Monday, May 13, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – In what has been a banner season for GNAC teams on softball’s regional stage, six conference athletes have been selected to the Google Cloud/CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Softball Team.

Five of the selections are seniors: Western Oregon pitcher Haley Fabian and infielder Ryanne Whitaker; Concordia pitcher Mckenzie Smith and Northwest Nazarene infielder Kylie Orr and outfielder Cassidy Fifield. Also named to the squad was Central Washington sophomore Alycia Bannan as the squad’s designated player.

With their selections to the all-district team, the six are now eligible for selection for the Google Cloud/CoSIDA Division II Academic All-America Softball Team. The team will be announced on Wed., June 5.

Fabian and Whitaker played key roles in the Wolves’ run to the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship in the school’s first appearance since 2014. Fabian, who has a 3.37 cumulative GPA as a business major, finished the season with a 13-5 record and was fifth in the GNAC with a 2.75 earned run average. She was also a Second Team NFCA All-West Region selection.

Whitaker, who holds a 3.60 GPA as a social science major, was a consensus First Team All-West Region selection by both the NFCA and D2CCA. Whitaker finished 10th in the GNAC with a .365 batting average and was tied for second with 20 stolen bases. She also ranked fifth in the GNAC with 62 hits and was tied for seventh with 34 runs scored.

Concordia’s Smith, who has a 3.87 GPA as a business major, was a threat both in the circle and at the plate as she helped lead the Cavaliers to the GNAC championship. She finished with a 16-8 record and was ninth in the GNAC with a 3.22 earned run average as a pitcher, striking out 63 in 143.1 innings. At the plate, Smith finished with a .293 batting average with 44 hits, nine doubles and three home runs.

Orr and Fifield were key components of the Nighthawks’ run to a second-consecutive GNAC Championships berth. Orr, who has a 3.89 GPA as an elementary education major, finished eighth in the GNAC with a .386 batting average. Her 61 hits included 12 doubles, tying her for fourth in the GNAC, and five home runs. Orr was also a consensus First Team All-West Region selection.

Fifield, who owns a 3.92 GPA as a chemistry major, finished the season with a .291 batting average and was among those tied for fourth in the GNAC with 12 doubles. Fifield also had 50 hits and three home runs.

Bannan has a 3.90 GPA with an undeclared major and played a key role in Central Washington winning its fourth consecutive GNAC regular-season championship. Bannan finished with a .327 batting average with 36 hits, 14 runs, six doubles and six home runs.

Nominated by and voted upon by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the Google Cloud Academic All-District and All-America programs recognize student-athletes who demonstrate excellence both on the field and in the classroom. Nominees must be of sophomore standing or higher, be a starter or important reserve on their team and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or greater.