St. Paul – Five Gustavus softball players were honored in the 2014 MIAC softball postseason awards, which were announced last week. All five players were awarded All-Conference honors and first-year pitcher Hannah Heacox (Stillwater, Minn.) was also named the MIAC Rookie-of-the-Year.
Juniors Shelby Nosan (Baudette, Minn.) and Carly Klass (Richfield, Minn.), and sophomores Kaitlyn Bicek (Northfield, Minn.) and Nathalee Boissiere (Plymouth, Minn.) each joined Heacox on the All-Conference squad, giving the Gusties the most All-Conference selections in one season since 1993.
Gustavus finished the regular season second in the MIAC standings with a record of 24-15 overall and 17-5 in league play. The Gusties concluded their year with a 7-5 loss to Bethel in the consolation final of the MIAC Playoffs on May 3rd.
Pitcher Hannah Heacox highlighted the Gustavus postseason showing, bringing home Rookie-of-the-Year honors after a stellar debut campaign in the circle. A two-sport participant, Heacox asserted herself as a dominant force on the rubber after joining the team following the women’s hockey season.
The Stillwater native appeared in 24 games, posting a 12-4 overall record with one save. She also went 9-1 in conference play to rank fourth in the MIAC in total wins and third in conference wins. Over the course of the season, Heacox accumulated an earned run average (ERA) of 2.53 to rank fourth in the league. Hannah was even better in conference play, recording an ERA of 1.91, which ranked third in the conference. One of the reasons she was so effective was her ability to strike out opposing batters. Heacox ranked second among league pitchers with 126 strikeouts on the season and first in conference play with 83. She also held her opponents to a batting average of just .208.
Not only was Heacox named the Rookie-of-the-Year, but she was also named to the All-Conference Team. She is the first rookie to land on the squad since her teammates Kailey Morgan and Sarah Rozell achieved the feat in 2012.
A consistent catalyst for the Gustie offense throughout the season, junior shortstop Shelby Nosan joins the All-Conference Team for the first time in her career. Nosan posted an impressive batting average of .460 (57-124) to rank second in the MIAC. Her 57 hits, along with her 41 runs scored, ranked fourth among league hitters. She also racked up 16 doubles (2nd/MIAC) and five home runs (13th/MIAC) with 27 runs batted in (9th/MIAC). The captain was even better at getting on base, reaching safely over have the time with a .521 on base percentage (3rd/MIAC). She also tallied a .726 slugging percentage, which ranked sixth among conference hitters.
After making the switch from third base to her more natural position at second, junior Carly Klass earns All-Conference accolades for the second time in her career. Following an All-Conference season last year as a sophomore, Klass asserted herself in a leadership role this season, serving as one of five captains. Carly hit .350 (19th/MIAC) on the year with a slugging percentage of .540 (17th/MIAC) and a .400 on base percentage. She also had six doubles, two triples (3rd/MIAC), and three home runs with 20 RBI. Klass showed her leadership in conference play, batting .435 (11th/MIAC) with an impressive .726 slugging percentage (8th/MIAC) and a .478 on base percentage (11th/MIAC).
A pair of sophomores rounded out Gustavus’s showing on the All-Conference Team. Moving into a starting role at third base full time this season, Kaitlyn Bicek is honored by the MIAC for the first time in her collegiate career. Much like Klass, Bicek’s numbers against league opponents proved to be the difference. The Northfield native recorded a .339 batting average for the season, but hit .411 (14th/MIAC) in conference play. Similarly, she posted a .541 slugging percentage (16th/MIAC) that increased to .696 (10th/MIAC) against league foes and an on base percentage of .390 that improved to .468 (15th/MIAC). Bicek also tallied 37 hits (19th/MIAC) on the year with eight doubles (19th/MIAC), a triple (6th/MIAC), four home runs (4th/MIAC), and 26 RBI (11th/MIAC).
Nathalee Boissiere was the final Gustie to make an appearance on the All-Conference Team. An All-Conference selection last season as a rookie at Saint Mary’s, Boissiere transferred to Gustavus for her sophomore season, making an immediate impact at the plate. The Plymouth native hit .354 (18th/MIAC) with 35 hits, seven doubles, and a pair of home runs that helped drive in 23 runs. She also posted a slugging percentage of .485 and an on base percentage of .400. In league play, her numbers improved, hitting .393 (16th/MIAC) with a slugging percentage of .557 and an on base percentage of .435.
Along with the members of the All-Conference Team, senior Caitlin Whitney (Waseca, Minn.) was named a member of the 2014 MIAC Softball All-Sportsmanship Team. As part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative, the MIAC announced the eighth annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for softball. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition.