RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Whitney Hamilton and East Central’s Ali Manship earned the Great American Conference’s Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week honors for the opening weekend of play, the conference office announced on Tuesday.
 
GAC BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Whitney Hamilton, Southeastern Oklahoma State, DP/3B/C, So., Oologah, Okla.
Hamilton earned St. Mary's Invitational All-Tournament Team honors as she drove in the go ahead run in each of the Savage Storm’s three wins. She connected on a three-run single against Texas A&M-Kingsville. She tied the game with Tarleton State with a home run then drove home the winning runs an inning late.
                                                                                                                                                                                        
GAC BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Ali Manship, East Central, RHP, Sr., Harrah, Okla.
Manship picked up the win in all three of the Lady Tigers victories at the St. Mary’s Invitational. She threw a shutout and two complete games. She struck out seven and registered an ERA of 1.47 for the weekend. As a batter, she hit .429 (6-for-14) with four runs scored.
 
NOTABLE NOMINEES
- Audra Chambless, 2B, Sr., Southwestern Oklahoma State (Hit .571 with a .786 slugging percentage vs New Mexico Highlands)
- Summer Huddleston, 2B, Jr., Arkansas-Monticello (Notched a .571 on-base percentage with seven runs scored in four games)
- Courtney Hudgins, OF, Fr., Southern Arkansas (Registered three multi-hit games and scored five runs at the UWF Crossover)
- Shelby Simmons, SS, Sr., East Central (Registered three multi-hit games and scored five runs at the UWF Crossover)
 
NOTABLE PITCHING NOMINEES
- Jacee Bennett, RHP, Sr., Southeastern Oklahoma State (Earned two wins and a save and held opponents to a .147 average)
- Hanna Gill, RHP, So., Southern Arkansas (Went 2-1 at the UWF Crossover, losing only to No. 1 Valdosta State)
- Randy Perry, LHP, Sr., Arkansas-Monticello (Posted a 2-0 record with two complete games and a 1.00 ERA)