INDIANAPOLIS – Three UIC Flames were honored Tuesday as the Horizon League announced its 2022 softball All-League Teams and award winners.

First baseman Tara McElligott was named to the All-League First Team, while third baseman Maica Ingles was selected to the All-League Second Team. Outfielder Grace Fleming earned a spot on the conference's All-Freshman Team.
 
McElligott paced UIC and ranked high among the conference's leaders in nearly every major offensive category this spring. The Lockport, Ill., native finished the season ranked second in on-base + slugging percentage (OPS) with a mark of 1.099. In 23 conference games, McElligott posted an OPS of 1.179. UIC's first baseman was one of only four players in the Horizon League to clear 1.000.

She ended the campaign second overall in on-base percentage (.470), third in slugging percentage (.629), tied for third in home runs (8) and tied for fourth in doubles (10). Against Horizon League foes, McElligott slashed .328/.476/.703 as her on-base and slugging percentages ranked second and third, respectively, among conference players.

McElligott led the Flames with 11 multi-hit games and ranked second on the team with four multi-RBI games. One of her most memorable performances came on Feb. 12, when she cranked two home runs, including a grand slam, at San Diego State. That was one of two multi-home run efforts this season, as McElligott also blasted a pair at Northern Kentucky on April 2.

This is McElligott's first All-League Team recognition. She was previously named to the All-Freshman Team in 2019.
 
Another UIC infielder, Ingles, was named to the All-League Second Team. Ingles batted .296 in 45 games this spring, while pacing the Flames with 40 hits and 30 runs scored. The third baseman ranked sixth in the Horizon League in runs scored and tied for eighth in walks with 18.

In 25 contests against Horizon League competition, Ingles batted a team-high .333 and posted an on-base percentage of .430, which ranked eighth best in the conference. Her 20 runs scored were tied for the second most in conference play.

Ingles was one of two UIC players to start all 45 games this season. She posted 10 multi-hit efforts, including three hits on a team-high three occasions. Two of those three-hit performances came in back-to-back fashion on April 1-2 at Northern Kentucky. In that series win over the Norse, Ingles batted .667 and slugged .833 with three RBI and four runs scored.

Like McElligott, this is the first All-League acknowledgement for Ingles. After being sidelined by injury during her first two years on campus, she was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team in 2021.
 
Fleming was voted to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team, marking the ninth consecutive season in which the group was announced that UIC has been represented.

The Long Beach, Calif., native ranked third on the team in both hits and runs scored behind Ingles and McElligott. Fleming hit seven doubles in her inaugural season and was one of only two Flames, along with McElligott, to hit multiple home runs. She tied Ingles with 10 multi-hit games, and McElligott with four multi-RBI performances. The outfielder batted .244 and drove in nine runs during conference play.

In five full seasons under UIC head coach Lynn Curylo, the Flames have had 13 First Team selections, eight Second Team selections, and 10 All-Freshman Team selections, including McElligott, Ingles and Fleming. No awards were given in the pandemic-shortened season of 2020.

The complete list of 2022 award winners and All-League honorees is below. Players are listed in alphabetical order by school.

2022 #HLSB Awards
Player of the Year: Alicia Peters, Green Bay
Pitcher of the Year: Sydney Campbell, Oakland
Freshman of the Year: Melissa Holzopfel, Cleveland State
Coach of the Year: Lauren Karn, Oakland
 
All-League First Team
Position Players
Jenna Deang, Cleveland State, 2B, So.
Tiffany Giese, Green Bay, OF, Sr.
Jadin Justman, Green Bay, 2B, So.
Alicia Peters, Green Bay, 3B, Gr.
Jordan Jenkins, Northern Kentucky,1B/UT, Sr.
Kendyl McKeough, Northern Kentucky, 3B/UT, Sr.
Lauren Griffith, Oakland, DP, R-Jr.
Madison Jones, Oakland, 3B, R-Sr.
Jessie Munson, Oakland 2B, R-Sr.
Tara McElligott, UIC, 1B, Sr.
 
Pitchers
Melissa Holzopfel, Cleveland State, Fr.
Sydney Campbell, Oakland, R-So.
 
All-League Second Team
Position Players
Becky Hurosky, Cleveland State,1B, Jr.
Becca Edwards, Green Bay,1B, Jr.
Samantha Saloun, Green Bay, C, So.
Rachael Gregory, IUPUI, IF, Jr.
Cammie Brummitt, Oakland, R-Sr.
Brooke Wintlend, Purdue Fort Wayne, DP, So.
Erika Bell, RMU, OF, Sr.
Taylor Rhinehart, RMU, UT, Gr.
Meadow Sacadura, RMU, C, R-Fr.
Maica Ingles, UIC, 3B, R-Jr.
 
Pitchers
Brittany Baneck, Green Bay, Sr.
Elle Buffenbarger, Youngstown State, Sr.
 
All-Freshman Team
Melissa Holzopfel, Cleveland State, P
Abby Gawlinski, Green Bay, P
Kendal Calvert, IUPUI, OF
Alicia Flores, Northern Kentucky, P
Madi Herrington, Oakland DP
Alaina Koutsogiani, RMU, 3B
Meadow Sacadura, RMU, C
Grace Fleming, UIC, OF
Bree Kohler, Youngstown State, UT