Illinois State's Heather Stella and Kara Nelson were among 10 players named to the Missouri Valley Conference Softball 25-Year Team, the league office announced Thursday.
In celebration of Title IX and the 25th anniversary of women’s sports in the league, the Valley is naming 25-year anniversary teams for each of its women’s sports.
Stella played from 1996-99 and was ISU’s first two-time All-American. She also earned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America honors in 1999 to become Redbird softball’s first athletic and academic All-American.
The Gridley High School graduate was the Valley Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999.