Thursday, May 9, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – A total of 10 GNAC players, including four consensus first-team selections, have been recognized with the selection to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) and National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s (NFCA) All-West Region teams.

Western Washington senior first baseman Emily Benson led the way. In addition to earning first-team selection on both teams, she was selected as the D2CCA’s West Region Player of the Year. Benson is joined as a dual first-team selection by Western Oregon senior second baseman Ryanne Whitaker, Wolves’ sophomore outfielder Ayanna Arceneaux and Northwest Nazarene senior designated player Kylie Orr.

In addition, Central Washington junior third baseman Savannah Egbert was named to the NFCA All-West Region First Team.

Northwest Nazarene senior outfielder Anna Williams was a consensus second-team selection. Joining Williams on the D2CCA second team is Western Oregon senior pitcher Haley Fabian and Wolves’ senior third baseman Cheyanne Rimer. Picked up NFCA second-team honors was Western Washington senior utility player Makinlee Sellevold and Central Washington sophomore utility player Maddy Zerr.

All 10 players tabbed for All-West Region selection were also selected to the All-GNAC Softball First Team.

Benson, who was also named the GNAC Player of the Year, put together a season where she finished the regular season hitting .448 and led the conference with 14 home runs, 35 walks and 44 runs batted in. Benson tied the GNAC career record when she hit her 45th home run against Western Oregon on Apr. 19.

Whitaker enters the NCAA West Regional ranked eighth in the GNAC with a .378 batting average and is among the conference leaders with 20 stolen bases and four triples. Arceneaux, meanwhile, leads the conference with a .481 batting average to go along with four triples, seven doubles and four home runs.

Orr was one of the Nighthawks’ most consistent hitters, helping lead the team in a late surge for a GNAC Championships spot. She finished the season ranked seventh in the GNAC with a .386 batting average to go with 12 doubles and five home runs. Egbert enters the NCAA West Regional with a .429 batting average. She leads the GNAC with 23 stolen bases and 76 hits.