Vaughan, Wenner Share Outstanding Female Athlete Award

SPRINGFIELD — A pair of record-breaking, all-conference performers are the co-recipients of the 2023 Missouri State Outstanding Female Athlete Award as announced Monday (May 22) by MSU Athletics.

Softball standout McKenzie Vaughan (Bella Vista, Ark.) and swimmer Jordan Wenner (Ashburn, Va.) are this year’s award recipients.

First awarded in 1981, the MSU Outstanding Female Athlete Award is presented annually to the university’s top female athletic performer, as voted by the head coaches of the MoState’s 11 women’s intercollegiate programs.
 
Other finalists for the 2022-23 Outstanding Female Athlete Award were: Abby Cavaiani (golf), Edna Darr (cross country), Calandra Henry (track), Mary Houston (tennis), Carly Raunig (soccer) and Aniya Thomas (basketball).
 
A sophomore first baseman and pitcher, Vaughan earned All-MVC first-team distinction and NFCA All-Region honors in 2023 after breaking the Bears season record for home runs (14) and slugging percentage (.748). She was the only player in the Missouri Valley Conference this season to earn both Player of the Week (March 21) and Pitcher of the Week (March 7) laurels. Vaughan also led the Bears to a Valley runner-up finish with team-highs in batting average (.318) and on-base percentage (.452). She also earned MVC Scholar-Athlete Team recognition this season.

She is the fourth softball player to win the MSU Outstanding Female Athlete Award, joining Terri Whitmarsh (1986), Barb Gaines (1992 and 1993), and Kellie Becher (1994) on that elite list.

A senior freestyle specialist, Wenner won four gold medals at the 2023 Swimming & Diving Championships, earning All-MVC first-team honors for the third straight season. In addition to individual victories in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events at the 2023 MVC meet, she was also part of winning MSU teams in the 400 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. She was also part of a record-breaking 400 medley relay team (3:38.80) on Nov. 4 that broke school and conference records in that event. She was also an MVC Scholar-Athlete Team honoree and made the CSC Academic All-District Team.

Wenner is the sixth MSU swimmer to earn the MSU Outstanding Female Athlete Award distinction, joining former honorees Courtney Phillips (2003), Jordan Hawkins (2009), Chelsea Dirks-Ham (2011), Renata Sander (2014) and Anna Miller (2022).

This year marks just the third time in the history of the award that co-recipients shared the honor.