APPLETON, Wis. -- Lawrence University softball standout Carli Gurholt has been named the Midwest Conference North Division Player of the Year, and she was one of four Vikings chosen for the all-conference team.
Gurholt (Scandinavia, Wis./Amherst), a sophomore shortstop, becomes the first Lawrence player since Loni Philbrick-Linzmeyer in 2006 to be named Player of the Year. First baseman Alex Goodson (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield) joined Gurholt on the first team, and third baseman Jenna Reichel (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato East) and centerfielder Katie Simonson (Waterford, Wis./Waterford) were both chosen for the second team.
Gurholt, who was a second-team all-conference pick last season, batted .421 in conference play with four doubles, four homers, and 20 runs batted in in 13 games. She finished tied for first in the North Division in RBIs and was second in home runs. She finished third with an .842 slugging percentage and was fourth in batting average.
On the season, Gurholt batted .419 and broke the Lawrence season records with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs. Gurholt, who had seven doubles, compiled a .919 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage. She also swiped four bases in four tries.
Goodson, a junior, was named first-team for the third consecutive season. She batted .333 in conference play and led the league in several categories. Goodson finished first with five homers and seven doubles and tied Gurholt for first with 20 RBIs. Goodson was second with an .857 slugging percentage.
Goodon finished the season with a .368 batting average, and she had 13 doubles, six homers, and 33 RBIs.
Reichel, a senior, was chosen for the all-conference team for the third time during her career. She was a first-team pick in 2007 and made the second team in 2006. Reichel, who batted in the lead-off spot, hit .385 in conference play. Reichel, who batted .312 on the season, scored 14 runs and picked up a pair of doubles. Reichel also was successful on all five of her stolen-base attempts.
Simonson, a freshman, batted .364 in conference play and scored 17 runs, which led the team and was second in the North Division. Simonson picked up three doubles and drove in five runs. Simonson finished the season with a .342 batting average, 32 runs scored, five doubles, and seven RBIs.
Lawrence finished the season with a 10-19 record and took third in the North Division.