Five local softball players were selected to the AII (Association of Independent Institutions) all-conference team Sunday.
Two members of the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds – catcher Tanya McLean of North Delta and second baseman Courtney O’Connor of Surrey – were named to the team, as were North Delta’s Kelly King of the University of Houston-Victoria (Texas) Surrey Storm graduates Brittany Mayers and Kelsey Haberl of the SFU (Simon Fraser University) Clan.
McLean, a senior, finished tied for 16th in the conference with a .386 batting average and was sixth with an .811 slugging percentage. She also ranked among the conference top 10 with 13 home runs and 13 doubles while serving as UBC’s primary catcher.
O’Connor led the T-Birds with a .434 batting average as the everyday second baseman. She also led the team with 42 runs batted in (RBIs), four more than McLean’s 38, and chipped in with 11 home runs and 12 doubles to go along with a .798 slugging percentage. Her batting average ranked seventh in the conference.
UBC senior outfielder, Jess Barclay, also a North Delta native, led the conference in fielding percentage and was third on the Thunderbirds with a .345 batting average.
Haberl led the Clan with a .365 batting average and seven doubles in 18 games played. Mayers was ranked second on the SFU squad with a .353 batting average, tying Leah Riske of Surrey for the team lead with three home runs. SFU won the A.I.I. regionals with a 5-3 victory over Central Baptist (Arkansas) Sunday afternoon, and advances to the NAIA (National Association of Independent Athletics) championships May 19-25 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. SFU is the defending NAIA champion.