to its fifth 40-win season and first since 2012, the year the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Division III championship game. The 'Cats claimed the program's 18^th NWC regular-season title with a near-perfect 27-1 record, matching the best conference mark in school history.
 
Phillips became the 12^th Wildcat to be named the NWC Player of the Year. Kelley's NWC Pitcher of the Year award is the 10^th for the 'Cats. Both standouts were named All-Americans by the NFCA last season.
 
Linfield had an all-conference selection at every position on the field, including five players who earned First Team All-NWC honors. Joining Phillips and Kelley were sophomore first baseman Kaili Saathoff, graduate student right fielder Baily Paul and sophomore center fielder Claire Seats.
 
The 'Cats were so dominant in 2023 that none of their all-conference selections were named honorable mentions. Earning Second Team All-NWC nods were sophomore catcher Ashley Sutton, sophomore second baseman Brynn Nelson, freshman third baseman Cydney Hess and graduate student shortstop Katrina Johns.
 
Phillips finished on top of the NWC as a senior in 2022 but decided to return to Del Smith Stadium for a fifth year of eligibility thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The graduate student left fielder from Tustin, California, is batting .375 with 63 hits, 49 runs, 17 doubles, six triples and four home runs. Phillips' 59 RBI lead Division III. She's the nation's active career leader in at-bats (704), hits (272), doubles (63) and RBI (189).
 
Kelley boasts a 28-1 record and a 1.45 ERA in her senior campaign. Her 28 wins and eight shutouts lead Division III while her 22 complete games and 218 strikeouts rank second in the country. The overpowering righty struck out 10 or more batters on eight occasions, led by a career-high 15 Ks against George Fox on March 29. Kelley became just the second pitcher in Linfield history to eclipse 600 career strikeouts. She's 10 Ks away from becoming the Wildcats' all-time leader.
 
Saathoff opened the season as Linfield's everyday designated player but took over starting duties at first base. She sits atop the NWC rankings with a .450 batting average and 60 runs while leading Division III with 68 hits. Paul has 49 hits and 30 walks and is 31 for 33 on stolen base attempts. Seats is batting .419 with a .652 slugging percentage. She's second on the team with 65 hits and 58 RBI and leads the way with seven homers.
 
Sutton made her debut on the All-NWC Team after starting in 43 games behind the plate and hitting six homers. Nelson went back to back as a Second Team selection. She has 53 hits, including 14 doubles and six homers, and is one of three 'Cats slugging above .600. Hess spent time at both corner infield positions and is second to Phillips with 15 doubles. Johns is the third player on this list who returned as a graduate student. A plus defender and captain of the infield, the shortstop also drove in 20 runs and ripped two homers in the NWC Tournament.
 
Six of Linfield's nine all-conference members were repeat honorees. A six-time NWC Pitcher of the Week this year, Kelley finished her third straight season on the First Team. Phillips has landed on the All-NWC Team four times, including three on the First Team. Paul joins her two teammates in going back to back on the First Team.
 
Ranked No. 4 in the latest NFCA Top 25, Linfield (41-4) has already clinched the NWC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships. Regionals will take place May 18-20. The 'Cats will await the NCAA Selection Show on May 15 to find out who and where they will be playing.