ELMHURST, Ill.--The Summit League's regular-season champion and top seed in the tournament, Western Illinois, led the league with eight selections to the softball all-league teams. North Dakota State had five student-athletes receiving honors, while Centenary, Southern Utah, Oakland and UMKC each had two.  IPFW, South Dakota State and IUPUI each placed one selection on the all-league teams.

 

North Dakota State's Kelly Cantrell captured Player of the Year accolades, while Western Illinois' Kamren Ferguson garnered Pitcher of the Year honors. Jamie Goss from WIU was named Freshman of the Year and Western's head coach Holly Van Vlymen collected the Coach of the Year award for the second time in three years.

 

Cantrell, a senior catcher, collected the Player of the Year award after hitting .323 (40-for-124) with five home runs, 35 RBI, 13 doubles and a .548 slugging percentage on the year. Defensively, the Omaha, Neb., native picked-off nine baserunners this season, including  eight in Summit League play. Cantrell threw out 14-of-26 opposing baserunners attempting to steal and 8-of-10 in league action. Cantrell was also named to the all-league first team after a stellar senior campaign.

 

First baseman Melissa Chmielewski, left fielder Elisa Victa, pitcher Andi Padilla and Cantrell were named to the all-Summit League first team, while center fielder Taylor Lynn was named to the second team. Chmielewski, Victa and Cantrell each made their second straight appearance on the all-league first team.

 

A senior right-hander, Ferguson, was named The Summit League's Pitcher of the Year for the second time in three years.  Ferguson posted a league-best 1.84 ERA, 19 wins and 144 strikeouts in 167.1 innings pitched. The Clinton, Ill., native collected The Summit League's Pitcher of the Week award on three separate occasions and was named to the all-league first team after ranking 19th in the nation in shutouts (8).

 

Goss earned Freshman of the Year honors after hitting .371 (59-for-159), with four homers, 31 RBI, 10 doubles, a triple and 30 runs scored.  The first baseman from Indianapolis, Ind., swiped three bases and finished the regular-season with a .977 fielding percentage. Goss was named to the all-league second team

 

In her fifth season at the helm of the Westerwinds' program, Van Vlymen was named The Summit League Coach of the Year for the second time in her career. This season she guided Western Illinois to 31 wins overall and 21 victories in league action to capture WIU's eighth regular-season title. Van Vylmen looks to lead her squad to its second consecutive championship this weekend.

 

First Team

1B - Melissa Chmielewski, North Dakota State

2B - Julie Owen, Oakland

SS - Aly Daniels, Southern Utah

3B - Darleen Fernandez, Southern Utah

C - Kelly Cantrell, North Dakota State

OF - Mia Ettl, IUPUI

OF - Elisa Victa, North Dakota State

OF - Ashley Campbell, Western Illinois

DP - Erin Schlofeldt, Western Illinois

Util. - Allison Shepperd, Centenary

P - Andi Padilla, North Dakota State

P - Kamren Ferguson, Western Illinois

 

Second Team

1B - Jamie Goss, Western Illinois

2B - Kelly Fisher, UMKC

SS - Lauren Furgala, Western Illinois

3B - Julie DePolo, Western Illinois

C - Haley Bassett, Centenary

OF - Taylor Lynn, North Dakota State

OF - Brooke Postma, South Dakota State

OF - Collen Biebel, Western Illinois

DP - Chelsea Hartwig, UMKC

Util. - Lori Pankratz, Western Illinois

P - Courtney Cronin, IPFW

P - Jessica Granger, Oakland

 

Player of the Year
Kelly Cantrell, North Dakota State

 

Pitcher of the Year

Kamren Ferguson, Western Illinois

 

Freshman of the Year

Jamie Goss, Western Illinois

 

Coach of the Year

Holly Van Vlymen