MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team rewrote the Tiger record books in 2016, with several individuals pushing DWU towards the top of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
For their efforts, six Tigers were named to the All-GPAC honors after DWU finished the season with a team-record 33 wins. Senior catcher Hailey Unger (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) and freshman shortstop Savannah Ahumada (Turlock, Calif.) were named to the All-GPAC First Team, while senior outfielder Katy Lazenby (Mitchell, S.D.) and freshman pitcher Sierra Haage (Sioux Falls, S.D.) landed on the Second Team. Senior third baseman Vanessa Mendez (Monterey Park, Calif.) and freshman outfielder Paige Kinley (Worthington, Minn.) picked up All-GPAC Honorable Mention recognition.
Since 2001, there have been nine Tigers on the All-GPAC First Team and Unger has earned four of those selections. She leaves DWU as the program's all-time leader in hits (172), doubles (37), home runs (18), runs scored (102) and RBIs (102). In 2016, Unger batted a robust .364 with four home runs, 12 doubles, 17 RBIs and 37 runs scored, while stealing nine bases. Unger was recently named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team along with Lazenby.
Ahumada led the DWU offense all season, setting a handful of team records along the way. While playing nearly flawless defense at shortstop, Ahumada set new Tiger season standards for hits (73), doubles (21), home runs (11), RBIs (51) and runs scored (46). Ahumada ranks ninth in the NAIA in doubles and 11th in total bases with 133, while batting .395 with a slugging percentage of .719.
Lazenby hit .355 in 2016, picking up her first All-GPAC honor. She finished with 49 hits, nine doubles, 11 RBIs, 30 runs scored and a team-high 10 stolen bases. Haage was the ace of a much-improved DWU pitching staff, starting 23 games and finishing with a record of 15-7, one win shy of the DWU single season record. Haage closed her first year with an ERA of 2.49, 110 strikeouts, 17 complete games and six shutouts. At the plate, Haage added power in the middle of the order with 47 hits, 15 doubles, six home runs, 33 RBIs and 22 runs scored.
For the second straight year, Mendez has been named an honorable mention after hitting .317 with 10 doubles, three home runs, 21 runs scored and 25 RBIs. Kinley picked up her first All-GPAC honor, batting .343 with 19 runs scored and 12 RBIs.
The six All-GPAC honors are the most for DWU since 2007.