BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University senior Anna Kasner has been selected as the D2CCA (Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association) West Region Pitcher of the Year, highlighting three WWU selections to the All-Region team that was announced Tuesday.
 
Kasner and junior shortstop Tatum Dow were First Team All-West Region selections, while junior center fielder Lauren Lo was a second-team pick. All three players received the same awards from the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association last week).
 
Kasner becomes the second pitcher from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference to earn the Pitcher of the Year award, joining Central Washington's Lauren Hadenfeld, who earned the award in 2010. Former Viking Emily Benson earned the West Region Player of the Year honor from the D2CCA in 2019.
 
The Milton native (Fife HS) heads into the NCAA West Regional with a 13-3,1.62 ERA (26 ER, 112.1 IP) record in 20 games/19 starts. She has recorded 153 strikeouts to rank among the national leaders in strikeouts per 7.0 innings (9.53) and has thrown 13 complete games and 7 shutouts. The First Team All-GNAC selection and GNAC Championships MVP is the WWU and GNAC all-time strikeout leader (551)
 
Dow (Issaquah, WA/Bellevue College) is batting .449 (48-for-107) with 26 runs scored, 7 doubles, 6 home runs and 26 RBI. She ranks among West Region leaders in on-base percentage (4^th, .512), slugging percentage (10^th, .682) and 3^rd in batting average. The First Team All-GNAC selection has recorded at least one hit in 28 of 35 games with 14 multi-hit games, and is the GNAC leader batting .462 (18-for-39) with runners in scoring position.
 
Lo (Issaquah, WA/Skyline) is batting .379 (39-for-103) with 27 runs scored, 10 doubles, one triple, 3 home runs and 19 RBI while starting all 35 games for the Vikings in center field. Among GNAC leaders Lo ranks in the top-10 in conference in batting average (6^th), slugging percentage (10^th, .583) and on-base percentage (9^th, .432). She is also tied for 7^th in the GNAC in runs scored, 8^th in hits and 9th in total bases (60) to earn First Team All-GNAC honors.
    Here is a look at the complete 2021 D2CCA All-West Region selections as voted on by Sports Information Directors across the West Region:
 
West Region Pitcher of the Year
Anna Kasner, Sr., Western Washington
 
West Region Player of the Year
Brittany Genuardi, C, Sr., Northwest Nazarene
 
FIRST TEAM
C: Brittany Genuardi, Sr., Northwest Nazarene
1B: Missy Nemeth, Fr., Concordia-Irvine
2B: McKinsey Thorpe, Sr., Concordia-Irvine
3B: Dani Burghardt, So., Azusa Pacific
SS: Tatum Dow, Jr., Western Washington
OF: Maia McNicoll, So., Northwest Nazarene
OF: Theresa Moyle, Sr., Central Washington
OF: Megan Massa, Jr., Concordia-Irvine
DP: Aly Montesino, Fr., Azusa Pacific
P: Callie Nunes, Sr., Concordia-Irvine
P: Anna Kasner, Sr., Western Washington
P: Paige Austin, Jr., Biola
UT: Lauryn Henderson, Jr., Academy of Art
UT-P: Sidney Booth, Fr., Northwest Nazarene
 
SECOND TEAM
C: Kayla Neff, Sr., Biola
1B: Becca Jewett, Sr., Azusa Pacific
2B: Haley Randall, Sr., Academy of Art
3B: Britney Patrick, Fr., Saint Martin's
SS: Ivy Hommel, Jr., Northwest Nazarene
OF: Lauren Lo, Jr., Western Washington
OF: Brielle Faijo, Sr., Azusa Pacific
OF: Haley Hayakawa, Fr., Chaminade
P: Sidney Booth, Fr., Northwest Nazarene
P: Leah Gonzales, Sr., Hawai'i Hilo
P: Tori Hensley, Jr., Northwest Nazarene
UT: Izzy Starr, So., Humboldt State
UT-P: Taylor Genera, So., Chaminade
  Up-to-date season information, including season statistics, bios, roster, schedule and historical information can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/Softball. WWU Softball also has a strong social media presence on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, so give them a follow!
  The WWU softball program is in its 29^th season in 2021, with the Vikings posting a winning record 18 times. WWU won the 1998 NAIA National Championship in only its sixth season to record the school's first ever team national title and has now made five trips to the NCAA Division II Regional Championships. Over the last six seasons (since 2014), the Vikings are 195-146 and have won two of the last four GNAC Tournament titles (2017 & 2019). Head coach Sheryl Gilmore is in her third season at the helm of the program in 2020 after leading WWU to 27 wins, tied for the 10^th-most in program history, in her first campaign in 2019 and a 60-42 overall record (.588).