Tuesday, April 29, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore.  – Western Washington first baseman Alexie Levin, who is making a bid to win the GNAC Triple Crown, has  been voted the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Levin currently leads the GNAC in batting average (.433) and  home runs (10) and ranks second in RBI (46).  She is also the conference leader in slugging (.761) and ranks second in on-base percentage (.483).

In addition to Levin, Maria Gau of Central Washington, Autumn Isaacson of Western Washington and Kelsie Gardner of Western Oregon were voted special awards by the conference coaches.

Gau was voted the GNAC Pitcher of the Year. She is 16-6 on the season and leads the conference in strikeouts with 124 and ranks third in ERA (2.27).

Isaacson, who is batting .395 and has stolen a GNAC-record 30 bases, was voted the GNAC Newcomer of the Year.  Gardner, who is batting .372 and leads the GNAC in runs scored (49), was selected the GNAC Freshman of the Year.

Western Oregon head coach Lonny Sargent, who guided the Wolves to a 30-20 record and the GNAC regular-season title was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year.  Sargent, a 2001 graduate of Warner Pacific has a 57-46 record in two seasons at WOU.

Levin was one of seven unanimous selections to the all-conference first team.  Also selected unanimously were Saint Martin’s second baseman Lacey McGladrey, Western Oregon shortstop Melanie Pfeiffer, Central Washington infielder Jill McDaniels and outfielders Amanda Evola of Western Oregon and Isaacson and Meghan Carrillo of Western Washington.

McGladrey, who was a first-team NFCA All-American last season, was voted to the first team for the fourth year in a row.  She is just the fifth player in GNAC history to accomplish that feat.  

Saint Martin’s pitcher Sam Munger and Evola earned first team selections for the third year in a row, while Levin, McDaniels and Montana State Billings catcher Brittney Sanders were all repeat selections from a year ago.

Also earning first team honors were pitcher Kelli Demianew of Western Oregon, Pfeiffer, third baseman Megan Miller of Saint Martin’s and Saint outfielder Taviah Jenkins.

2014 GNAC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

FIRST TEAM: Pitchers – **Sam Munger, SMU (5-5, Jr., Everett, WA); Maria Gau, CWU (5-7, Sr., Woodinville, WA); Kelli Demianew, WOU (5-10, Jr., Pendleton, OR).  Catcher – *Brittney Sanders, MSUB (5-5, Jr., Kelso, WA).  First Base – +*Alexie Levin, WWU (5-7, So., Everett, WA).  Second Base – +***Lacey McGladrey, SMU (5-5, Sr., Bothell, WA).  Shortstop – +Melanie Pfeiffer, WOU (5-3,  Sr., Reno, NV).  Third Base – Megan Miller, SMU (5-3, So., Everett, WA).  Infield – +*Jill McDaniels, CWU (5-8, Sr., Walla Walla, WA).  Outfield - +**Amanda Evola, WOU (5-7, Jr., Beaverton, OR); +Meghan Carrillo, WWU (5-3, Sr., Prunedale, CA); +Autumn Isaacson, WWU (5-5, Jr., Lake Stevens, WA); Taviah Jenkins, SMU (5-8, Jr., Castle Rock, WA).

SECOND TEAM: Pitchers - Jenna DeRosier, WWU (5-7, Sr., Kelso, WA); Amanda Todd, MSUB (5-7 Sr., Billings, MT).  Catcher - Austin Wilkerson, CWU (5-5, So., Ferndale, WA – Sehome); +Bridjet Box, WOU (5-4, Sr., Gig Harbor, WA).  First Base - Ashlie Gardner, WOU (5-7, Sr., Salem, OR).  Second Base - Aubrey Conceicao, MSUB (5-4, Jr., Temecula, CA).  Shortstop - Haylee Baker, WWU (5-4, Sr., Bainbridge, WA).  Third Base - Andrea Hamada, CWU (5-4, So., Walla Walla, WA).  Infield - Kelsie Gardner, WOU (5-8, Fr., Salem, OR).  Outfield - Justine Callen, NNU (5-9, Jr., Bend, OR); Sammy Morris, CWU (5-3, Fr., Bothell, WA); Kaleigh Keating, WWU (5-4, Sr., Salinas, CA); Rachel Proctor, SFU (5-8, So., Surrey, BC).

HONORABLE MENTION: Pitchers - Noelle Wright, NNU (5-9, Sr., Irrigon, OR).  Catcher -  Gatalina Schuster, NNU (5-6, Jr., Lacey, WA).  First Base - Maikala Galusha, CWU (5-10, Sr., Battle Ground, WA); Emily Osborn, MSUB (5-8, Jr., Las Vegas, NV).  Shortstop -  Danielle Raison, SFU (5-6, Jr., Langley, BC); Dani Wall, SMU (5-9, Jr., Bucoda, WA); Taylor Hoke, MSUB (5-6, Jr., Chehalis, WA).  Outfield - Robyn Mogavero, SFU (5-4, Fr., Whitby, ON); Mary Dettling, SMU (5-2, Fr., Reno, NV).  Designated Player - Kailyn Campbell, CWU (6-0, Fr., Cedarcrest, WA).

SPECIAL AWARDS: Player of the Year – Alexie Levin, Western Washington. Pitcher of the Year – Maria Gau, Central Washington.  Newcomer of the Year – Autumn Isaacson, Western Washington. Freshman of the Year – Kelsie Gardner, Western Oregon. Coach of the Year – Lonny Sargent, Western Oregon.