Wednesday, May 10, 2017

LOUSIVILLE, Ky. – A total of nine GNAC players, headlined by conference Player of the Year Kailyn Campbell of Central Washington, were named Wednesday to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II All-West Region Team.

Campbell was named to the first team as a first baseman for the second consecutive year. Also selected to the first team were Concordia outfielder Meghan Luebbert, who also earned her second straight NFCA first team nod, Western Oregon shortstop Kelsie Gardner and Western Washington’s Carlie Richards, who was selected as a utility player.

Earning selection to the NFCA All-West Region Second Team were Western Washington first baseman Emily Benson and third baseman Makinlee Sellevold, Simon Fraser shortstop Taylor Lundrigan, Montana State Billings outfielder Heather Tracy and Saint Martin’s outfielder Mary Dettling. Seven of the nine players selected were First Team All-GNAC selections.

Campbell led the Wildcats to the GNAC regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the GNAC Softball Championships. She finished the year with a .497 batting average, which led the West Region and is fourth in Division II. The senior is ranked second nationally with 26 doubles and 0.53 doubles per game and was sixth with 86 hits and an .873 slugging percentage. Campbell also set the GNAC career record with 197 runs batted in.

Luebbert earned First Team All-GNAC distinction for the second consecutive season. She led the Cavaliers with a .453 batting average, 67 hits, 51 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. Luebbert recorded 20 multiple-hit games and had both a 13-game hitting streak and a 24-game streak of reaching base safely. Earlier this month, Luebbert was selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Softball Team.

Gardner became Western Oregon’s first NFCA All-West Region selection since 2013 and is a two-time First Team All-GNAC selection. She led the Wolves with a .417 batting average, .457 on-base percentage, 53 runs and 75 hits while finishing second in the league with 24 stolen bases. Gardner finished the season ranked 33rd in Division II in hits and 34th with 1.04 runs per game.

Richards helped lead Western Washington to the GNAC championship and the Vikings’ first berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament since 2011. She enters the regional with a .380 batting average with eight doubles two home runs and 22 RBIs in 37 games. She has reached safely in 34 of 37 games and took on catching duties for the first time in her career, starting 16 games at the position.