Unger, Klassen earn All-GPAC team selections

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team recently concluded the 2015 season and four Tiger players were selected to be honored by the Great Plains Athletic Conference for their performances this season.

Junior catcher Hailey Unger (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) was named to the All-GPAC First Team, while senior Danielle Klassen (Niverville, Manitoba, Canada) landed on the second team, it was announced Friday. Senior Natalie Gutierrez (Los Angeles, Calif.) and junior Vanessa Mendez (Monterey Park, Calif.) were named All-GPAC Honorable Mentions.

Unger played a vital role for the Tigers in the middle of their lineup this season for Head Coach Ed Kieff. She set the single-season (37) and career RBI (85) records at DWU in just her third year with the team. She finished 2015 batting .372, with 45 hits, including eight doubles and six home runs, while adding five stolen bases and 25 runs scored. The first-team honor was the second straight for Unger after making the list as a sophomore.

Klassen followed her record-breaking junior season with another stellar year in 2015. She led the team in stolen bases with 21 and set the school record for bases swiped in a career with 48 in just two seasons with the team. Klassen batted .313 with 45 this, three doubles, one triple and two home runs, while scoring 34 runs. The second-team nod followed a first-team selection last year.

In her second season with the Tigers, Gutierrez gave the Tigers a stabilizing force on defense with a .956 fielding percentage. She started all 44 games this season for the Tigers, batting .321 with 43 hits and 22 RBIs. She added six doubles, one triple and one home run, while scoring 19 runs.

Mendez provided some punch in the Tiger lineup with six home runs and 21 RBIs. She batted .324 with 24 hits, 16 runs and three stolen bases. Mendez played in 36 games and started 30 for DWU in 2015.

The GPAC Player-of-the-Year went to Midland University's Kayla Ritzdorf, while Ellie Doughty from Doane College won Pitcher-of-the-Year honors. The GPAC Coach-of-the-Year went to Doane's Renae Littrell.