Hodag softball team hands out awards

The Rhinelander High School softball team closed out its season on Tuesday by handing out a trio of awards to its varsity team.

Sophomore Cassidy Lindner was voted the team’s Gold Glove winner, freshman Kendall Vanney earned the Big Bat award and freshman Miranda Daab earned the Hodag award during the team’s banquet at the Hodag Dome.

All three awards were voted on by the team members. 

Vanney’s award was backed up by the numbers. Her .302 batting average was the best among those who had at least 30 plate appearances for the Hodags this spring. She collected a team-high nine extra-base hits, including three triples, and led the team with 15 RBIs. Additionally, Vanney stepped in and handled the bulk of the pitching duties over the second half of the season while fellow freshman Aleece Johnson battled through a pair of injuries. 

“So when Aleece got hurt, there was no doubt in my mind that we were going to be OK,” coach Ali Bender noted during Tuesday’s banquet. “We have two very, very strong pitchers, and no matter which way we go, we were going to be fine.”

Cassidy Lindner finished the year with an .854 fielding percentage and her 28 putouts were the third-most on the team, behind catcher Saige Mutter and first baseperson Kadyn Taylor. She had the second-best average on the team among qualifying players at .235 and her two successful sacrifice bunts tied for the team lead.

“You grew so much at shortstop,” Bender told Lindner. “You went from making little errors to just fluently coming through with it. So we were extremely proud of you.”

Daab, a freshman, appeared in only eight games for the Hodags this spring, going 1 for 10 with an RBI, she also walked twice and was hit by a pitch. Though Daab’s playing opportunities were limited, Bender said she earned the Hodag award thanks to her positive attitude in the dugout.

“This girl is so deserving of it, she was a kind teammate,” Bender said. “She’s a teammate that everyone would want to have. She’s a positive supporter, (great) attitude, lifting others up. Whether she was on the field or not, she showed up with energy.”

In addition to the team awards, Bender recognized the team’s two captains — Taylor and the team’s lone senior Lucy Lindner. 

Taylor, a junior, made the switch from catcher to first base this spring and hit .172 with two doubles and seven RBIs. 

“We needed somebody to play first base and you stepped up, right? Maybe not what you wanted to do, but you did it because that was what was best for the team,” Bender noted.

Lucy Lindner hit .167 on the spring with two extra base hits and eight RBIs while anchoring down third base virtually all season.

“You just led with such a passion this year and a care, you were playing with the purpose,” Bender said. “I feel that you really set a standard that’s going to echo on our program for a really long time. And I think that there are a lot of girls that look up to you and you are just a very, very good role model.”

The Hodags finished the season 5-16 officially, and picked up a win in a varsity reserve game against Crandon as well. That was an improvement over a one-win season in 2024, despite facing adversity with a young squad and the Hodag Dome out of commission for much of the season.

“This season has been challenging with no dome, just like tonight, this is challenging,” Bender said, noting that due to a lack of chairs, the team held its banquet under the cover of the of the Mike Webster Stadium concession stand on a rainy evening. “This has been our season, the weather. Girls, thank you for your dedication, your hard work this year. It has paid off. We’ve made improvements. That has been seen by many, many people.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].