Tuesday, April 30, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. – Saint Martin’s second baseman Lacey McGladrey and Saint pitcher/shortstop Sam Munger have been selected the 2013 GNAC Softball Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively.

Rick Noren, who guided the Saints to a 36-13 record and the GNAC regular-season title, was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year.  

Two Central Washington players also earned special awards.  CWU second baseman Jill McDaniels was voted the GNAC Newcomer of the Year, while outfielder Remy Bradley earned GNAC Freshman of the Year honors.

McGladrey batted .394 for the Saints.  She led the GNAC in runs scored with 55 and in doubles with 17.  She also hit seven home runs.

Munger, who split her time between pitcher and shortstop, led the GNAC in wins with 20 and ranked second in earned run average (2.56).  She also finished the regular-season as the GNAC’s leading hitter with a .416 average.

Noren led the Saints to a school-record 36 wins and their second consecutive 30-win season as the Saints earned the No. 1 seed in this week’s conference tournament which begins Thursday at Bjorgum Field in Billings, Mont.

Noren, who is a 1987 graduate of Western Washington University, has a 78-61-1 record in three seasons at Lacey and is 480-206-1 overall in 17 seasons as a collegiate head coach.

McDaniels batted .340 for Central Washington and hit a conference-best 10 home runs.  She also drove in 42 runs.  Bradley batted .391, ranking fourth in the GNAC, in her freshman season.

McGladrey and Munger were joined on the GNAC first-team all-conference team by SMU first baseman Joslyn Eugenio, who earned first team honors for the third time.  She was also selected in 2010 and 2011 before earning second team honors last season.

McGladrey also earned first team honors for the third time, while Munger and Western Oregon Amanda Evola were repeat selections from last year.

McGladrey, Munger, Eugenio, Evola and McDaniels were all unanimous selections. 

Saint Martin’s, Western Oregon and Western Washington each placed three players on the first team.  Central Washington had two first team selections.  Montana State Billings and Simon Fraser had one each.

2013 GNAC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

FIRST TEAM:  Pitchers – Kelsie Hawkins, SFU (5-8, Jr., Victoria, BC); Hannah Pomeroy, WOU (5-6, Sr., Mossyrock, WA). Catcher – Brittney Sanders, MSUB (5-5, So., Kelso, WA).  First Base – +**Joslyn Eugenio, SMU (5-3, Sr., Kapolei, HI).  Second Base - +**Lacey McGladrey, SMU (5-4, Jr., Bothell, WA).  Shortstop - +*Sam Munger, SMU (5-6, So., Everett, WA).  Third Base – Jourdan Williams, WOU (5-8, So., McMinnville, OR). Infield – +Jill McDaniels, CWU (5-8, Jr., Walla Walla, WA).  Outfield -  +*Amanda Evola, WOU (5-7, So., Beaverton, OR); Alexie Levin, WWU (5-7, Fr., Everett, WA); Remy Bradley, CWU (5-2, Fr., Richland, WA); Camille Depew, WWU (5-9, Sr., Seattle, WA).  Designated Player – Jordan Walley, WWU (DP, 6-2, Fr., Maple Valley, WA).  +Unanimous  *Repeater  **Two-time repeater (Eugenio 2010-11).

SECOND TEAM:  Pitchers – Cara Lukawesky, SFU (5-10, Sr., Coquitlam, BC); Maria Gau, CWU (5-7, Jr., Woodinville, WA).  Catcher – Jackie Rothenberger, WWU (5-7, Sr., Coquitlam, BC).  First Base - Emily Osborn, MSUB (5-7, So., Las Vegas, NV).  Second Base – Aubrey Conceicao, MSUB (5-3, So., Temecula, CA).  Shortstop – Andrea Hamada, CWU (5-4, Fr., Walla Walla, WA). Third Base – Carly Lepoutre, SFU (5-3, Sr., Pickering, ON). Infield – Kristen Allen, WWU (5-7, Sr., Arlington, WA).  Outfield – Madi Davis, SMU (5-5, Sr., Bothell, WA); Trisha Bouchard, SFU (5-6, Sr, Montreal, QC); Michaela Hazlett, CWU (5-4, Fr., Purcell, OK); Rose Harrington, MSUB (5-4, Sr., Missoula, MT). Designated Player – Nicole Wilkerson, MSUB (5-5, Sr., Lincoln, CA).                            

HONORABLE MENTION: Pitchers – Noelle Wright, NNU (5-9, Jr., Irrigon, OR); Taylor Bakos, SMU (5-4, Sr., Kennewick, WA); Jessyka MacDonald, MSUB (5-6, So., Billings, MT). Catchers -  Aubree Pocklington, SMU (5-9, Sr., Montesano, WA); Cassi Ellis, CWU (5-1, Sr., East Wenatchee, WA); Kaitlyn Cameron, SFU (5-9, So., Langley, BC). First Base – Mai Galusha, CWU (5-11, Jr., Battle Ground, WA). Second Base -  Lauren Mew, SFU (5-4, Sr., Vancouver, BC). Shortstop – Desiree Villegas, WOU (5-3, Sr., Pico Rivera, CA); Danielle Raison, SFU (5-7, So., Langley, BC).  Third Base – Taylor Hope, MSUB (5-5, So., Chehalis, WA); Megan Miller, SMU (5-3, Fr., Everett, WA); Brianna Kinghorn, NNU (5-7, So., Meridian, ID). Outfield -  Dani Wall, SMU (5-9, So., Tenino, WA); Taviah Jenkins, SMU (5-8, So., Castle Rock). Designated Player -  Melanie Pfeiffer, WOU (5-3, Jr., Reno, NV); Elena Carter, CWU (5-9, Sr., Olympia, WA).

GNAC SPECIAL AWARDS: Player of the Year – Lacey McGladrey, SMU.  Pitcher of the Year – Sam Munger, SMU.  Newcomer of the Year – Jill McDaniels, CWU.  Freshman of the Year – Remy Bradley, CWU.   Coach of the Year – Rick Noren, SMU.