BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2017 Softball postseason awards Monday afternoon. Representing Gustavus on the 2017 MIAC All-Conference Softball Team are pitcher/outfielder Hannah Heacox (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.), and pitcher/infielder Jena Willis (Sr., Kalispell, Mt.). Additionally, catcher Emily Carlson (Fy., Burnsville, Minn.) was recognized as an All-Conference Honorable Mention.
Heacox caps her career in Black and Gold with her fourth-straight All-Conference honor. She led the Gusties in the pitcher’s circle, finishing among the top-five in the MIAC with 13 wins and a 1.72 earned run average, along with the second most strikeouts, tallying 170 in 144.2 innings pitched. Heacox also led Gustavus at the plate, posting a .359 batting average, 19 runs batted in, and 11 doubles while starting in all 40 games.
During the month of April, Heacox earned Gustavus Female Student-Athlete of the Month, appearing all all 24 games. In the pitcher’s circle, Heacox led the team with a 1.62 earned run average and 107 strikeouts in 86.1 innings pitched. In 14 appearances and 13 starts, she posted a 7-7 record, highlighted by three no-hitters, 11 complete games, and four shutouts. On April 29 against Carleton College on senior day, Heacox threw her fifth career no-hitter in her final start in Black and Gold and set a Gustavus record with 20 career shutouts. In 72 at bats, Heacox tallied 24 hits to lead the Gusties at the plate with a .333 batting average. She notched 13 runs scored, three doubles, one triple, nine runs batted in, and five stolen bases. Heacox also collected seven multi-hit games, reached base in all but three games, and recorded an eight-game hitting streak April 7-20.
Heacox finished her career at or near the top of several categories in the Gustavus record book. She is the career leader with 629 all-time strikeouts, 550.2 innings pitched, 61 complete games, and 20 complete game shutouts. Heacox also finishes second with 103 career appearances, 77 starts, and 56 wins.
Willis earns her second consecutive All-Conference nod, helping guide the Gusties on the rubber and in the batter’s box. In her three years in Black and Gold, Willis posted career-highs in the pitcher’s circle with a record of 10-6 in 19 appearances and 16 starts. She finished among the top-five on the MIAC pitching leaders with a 2.00 ERA in 101.1 innings pitched. Willis finished the season with a total of 56 strikeouts, 11 complete games, and four shutouts.
Willis appeared and started in 38 games for the Gusties, playing at third or first base when she wasn’t in the pitcher’s circle. She owned a .286 batting average with 32 hits in 112 at bats along with five doubles, two home runs, and 14 runs batted in. Willis tallied seven multi-hit games, finished second on the Gusties with 22 runs scored and 112 at bats while her two homers tied for the team lead.
Carlson led all newcomers as a vital part of the Gustie offense. She accumulated 30 hits in 93 at bats to own a .323 batting average, the second best on the team. Carlson also tied for the team lead with 19 runs batted in and 16 bases on balls.
On March 4-9, Carlson collected two hits in three-straight games along with six runs batted in. She also tallied a season-high six-game hitting streak from March 12-April 2, picking up seven hits in 16 at bats. On April 27 at St. Catherine, Carlson posted a career performance, going 4-for-4 at the plate while notching her first collegiate home run.
Holding down the starting catching position, Carlson finished second on the team with 221 putouts and owned a team-leading .988 fielding percentage. In addition, Carlson was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.