SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — South Dakota State’s Abby Gentry was named The Summit League Player of the Year, while a total of eight Jackrabbits were recognized by the conference, as the league office announced its 2025 All-Summit League Softball teams and individual award winners on Tuesday.
Gentry became the fourth Jackrabbit in the previous five seasons to earn The Summit League’s Player of the Year award.
The sophomore third baseman played and started in all 18 conference games. Gentry had a team-leading and conference best batting average of .464 in league action. She also was the conference leader in RBIs with 24. Gentry was SDSU’s leader in slugging percentage (.714), hits (26), doubles (6), home runs (2) and total bases (40). She was second in The Summit League in hits, while she was fifth in on-base percentage, doubles and slugging percentage.
Gentry ranks among the top 50 individuals in Division I softball for the season in batting average (.439), doubles (16) and RBIs (49). Her current season batting average and on-base percentage (.519) would at the time set new program records.
Joining Gentry on the All-Summit League First Team are teammates Brooke Dumont, Mia Jarecki and Akayla Barnard.
Dumont earned her second consecutive First Team accolades as she started all 18 games at catcher. Among Summit League players, Dumont finished among the individual leaders in walks (18) and triples. She also was third in on-base percentage (.543), sixth in OPS (1.153) and doubles (5), seventh in slugging percentage (.608), ninth in batting average (.373) and 10th in RBIs (13). She committed just one error from behind the plate accumulating a .988 fielding percentage.
The senior from Papillion, Neb., has set the program’s runners caught stealing record with 32 in her career. She stands second all-time among Jackrabbits in walks (98) and and third in both doubles (42) and fielding percentage (.989).
Jarecki is a three-time All-Summit League First Team performer. The 2024 Summit League Player of the Year continued her success during her senior season as she started all 18 games at second base. Jarecki finished first in the conference in sacrifice bunts (4), tied for third in runs scored (16), tied for fifth in stolen bases (5) and finished sixth in both walks (12) and assists (47). Jarecki led SDSU in runs scored and stolen bases. She finished among the top four Jackrabbits in conference play in walks, batting average (.316), hits (18), total bases (24) and on-base percentage (.443).
The Papillion, Neb., native set the SDSU program record last weekend in runs scored which now stands at 151. Jarecki is currently second in career on-base percentage (.432) and third in walks (94) all-time as a Jackrabbit.
Barnard claimed her first All-Summit League honors during her sophomore campaign. The SDSU center fielder played in all 18 games and hit .277 with a home run, 10 RBIs, three doubles and a triple. Barnard finished fifth in The Summit League in walks drawn (13). She was among the Jackrabbits’ top five in conference play in runs scored (12), RBIs, slugging percentage (.447), walks and on-base percentage (.435), while she didn’t commit an error in the outfield.
Tayler Baker and Emma Vike each were tabbed with their first All-Summit League recognition as they were selected to the Second Team.
Baker made a team-high 11 appearances in the circle and had four starts in conference play. The SDSU pitcher registered a team-best 5-1 record with a 3.08 ERA. Baker threw the second most innings on the team with 36 1/3 and had 37 strikeouts to 16 walks. Her strikeout and win totals were each the fourth most among Summit League pitchers, while her ERA was the fifth lowest. Teams had an opposing batting average of .241 against Baker, the fifth best mark in the conference.
The Madison, Wis., native threw three complete games and recorded a save.
Vike started all 18 games at shortstop for the Jackrabbits. The SDSU junior was among The Summit League’s best in multiple offensive categories. Vike finished third in the conference in hits (25) and assists (52), sixth in batting average (.417) and slugging percentage (.633), seventh in runs scored (14) and eighth in on-base percentage (.485). The St. Michael, Minn., native was among SDSU’s top two players in 10 different statistical categories.
Rounding out SDSU’s All-Summit League nods were Emma Christensen and Sylvia Shromoff. The duo were tabbed honorable mentions.
Christensen started all 18 games in the outfield for the Jackrabbits, primarily in left field. The SDSU junior hit .288 and hit a home run, four doubles and had five RBIs. Christensen finished among the top five on the team in hits, doubles and total bases. The Urbandale, Iowa, native is hitting .300 overall on the season across 31 games.
Shromoff pitched a team-high 42 innings in conference play. She finished with a 3-1 record and 3.00 ERA. Shromoff made nine appearances, with seven starts, and had three complete-game performances. Among Summit League pitchers, Shromoff finished fourth in ERA and tied for sixth in wins. The Shakopee, Minn., native had the seventh lowest opposing batting average (.250) and walk total given up (13), along with ninth most innings pitched and ninth lowest hit total (40).
South Dakota State begins its appearance at the 2025 Summit League Softball Championship on Thursday. The Jackrabbits are slated to play at 1:30 p.m. in Brookings at Jerald T. Moriarty Field. They await the winner of the opening-round game between No. 3 South Dakota and No. 6 Kansas City which play at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.