MANKATO — After leading the Mankato East softball team to another great season, Kylinn Stangl has been named one of eight finalists for the Ms. Softball Minnesota award, the Minnesota Twins Community Fund and the Minnesota All Sports Alliance announced Monday.

Stangl, who just finished her senior season last week, helped the Cougars to a third-place finish in the Class AAA tournament. In 21 innings during the tournament, she posted a 1.90 ERA and struck out 24.

As a sophomore and junior, she led the Cougars to back-to-back Class AAA championships, earning first-team All-State honors both years.

Stangl’s impact on the field is obvious, but East coach Joe Madson feels her impact on softball in the community will be felt in the years to come.

“You get a kid like Kylinn who has earned a full ride … kids see that. It’s the ‘I want to do that, too’ mindset,” Madson said. “She’s worked really hard, she’s a super competitive kid. It’s going to be really fun to follow her.”

Overall this season, Stangl posted massive numbers as both a pitcher and hitter. In 160 innings in the circle, she went 21-5 with a 1.40 ERA and 216 strikeouts. Offensively, she led the Cougars with 10 home runs, 35 RBIs, 16 walks and a 1.415 OPS.

Stangl finishes her East career as arguably the most decorated player in program history, ranking high in the school record books in countless hitting and pitching categories.

People may think of Stangl as more of a pitcher, but her 2025 season as a hitter was every bit as impressive.

“She hit so many balls hard. If you’re keeping track of the hard-hit balls and the miles per hour off the bat, I can’t believe anyone in the state would have had as many hard-hit balls as she had. …

“I think she’s as much of a hitting prospect as she is a pitching prospect at the next level.”

Stangl will continue her career next year at the University of Minnesota.

“She certainly will do everything in her power to get on the field as a pitcher or as a hitter,” Madson said. “She may end up doing some of both. I think she’d love that.”