CLINTON, Iowa - The Midwest Collegiate Conference announced its 2012 softball all-conference teams on Friday, May 4, prior to the start of the final leg of the MCC postseason tournament.
Among the 38 recognized student-athletes were six members of the Ashford University squad, including one First Team All-MCC selection in junior outfielder Hailey Hall. Five others were named to the All-MCC Honorable Mention team including Rachel Hong, Emily Whetstone, Britnee Dobbs, Kayln Ohlemeyer and Shelby Hobelman. All five just capped off their freshman seasons at Ashford.
Hall, a Morrison, Ill.-native, led the MCC in batting with a .378 average which included 62 hits in 164 plate appearances. The junior smacked 13 doubles, two triples and seven home runs while scoring 43 runs and driving in 38 base runners. She also stole 20 bases and made 49 starts during her first season at AU.
The First Team selection also slugged .610 this season while recording a .914 fielding percentage in the outfield. She notched 14 sacrifice hits and received 13 free passes in 2012.
Whetstone and Hong were each two-time MCC Player of the Week honorees this year prior to landing on the Honorable Mention squad.
Wapakoneta, Ohio-native, Whetstone, recorded a .341 batting average after tallying eight doubles and tied for a team-high with ten home runs. She also drove in 33 runs and crossed the plate on 24 occasions.
Hong, from Huntington Beach, Calif., won back-to-back MCC Pitcher of the Week honors during the first two weeks of the season and finished with a team-best 3.63 earned run average, striking out 81 batters during her first season in purple and gold.
Additionally, Dobbs tied for the team lead in home runs (10) while driving in 37 runners and notching ten doubles to go along with a pair of triples. She appeared in 49 games this season while being inked in the starting lineup on 46 occasions.
Houston, Texas-native Hobelman garnered Honorable Mention recognition after touching base safely 54 times in 156 at bats. She drove home 27 runs behind 11 doubles and seven home runs.
Ohlemeyer hit .309 in her first collegiate season which included nine doubles and five home runs.
William Penn University swept the league voting in all three specialty categories. Khyia Lewis won MCC Player of the Year honors while Pitcher of the Year went to Jennifer Whitehead. Mike Christner won the conference's Coach of the Year award.
