Five members of the Nebraska Wesleyan University softball team were named to the 2009 Great Plains Athletic Conference Softball All-Conference team that was announced Monday (May 4).  NWU sophomore designated player Jenna Turner, sophomore outfielder Marcia Kennedy and freshman outfielder Dani Bryant were on the All-GPAC Second Team.  Senior Kelsey Worley and sophomore Alysia Wittmack both received honorable mention All-GPAC.    

Turner (DP, So.) was second on the team this season with a .346 batting average. The Norfolk, Neb., native led NWU with two home runs and three triples. She had a team-high 107 at-bats and led the team with 37 hits.

Kennedy (OF, So.) was the team leader with a .371 batting average and also led the team with 29 RBI. She had a team-high nine doubles to lead the NWU offense with a .494 slugging percentage. Her 29 RBI ranks 10th all-time at NWU for season RBI. The Omaha, Neb., native earned honorable mention All-GPAC honors as a freshman in 2008. She now has a career batting average of .345 to rank in a tie for 6th all-time.

Bryant (OF, Fr.) had a successful first-year as the NWU lead-off batter. She hit .340 on the year with 32 hits. The Lincoln, Neb., native also led the team with 11 stolen bases as a freshman.

Worley (1B, Sr.) hit .269 with 29 hits on the season.  She was the only NWU player to play in all 36 games this season. Worley finished her successful four-year career with a batting average of .349 which ranks fifth on the NWU all-time charts. She also is fourth with 143 career hits and is 10th all-time with 20 career doubles. This is her third All-GPAC honor after being named All-GPAC honorable mention last season and First-Team All-GPAC as a sophomore in 2007.

Wittmaack (P, So.) rewrote the NWU record books as a pitcher this season. She finished 13-8 with three saves and a 1.85. Wittmaack struck out a school record 192 batters, while walking just 15. Of the 14 pitching top ten lists kept by NWU, her name appears in 13 of the top ten charts. She set school record for season appearances (30), season strikeouts (192), career strikeouts (311) and career shutous (8). She also has a 2.08 career ERA which first all-time. She has broken the career strikeout record by 42 K's in just two seasons.

Clarissa Eloge from Concordia University was the GPAC Player-of-the-Year, Kelly Sladek from Midland Lutheran was the Pitcher-of-the-Year and Jessica Sitzmann from Morningside and Tim Covey from Dordt were selected as the GPAC Coaches-of-the-Year. 

Nebraska Wesleyan finished the 2009 season with a 20-16 overall record.  The Prairie Wolves finished 12-10 in the GPAC to place in a tie for sixth in the league.

NWU All-GPAC Performers

Second Team
Dani Bryant, OF, Fr., Lincoln, Neb.
Marcia Kennedy, OF, So., Omaha, Neb.
Jenna Turner, DP, So., Norfolk, Neb.

Honorable Mention
Alysia Wittmaack, P, So., Lincoln, Neb.
Kelsey Worley, 1B, Sr., Lincoln, Neb.