Iola-Scandinavia senior softball players Maddie Much and Julia Munoz were selected by the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association (WFSCA) to play in the Wisconsin Senior All-Star Softball Series.
All-star players were nominated by their coaches and selected for their softball accomplishments throughout their high school careers.
This event showcases the most talented senior softball players in Wisconsin. The games will be played on Tuesday, June 11 at Woodside Sports Complex in Wisconsin Dells. The all-stars will arrive in Wisconsin Dells on Monday, June 10, for an afternoon practice and attend a banquet in the evening before playing two games on Tuesday.
Maddie and Julia will be playing on the Division 4/5 – Gray Team. Their teammates include: Sophia and Sophia Coker, Jazelle Hartwig and Addison Lavicka from Athens; Bentley Cutts and Lillian Pettit from Iowa-Grant; Danielle Mann from Gilman; Sydney Ritchie from Shiocton; Mya Rueth from Loyal/Greenwood; Josie Scheithauer from Rib Lake; Morgan Streveler from Edgar; and Hailee Thompson from Bonduel. Their coach is Jenny Korth from Marion.
“Both Maddie and Julia are very deserving of this honor to be an all-star,” stated Coach Tom Anderson. “They both started playing softball and pitching together in fourth and fifth grades with their dads coaching them. They also played volleyball and some basketball together during high school career. They have also excelled in the classroom. Finally, both young ladies have great family support!”
Maddie and Julia are four-year varsity letter winners in softball and have each played about 80 varsity softball games. They were part of the 2023 state championship team, 2022 state qualifying team and the 2022 and 2023 sectional championship teams and the 2021, 2022 and 2023 regional championship teams. Maddie was the starting pitcher for the 2022 and 2023 state tournament runs. She had an incredible tournament series pitching and batting. Maddie suffered a knee injury in volleyball last fall which prevented her from playing softball her senior season. Julia was the starting third baseman and number-two pitcher for the two state tournament appearances in 2022 and 2023. With Maddie’s injury, Julia was elevated to the number-one pitching position and has excelled so far her senior season.
Maddie and Julia also earned Academic All-State honors. They are co-salutatorians in their class academically and will graduate with grade-point averages above 3.9. Maddie will attend UW-La Crosse to major in pre-law while Julia will attend the University of Minnesota to major in kinesiology this fall.
Past All-Stars
Previous Iola-Scandinavia softball players selected to play in the all-star series includes Marin Hoyord and Jaelyn Sivertson in 2023, Alexa Christoph and Makayla Much in 2022, Mackenzie Kielblock and Hannah Melum in 2020, Kendall Johnson in 2017, Jane Oligney in 2015, Mary Marx and Morgan Oppor in 2011, Kendall Erickson in 2010, Anne Marx and Lizzy Nelson in 2009, Cailin Foerster in 2008, Ashley Draeger and Brooke Anderson in 2007, Ashley Johnson in 2006, and Eulalie Moe in 1997.
Proceeds from these all-star games will go to Special Olympics Wisconsin. They provide sports training and competition for nearly 10,000 athletes with cognitive disabilities in 18 different sports year-round.