Valley City State Softball Sweeps Player of the Week Awards

Maddy Hazelton and Kylee Banerd earn Frontier Conference honors after dominant performances.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 9:33pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in the style of Pablo Picasso, depicting a softball game broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric planes of vibrant colors representing the players, field, and equipment.The Vikings' softball team's dominant performances on the field are captured in a cubist, geometric interpretation of the game's action.Winona Today

For the first time since joining the Frontier Conference, Valley City State University swept the Softball Players-of-the-Week awards. Sophomore pitcher Maddy Hazelton earned her second Pitcher-of-the-Week honor after tossing 13 scoreless innings with 15 strikeouts, while sophomore outfielder Kylee Banerd was named Player-of-the-Week after batting .636 with four home runs and eight RBIs.

Why it matters

The Vikings' sweep of the weekly awards highlights the team's strong start to the season, as they improved their overall record to 16-13 and conference record to 6-2. The individual performances by Hazelton and Banerd were instrumental in the team's success and demonstrate the depth of talent on the roster.

The details

Hazelton, a sophomore from Winona, Minnesota, appeared in three games, picking up two shutout wins and a save. She tossed 13 innings, allowed just five hits, no runs with three walks and 15 strikeouts. Banerd, a sophomore from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was 7 for 11 at the plate (.636 batting average) with a 1.727 slugging percentage and .692 on-base percentage. She scored five runs and drove in eight, including four home runs in the final game of the series.

  • Hazelton and Banerd earned their weekly honors for their performances over the past weekend.
  • The Vikings are scheduled to play the Mystics in a four-game series in Bismarck on Thursday and Friday.

The players

Maddy Hazelton

A sophomore pitcher from Winona, Minnesota, who earned her second Pitcher-of-the-Week honor in the Frontier Conference.

Kylee Banerd

A sophomore outfielder from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, who earned her first Player-of-the-Week honor in the Frontier Conference.

Valley City State University

The Vikings' softball team, which swept the Frontier Conference Player of the Week awards for the first time since joining the conference.

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What’s next

The Vikings are scheduled to head to Bismarck on Thursday and Friday to play the Mystics in a four-game series.

The takeaway

Valley City State's softball team is off to a strong start in the Frontier Conference, with standout performances from Maddy Hazelton and Kylee Banerd leading the way. The team's depth and talent have been on full display, and they will look to continue their success in the upcoming series against the Mystics.