Bearcats Put Five Softball Players on All-Northwest Conference Team

By John Lind, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- The 2013 All-Northwest Conference softball team was released today, and five Willamette softball players were honored. Kelli Snyder (Sr., C, Longview, WA/Kelso HS) and Ashley Pender (Fr., 2B, Reno, NV/North Valleys HS) were selected to the First Team.

Jenna King (So., LF, Camarillo, CA/Adolfo Camarillo HS) was named to the Second Team. Yvonne Drabin (Sr., CF, Fremont, CA/Moreau Catholic HS) and Courtney Galli (Jr., 1B, Rocklin, CA/Whitney HS) earned Honorable Mention recognition.

The Bearcats went 14-24 overall, 10-18 in the NWC in 2013. One of the season highlights was defeating NWC rival Linfield College on April 10 by a score of 2-1. The Wildcats were ranked #7 in the nation at the time.

First Team All-NWC

Kelli Snyder (Sr., C) was named First Team All-NWC for the second consecutive season. In 2013, Snyder started 35 of the 37 games she played. She led the Bearcats with a .436 batting average, and registered team highs in hits (44), doubles (13), slugging percentage (.653) and on-base percentage (.532). Her batting average was good for fourth place in the NWC.

Snyder solidified a place for herself in Willamette's record books. On the single season lists, her 2013 statistics place her third in batting average, fifth in slugging percentage, second in on-base percentage and the third for doubles in a season.

She also earned spots on WU's career records. For her career, Snyder ranks third in batting average (.364), fourth in on-base percentage (.457), fifth in slugging percentage (.533), sixth in RBIs (63), seventh in doubles (24) and homers (10), eighth in total bases (177), and ninth in hits (121).

"Kelly was great. She was an All-Conference kid on and off the court," Willamette Head Coach Damian Williams said. "She was focused and she had a feeling of 'I had to pick up my team.'"

Ashley Pender (Fr., 2B) burst onto the scene in her freshmen year this spring, starting all 37 games she played. She finished second on the team in batting average (.359), hits (42), doubles (11), slugging percentage (.632) and on base-percentage (.420).

She led Willamette with 31 RBIs and three triples. Pender tied for first on the team with five home runs, and earned a team-high 74 total bases.

"Ashley is going to be a star," Williams said. "This year she showed her potential, and she hasn't even come close to reaching it yet."

Second Team All-NWC

Jenna King (So., LF) put together an impressive sophomore season for the Bearcats, batting .340 with 36 hits, a .387 slugging percentage and a .381 on base percentage. She tied for the team lead with 11 stolen bases and was one of the best defensive players on the team all season, recording a 1.000 fielding percentage with 38 put outs.

Honorable Mention All-NWC

Yvonne Drabin (Sr., CF) was chosen All-NWC for the second straight year. She was named to the First Team in 2012. In 2013, Drabin started 37 of 38 games and batted .321 with 34 hits, five doubles, and nine RBIs.

Drabin's 34 hits more than doubled her career total from the previous three seasons, as she finished with 67 hits overall. She posted a .368 slugging percentage and a .357 on base percentage this season.

During her WU career, she achieved a .321 batting average in 106 games played, and was 18 of 24 on stolen bases. Defensively, Drabin recorded a .981 career fielding percentage.

Courtney Galli (Jr., 1B) was a mainstay on the infield for the Bearcats all season long, playing in 37 games (36 starts) and leading the team with 153 put outs and a .953 fielding percentage. She played 25 games at first base, while also playing six games each at second and third. She batted .280 and racked up 28 hits, five doubles, two triples, and a home run for 16 total RBIs.

She finished her Willamette career with a .288 batting average and 72 hits. She also earned 37 RBIs and a .955 fielding percentage.