2008 Northern Athletics Conference Softball Weekly Awards

April 28-May 4

Dana Cebular, Aurora University
...5'6...Senior...3B...Brookfield, Ill. (Riverside-Brookfield)...
Cebular led Aurora to the 2008 Northern Athletics Conference Tournament Championship and a bid into the 2008 NCAA Softball Championship Tournament field. On the week in which AU went 5-0, Cebular was 10-for-16 with 10 runs scored and 8 runs batted in. In the NAC tournament, she was five-for-nine (.556) with two home runs, six runs scored and four runs batted in. In AU's non-conference sweep of Elmhurst earlier in the week, Cebular went five-for-seven in the double header (AU won 12-0 in 5 innings and 7-3 in 8 innings) with a grand slam. The grand slam came in the bottom of the 8th inning to win the game for the Spartans.

Anna Snyder, Aurora University
...5'6...Sophomore...RHP...Grayslake, Ill. ...
Snyder led Aurora to the 2008 Northern Athletics Conference Tournament Championship and a bid into the 2008 NCAA Softball Championship Tournament field. On the week in which the Spartans went 5-0, Snyder was 5-0 in 4 starts with a no-hitter, 3 complete games and 47 strikeouts. In her three starts in the conference tournament, Snyder was phenomenal, surrendering one run, five hits and one walk in 21 innings, while striking out 38. Her best performance came against Lakeland College in a opening round match up, in which she no-hit the Muskies, allowing one walk and striking out 12. She surrendered her only run in her 6-1 victory over Marian College in the NAC Tournament Championship. In the game she struck out 12 and allowed 3 hits and the lone run on the weekend.

Other nominees: Jennifer Stephens (Edgewood College), Rachel Doege (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

April 21-27

Colleen Joyce, Edgewood College
...5'4...Sophomore...3B...Madison, Wis. (Memorial)...
The sophomore had a .577 batting average during the week, helping the Eagles win five or their eight games last week. On Sunday with the Eagles trailing by three with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Colleen Joyce blasted her second home run of the season giving Edgewood College the 9-8 win over Concordia Wisconsin to clinch a berth in the NAC Tournament. Joyce is currently in the midst of a 12-game hitting streak and was the only Eagle to record a hit during the team's 2-0 loss to Marian College. For the week the sophomore was 15-for-26 at the plate with two doubles, one triple, one home run and 13 RBIs. Joyce also drew four walks and had one sac hit.

Anna Snyder, Aurora University
...5'6...Sophomore...RHP...Grayslake, Ill. ...
Snyder led the Spartans to four of the six wins on AU's 6-0 week and clinching the 2008 Northern Athletics Conference Championship. Snyder was dominant once again, striking out 46 in 21-1/3 innings pitched while only allowing 7 hits and walking 1 batter. Her only run allowed came in AU's 2-1 win at Marian where she struck out 15 and allowed 3 hits. In AU's doubleheader sweep of Lakeland, Snyder earned wins in both games, starting game one (11-0 win), pitching six innings, striking out 15 and allowing 3 hits. In game two, she came in and threw 4-1/3 innings in relief, allowing 1 hit and striking out 6. In her other start on the week, AU's 8-0 win over Dominican, Snyder pitched four innings of perfect ball, striking out 10.

Other nominees: Nikki Veen (Aurora University), Cassie Cappetto (Benedictine University), Becky Bryzgalski (Concordia University Chicago), Courtney Campbell (Concordia University Chicago), Haley Johnson (Dominican University), Rachel Elliot (Edgewood College), Maria Archie (Marian College), Emily Foster (Wisconsin Lutheran College), Michelle Shambeau (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

April 14-20

Becky Witter, Maranatha Baptist Bible College
...5'5...Junior...SS...Alpena, Mich. ...
Witter batted .581 last week (18-for-31) in 10 games for the Crusaders. The junior had five doubles, a home run, seven runs scored, and eight RBIs. She was six-of-seven on stolen base attempts, and picked up a pair of wins from the circle in a sweep of MSOE on Monday allowing on one run (unearned) in nine innings pitched.

Jenna Ryan, Edgewood College
...5'5...Junior...RHP...Waunakee, Wis. ...
The junior right-hander was 5-0 in the circle with a 0.76 ERA to lead the Eagles pitching staff last week. Ryan pitched 37 innings for the Eagles, including pitching four complete games. The junior struck out 30 batters and picked up her first save of the season against Concordia University Chicago. Offensively, Ryan drove in seven RBIs for the week including the go-ahead runs, pinch hitting in the team's 4-3 victory over Concordia Chicago.

Other nominees: Anna Snyder (Aurora University), Dana Cebular (Aurora University), Kristin Bonk (Benedictine University), Becky Bryzgalski (Concordia University Chicago), Brittany Rynes (Edgewood College), KC Blahnik (Lakeland College), Emily Wiesman (Marian College), Kristin Rose (Marian College), Breanne Duebner (Wisconsin Lutheran College), Michelle Shambeau (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

April 7-13

Aimee Mahoney, Benedictine University
...5'10...Sophomore...RF...Gardner, Ill. (Gardner-South Wilmington)...
Mahoney led the Eagles' doubleheader sweep at Rockford College by hitting for the cycle in the twinbill. She led off the day with a long homerun to right field, eventually driving in three runs on the day.

Anna Snyder, Aurora University
...5'6...Sophomore...RHP...Grayslake, Ill. ...
Snyder was dominant in the circle for the Spartans on the week, factoring in three of the four Aurora victories, recording two wins and a save. In AU's doubleheader sweep of Concordia University Chicago, Snyder won game one (2-0) on a complete game shutout, striking out 17 and allowing only 2 hits. She then came on in game two (5-0 Aurora win) to pitch the final two innings for the save, striking out three and allowing no hits.

Other nominees: Abby Young (Aurora University), Brittney Carnell (Benedictine University), Kristen Salvatore (Edgewood College), Rachel Elliot (Edgewood College), Laura Carter (Maranatha Baptist Bible College), Ashley McNair (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

March 31-April 6

Gabby Smith, Aurora University
...5'5...Freshman...UTL...Joliet, Ill. (Catholic)...
Smith had a stellar week in her first collegiate season, including her first and second career homeruns at Rockford College on Wednesday. On Sunday in AU's 8-0 and 5-2 wins over Edgewood College, Smith was 3-for-5 with a double, 3 runs scored and an RBI. The rookie hit .438 for the week, including .550 on-base percentage.

Brittany Carnell, Benedictine University
...5'3...Freshman...RHP...Elburn, Ill. (Kaneland)...
Carnell not only tossed the first no-hitter of her career on Friday versus Maranatha, but also got the complete-game victory over Edgewood on Saturday to help BU remain unbeaten in conference play. On the week, she had 10 strikeouts to just 4 walks while opponents hit just .170 against her in 47 at-bats.

Other nominees: Jessica Goetz (Alverno College), Anna Snyder (Aurora University), Cassie Cappetto (Benedictine University), Becky Bryzgalski (Concordia University Chicago), Suzanne Laske (Concordia University Chicago), Jennifer Stephens (Edgewood College), Jenna Ryan (Edgewood College), KC Blahnik (Lakeland College), Amy Malcore (Marian College), Kristin Rose (Marian College), Whitni Genz (Rockford College), Rachel Doege (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

March 24-30

Abbey Bullerdick, Dominican University
...5'6...Freshman...3B...New Market, Ind. (Southmont)...
Bullerdick helped the Stars to a 4-2 record on the week, posting a .722 batting average. The rookie hit two doubles, a triple and a home run with 11 RBI and 8 runs scored in 18 at-bats last week. The freshman third baseman went 2-for-2 in the Stars 11-10 win over Concordia Chicago on Saturday, ripping a grad slam in the top of the second to give the Stars a 6-3 advantage. Then on Sunday, Bullerdick went a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate with two extra-base hits and a walk in the Stars' two wins over Mt. Mary College.

Brittany Carnell, Benedictine University
...5'3...Freshman...RHP...Elburn, Ill. (Kaneland)...
Carnell had a 3-0 record last week in NAC games to help the Eagles off to a fast start in conference play. The rookie had a 13-to-2 strikeouts-to-walk ratio on the week, holding opponents to just a .167 average against her.

Other nominees: Cassie Cappetto (Benedictine University), Colleen Mullaney (Concordia University Chicago), Jenna Ryan (Edgewood College), Kristen Salvatore (Edgewood College), Aria Ruotsi (Rockford College), Breanne Duebner (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

March 17-23

Jennifer Stephens, Edgewood College
...5'6...Senior...SS...St. Charles, Ill. (North)...
The senior shortstop batted .611 for the week as the Eagles finished their Florida trip with an even 5-5 record. Stephens had 22 hits and is now the all-time career hits leader at Edgewood College with 179. She also swiped three bags and is now just four stolen bases away from tying the career steals record. Stephens recorded a hit in all but one game in Florida while batting in four runs. For the week Stephens had 22 hits on 36 at-bats with one double, one triple and one home run.

Jessica Goetz, Alverno College
...5'5...Soph...RHP...Milwaukee, Wis. (Greendale Martin Luther)...
Goetz threw the first no-hitter in school history with a win over U-Mass Dartmouth at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Florida last Thursday. The sophomore had eight strikeouts in 29 batters faced in the victory.

Other nominees: Melissa Bankenbush (Alverno College), Jenna Ryan (Edgewood College).

March 3-9

Dana Cebular, Aurora University
...5'6...Senior...3B...Brookfield, Ill. (Riverside-Brookfield)...
On the week in which the Spartans opened the season in Florida at the Rebel Spring Games, Cebular led the Spartan offense to a 5-3 record (7-3 on the trip). In the lead-off slot for AU, Cebular had a .750 on-base percentage while going 16-for-24 at the plate with 7 walks. She also knocked in seven runs, including one homerun, and was two-for-three in stolen base attempts.

Michelle Shambeau, Wisconsin Lutheran College
...5'11...Senior...RHP...Two Rivers, Wis. (Manitowoc Luth.)...
Shambeau was credited for Wisconsin Lutheran's two victories last week at the Gene Cusic Classic. In five appearances, all starts, she had an ERA of 2.57 while striking out 37 batters in 32.2 innings.

Other nominees: Megan Day (Dominican University).

February 25-March 2

Julie Crofts, Marian College
...5'7...Junior...Utility...Eden, Wis. (Campbellsport)...
Crofts led the Sabres this past weekend at the plate as she hit .615 (8-for-13). Crofts showed her versatility by starting in three different positions (catcher, right field, and first base). The junior did not commit an error in 24 chances. Crofts had two three-hit games this weekend as she was three-for-four against Finlandia and three-for-three against MSOE..

Other nominees: