USD’s Daly, NDSU’s Johnson Capture Weekly Softball Honors

4/29/2013 12:00:00 AM

ELMHURST, Ill. – South Dakota's Allie Daly and North Dakota State's Whitney Johnson were named The Summit League Player and Pitcher of the Week for their performances April 22-28.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Allie Daly, South Dakota
So. // C // Sioux Falls, S.D.
Daly garners her second career Player of the Week award, after leading the Coyotes to a series sweep of Kansas City with a pair of multi-hit and multi-RBI games, including a home run in each game. In the 11 inning 8-7 victory over the Kangaroos, the sophomore hit a homer and double and drove in three runs. She came back in game two of the doubleheader and blasted another long ball with a RBI and run scored. In the series finale, the Sioux Falls, S.D., native went 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, two RBI and a run scored. On the weekend, Daly hit .455 (5-for-11) with a 1.455 slugging percentage. All of her five hits were extra base-hits (three home runs and two doubles) and added six RBI and three runs scored.

Also nominated: Alex Bousquet, Fort Wayne; Alexandra Friloux, Kansas City; Alyssa Reina, North Dakota State; Whitney Weston, Oakland; Allie Mathewson, Omaha; Karissa Kouchis, Western Illinois.

Previous winners: Feb. 11 – Jessica Lam, IUPUI; Feb. 18 – Erika Polidori, OU; Feb. 25 – Liz Broyles, UMKC; March 4 – Brittany Kachur, IPFW & Maritza Lopez-Portillo, NDSU; March 11 – Monica Rondon, WIU; March 18 – Eryn Dillon, IUPUI; March 25 – Alyssa Reina, NDSU; April 1 – Dani Pugh, IPFW; April 8 – Jenina Ortega, NDSU & Allie Daly USD; April 15 – Campbell Ditto, UNO; April 22 – Ashleigh Bousquet, IPFW & Sammy Marshall, WIU.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Whitney Johnson, North Dakota State
Sr. // P // Lake Crystal, Minn.
Johnson earns Pitcher of the Week honors for the second-straight week, the sixth time this season and the 12^th of her career. She went undefeated (4-0) on the week with a no-hitter, two shutouts and two double-digit strikeout performances. The senior started off the week with her best performance by throwing her second no-hitter of the season and third of her career in a 4-0 shutout over South Dakota State, striking out 13. She came back the next day to fan another 13 Jackrabbits in the 2-1 victory. The right-handed hurler picked up two more wins over Oakland striking out six in each game and recording another shutout victory. For the week, Johnson posted a 0.50 ERA in 28 innings of work allowing eight hits, five walks and two earned runs, while striking out 38.

Also nominated: Miranda Kramer, Fort Wayne; Deanna Friese, Kansas City; Erin Kownacki, Oakland; Dana Elsasser, Omaha; Erica Denney, South Dakota; Kelsey Michelini, Western Illinois.

Previous winners: Feb. 11 – Dana Elsasser, UNO; Feb. 18 – Whitney Johnson, NDSU; Feb. 25 – Dana Elsasser, UNO; March 4 – Miranda Kramer, IPFW & Whitney Johnson, NDSU; March 11 – Dana Elsasser, UNO; March 18 – Madison Frain, USD; March 25 – Whitney Johnson, NDSU; April 1 – Whitney Johnson, NDSU & Ashton Hughes, UNO; April 8 – Megan Flenniken, IPFW & Deanna Friese, UMKC; April 15 – Dana Elsasser, UNO; April 22 – Whitney Johnson, NDSU.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
Entering its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 144,000 at nine universities, four of which are located in top 58 U.S. metro populations (Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Omaha). Member institutions include: Fort Wayne (Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), Kansas City (University of Missouri-Kansas City), North Dakota State University, Oakland University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Western Illinois University. Previously known as the Mid-Continent Conference, The Summit League rebranded in 2007 and has since produced 54 All-Americans, 37 Academic All-America selections and seven NCAA Championships. For more information about the league and its history, visit www.thesummitleague.org to "See The Summit" or follow on Twitter @thesummitleague.

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