EMILY MCLEAN NAMED GLIAC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

*2005 All-GLIAC Release* PDF

Emily McLean becomes the first Ferris State player to be chosen GLIAC Softball Player of the Year.

Ferris State University junior outfielder Emily McLean (Rogers City) and three other Bulldogs were named to the 2005 All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Softball Team as announced Friday (May 6) at the conference tournament by the league office.

McLean, who was also chosen to the 12-member All-GLIAC First Team, is the first Ferris State player to garner GLIAC Player of the Year honors in the program's history. She's presently batting a team-high .385 this season with 60 base hits in 156 at bats to go with nine home runs, 36 runs batted in (RBI), and a .641 slugging percentage which are also team bests. McLean ranks among the top three conference leaders in batting average, slugging percentage, home runs, total bases and RBIs. Her nine roundtrippers this campaign currently ranks tied for the second-highest season total among Ferris' all-time leaders. The 2004 All-GLIAC Second-Team pick has recorded a squad-best 20 multiple hit contests and is tied for top team honors with nine multi-RBI game performances. McLean was recognized as the GLIAC's Player of the Week earlier this season (Apr. 11).

The other major conference award winners were Northwood's Julie Olson, who was selected the GLIAC Freshman of the Year while Northwood head coach Heather Bruder was the recipient of the GLIAC Coach of the Year Award.

Sophomore first baseman Laura Crower (Midland) was the Bulldogs' lone selection on the second team while a pair of seniors, shortstop Navreet Gill (Brampton, Ontario/Mayfield Secondary) and catcher-designated player Melissa Worsley (Midland) both attained honorable mention kudos.

Laura Crower received all-conference second-team accolades.

Crower ranks third on the squad in hitting with a .350 average (49-140) and has 35 more hits this campaign than a season ago (14). She has clubbed a team-leading 13 doubles this spring to go with five homers, 31 RBIs, and 23 runs scored which are all personal season bests.

Gill is batting a season-high .298 (45-151) as a starter in all 48 contests to date. She has scored a team-leading 39 runs this year while smacking three doubles, two triples, one home run and 12 RBIs. In the field, Gill has compiled a career-best .926 fielding percentage with 75 putouts and 114 assists.

Worsley is also midst her most productive season ever with career season highs in hits (46), doubles (nine), triples (two), home runs (four), RBIs (17), runs scored (29) and slugging percentage (.415). A 48-game starter this spring, Worsley is batting a career-leading .269 this campaign.

Ferris State, which is currently 30-18 overall this season and has won 14 of its last 16 outings, captured its first GLIAC Tournament Championship title since 2000 as the Bulldogs went undefeated in four conference tourney contests at Midland, Mich. Ferris knocked off the tournament's top seed Northwood, 3-0, in the championship contest Saturday (May 7) to claim a share the GLIAC Championship title with the Timberwolves. The Bulldogs now await word on receiving a possible at-large bid to the 2005 NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional (May 12-15) at a site to be determined.