DECATUR, Ala. – Amanda Howard of Oklahoma City University collected the NAIA softball player of the year award as five Stars were named all-American.
Catcher Erin Slettvet joined Howard on the first team, while second baseman Mindy Crabaugh, third baseman Melissa Moore and pitcher-designated player Ashley Wilburn made the second team.
Crabaugh and Howard were also named to the NAIA Championships all-tournament team. Crabaugh, Bianca Bryant and Jenni Gaby were named NAIA scholar-athlete award winners for being upperclassmen who achieved a 3.50 or higher cumulative grade-point average.
Howard, a junior outfielder from Strathmore, Alberta, Canada, recorded a .436 average, 26 home runs, 58 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. She also posted 68 runs scored, 92 hits, 17 doubles, three triples, 193 total bases, a .915 slugging percentage and .483 on-base percentage.
Among the NAIA, Howard put up the nation-leading number in homers, ranked third in total bases, fourth in slugging percentage, 16th in runs scored and 20th in hits. Howard also earned Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year and NAIA player of the week for March 23-29. She entered this year with a .335 average and nine career homers through two years.
Howard joined Cindy Yan Fang (1998 and 1999), Christie Liu Xuqing (2000) and Melody Murphy (2007) as those from OCU who have garnered NAIA softball player of the year honors.
Slettvet, a senior from Long Beach, Calif., hit .389 with 17 homers and 61 RBIs. She ranked third in the SAC in homers and sixth in the league in RBIs. She was NAIA player of the week for April 20-26. Slettvet became a two-time all-American.
Crabaugh, a senior from Edmond, Okla., had a .420 average, nine homers and 58 RBIs this year. Crabaugh was a three-time all-conference pick and a two-time NAIA scholar-athlete award winner as well as all-NAIA Region VI, ESPN the Magazine academic all-American and the 2008-09 Jim Wade Award winner as OCU's student-athlete of the year.
Moore, a senior from Oklahoma City, hit .366 with 19 homers and 54 RBIs. Moore stood second to Howard in the conference in homers.
Wilburn, a junior from Gilmer, Texas, went 24-4 with a 1.12 earned run average and four saves and 265 strikeouts in 205.1 innings pitched. Opponents hit .175 against her. She notched 20 complete games and 10 shutouts and ranked eighth in wins and saves in the NAIA. She also hit .327 with four homers and 20 RBIs.
OCU went 53-9, placed fourth in the NAIA Championships and set the team NAIA single-season record with 96 home runs.
NAIA all-American
FIRST TEAM
Pitchers: Sharon Bell, St. Gregory's; Tory Ferreira, California Baptist; Alyssa Gutierrez, Lubbock Christian (Texas).
Catchers: Judy Barber, William Carey (Miss.); Erin Slettvet, Oklahoma City.
Infield: Kate Carson, Concordia (Calif.); Ginalee Davis, Lubbock Christian; Raquel Hawkins, Lubbock Christian; Nikki Lowe, California Baptist; Courtney Mienkina, Savanna Art & Design (Ga.).
Outfield: Kendra Corbin, Evangel (Mo.); Dana Gandolfo, Northwestern Oklahoma State; Amanda Howard, Oklahoma City; Mallory Meadows, Belhaven (Miss.).
Designated player: Kristen Lindley, Houston-Victoria.
Utility: Melissa Gomez, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.).
At-large: Leslie Beatty, USAO; Ashley Boyd, California Baptist; Honda Rodriguez, Lubbock Christian; Sara Jane Webster, Dickinson State (N.D.).
SECOND TEAM
Pitchers: Kelly Griego, Lubbock Christian; Jess Irwin, Madonna (Mich.); Tyler Lent, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.).
Catchers: Cortney Reynaga, St. Gregory's; Haley Stehouwer, Davenport (Mich.).
Infield: Mindy Crabaugh, Oklahoma City; Katie Hale, Southern Nazarene; Tyanna Helton, William Penn (Iowa); Melissa Moore, Oklahoma City; Jacki Plough, Aquinas (Mich.).
Outfield: Ashley Aspinall, Aquinas; Kristen Atzenhoefer, Malone (Ohio); Jordann Ellis, Bellevue (Neb.); Strohm Fouty, Southern Oregon.
Designated player: Johana Gomez, Lee (Tenn.).
At-large: Janessa Penner, Minot State (N.D.); Amber Scott, Houston-Victoria; Terrah Tucker, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.); Ashley Wilburn, Oklahoma City.
Player of the year: Amanda Howard, Oklahoma City.
Pitcher of the year: Tory Ferreira, California Baptist.
Coach of the year: Mike Smith, California Baptist.
