ST. LOUIS – Four Drake University softball student-athletes earned Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete honors, the league announced Monday.
Junior Amy Pierce (Olathe, Kan.) and sophomore Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) were selected to the first-team, while seniors Macie Silliman (Winterset, Iowa) and Lindsey Vande Wall (Prairie City, Iowa) earned honorable mention accolades.
Pierce, Drake's leadoff hitter, led the squad in runs scored (49), hits (60), doubles (12), stolen bases (26), and on-base percentage (.426) and was second in batting average (.359), home runs (9) and slugging percentage (.605). The Olathe, Kan., native was named to the 2013 all-MVC first-team at shortstop. A pharmacy major with a 3.41 GPA, she earned MVC Scholar Athlete first-team honors last season.
Schmidt finished with a 12-11 record and a 2.27 earned run average in 157.1 innings in the circle for the Bulldogs. A business marketing major with a 3.74 GPA, Schmidt struck out 148 hitters and was selected to the 2013 all-MVC second-team.
Silliman, the Bulldogs No. 2 hitter in the lineup, closed her career with an outstanding final season. The Winterset, Iowa, native batted .346 with 56 hits, 30 runs scored and 18 stolen bases and was selected to the 2013 all-MVC second-team. An elementary education major with a 3.41 GPA, Silliman's batting average ranked 10th in the MVC and she leaves Drake second all-time in career stolen bases with 68.
Vande Wall, an elementary education major with a 3.89 GPA, started all 49 games at second base for the Bulldogs. The Prairie City, Iowa native leaves Drake ranked fourth all-time in career stolen bases with 64 and tied for 10th all-time in career home runs with 14. Vande Wall was named to the 2012 MVC Scholar-Athlete first-team.
In order to be eligible, student-athletes must have a 3.2 GPA or higher, be at least a sophomore in athletic and academic standing at their institution and meet certain playing requirements.
