Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado Mesa’s Ashley Bradford is the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Softball Player of the Year, the league announced Friday. Bradford’s award was announced in conjunction with the league’s three other individual honors, the RMAC All-Conference rosters and the conference’s Gold Glove team. RMAC individual awards, all-conference teams and Gold Glove honorees are nominated and voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.
 
Bradford leads the Mavs with a .464 on-base percentage, 121 total bases and 14 stolen bases throughout the 2022 season. She has been a key component of Colorado Mesa’s explosive offense, which ranks ninth in the nation with 7.4 runs per game. Bradford has crushed 14 home runs throughout the season and accounts for a team-leading 49 runs in the 2022 campaign. The Tucson, Ariz., native has 50 starts on as many appearances this season and is averaging .377 from the plate. She also leads the Mavericks with 58 hits and 13 doubles while accounting for 49 RBI.
 
Paige Adair is the league’s Pitcher of the Year following a stellar regular season, where she dished out two no-hitters for the Mavericks. Adair ranks first in the nation for hits allowed per seven innings (3.07) and sixth nationally with a .74 WHIP. The redshirt senior claims her second consecutive RMAC Pitcher of the Year honor after doling out 126 strikeouts on her way to a 16-3 record in the circle. She has delivered six shutouts this season and eight complete-game performances for a 1.32 earned-run average.
 
Regis pitcher Kylie Harpman is the RMAC Freshman of the Year after erupting to a 20-7 record in the circle this season. In 32 appearances, Harpman has fanned a league-best 159 batters and held opponents to a .247 average at the plate. She has six shutouts and one save on the year and carries a 1.17 WHIP. Harpman paced the Rangers to a 28-12 record in conference play, earning the No. 3 seed at the RMAC Softball Tournament.
 
Colorado Christian’s Larry Hays is the conference’s Coach of the Year after leading the Cougars to a 34-4 conference record and a 47-8 overall mark. Hays’ team ranks among the nation’s top-10 programs in 14 separate categories, including a No. 2 ranking in total runs (405). The Cougars are averaging a scorching 7.4 runs per game and have blasted 92 home runs this season. He has CCU’s offense firing on all cylinders as the Cougars have also registered a .367 team batting average.
 
Colorado Mesa leads the all-conference rosters with eight selections in total, including six first-team recipients. Colorado Christian checks in next with seven honorees, followed by Regis’ five All-RMAC awardees. MSU Denver landed four players among the all-league rosters, while Adams State, Colorado State University Pueblo and Fort Lewis round out the all-conference rosters with one selection apiece.
Colorado Christian and CSU Pueblo tied for a conference-best three selections on the RMAC Gold Glove roster. Colorado School of Mines, MSU Denver and Regis round out the defensive team with one honoree each.
 
The RMAC postseason schedule continues Friday, May 6, with day two of the 2022 RMAC Softball Tournament. Friday’s action opens with a 10 a.m. showdown between No. 3 seed Regis and fifth-seeded University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Fans can follow the tournament action on the RMAC Network.