GRAND FORKS, N.D. --- The Great West Conference announced its 2010 All-Conference Teams today including Player of the Year in senior Casie Hanson (St. Peter, Minn.) and Freshman of the Year in Lindy Sippola (Grants Pass, Ore.), as selected by league coaches.
Five Sioux were named to the all-conference teams in Hanson, Sippola, senior Kristi Alcorn (Roy, Wash.), freshmen Cami Bennett (Grants Pass, Ore.) and Kayelee Schoeny (Redlands, Calif.).
Hanson becomes UND's first Sioux softball athlete to win a Player of the Year award after finishing the regular season with a .445 average starting in all 48 games played. She has scored 47 runs with 21 RBI and connected for 18 extra-base hits including seven home runs and five triples.
Sippola is UND's second to win Freshman of the Year award and first since Hanson did it in 2006 while the Sioux competed in the North Central Conference. She wrapped up the regular season with a .288 average while collecting 28 RBI and swatting six home runs, both were second best on the team.
Yearly Awards
Player of the Year -- Casie Hanson, North Dakota
Pitcher of the Year -- Mel Johnson, South Dakota
Freshman of the Year -- Lindy Sippola, North Dakota
Coach of the Year -- Todd Fairbourne, Utah Valley
Complete Teams:
First Team Second Team
1B Cherylyn McGraw, Utah Valley
2B Megan Gardner, Utah Valley
3B Jessica Anderson, Utah Valley
SS Mollye Mlcak, Houston Baptist
DP Amanda Perez, Utah Valley
OF Casie Hanson, North Dakota
OF Amber Sackett, Utah Valley
OF Meghan Woodworth, Utah Valley
UT Sara Corcoran, Houston Baptist
C Shaylyn Varney, Utah Valley
P Kyli Flanary, Utah Valley
P/DP Mel Johnson, South Dakota
Second Team Second Team
1B Kristi Alcorn, North Dakota
1B Alexa Rudeen, South Dakota
2B Cami Bennett, North Dakota
3B Lindy Sippola, North Dakota
SS Callie Roan, South Dakota
OF Michelle Jones, South Dakota
OF Kayelee Schoeny, North Dakota
OF Laine Skelton, Houston Baptist
UT Kristi Malpass, Houston Baptist
C Kate Maddock, Houston Baptist
P Melissa Blackburn, South Dakota
The Sioux head to Farmers Branch, Texas, for the GWC Tournament where they will open play in the double-elimination tournament on Sunday morning against Utah Valley.
-GO SIOUX-
