Wilmore Represents Alverno with First Team All-NAC Accolade

Alverno College junior catcher Stef Wilmore (Elkhart, Ind./Central) has been named to the All-Northern Athletics Conference First Team, as the league announced the softball awards for the 2012 season Wednesday morning.

Additionally, Erin Dulek (Rosholt, Wis.) was selected to the All-Freshman Team and Jamie Villalobos (Antioch, Ill.) was the Inferno's representative on the All-Sportsmanship Team.

Wilmore, an All-NAC Second Team selection in 2011, led the Inferno with a .426 batting average, a .492 on-base percentage and a .652 slugging percentage. Her batting average is currently fourth in the conference, while her on-base percentage ranks second and slugging percentage fourth.

She had 49 hits which included 14 doubles and four home runs and reached base 15 additional times via 10 walks and five hit by pitches to go along with a team-high 23 RBIs.

"Stef really had a great year both defensively and offensively and was very deserving of the first team award," Alverno head coach Kristin Ortman said. "I know that she worked hard in the offseason to put herself in a position to have a great year."

In the most recent national statistics report --which did not include Monday's doubleheader -- Wilmore was ranked third in all of NCAA Division III in the category of 'Toughest to Strikeout.' She has struck out just once in 115 at bats this season.

The backstop ranks ninth in the conference with a .990 fielding percentage with just two errors on the season. Wilmore gunned down eight runners attempting to steal base and picked off another as the team's catcher.

Dulek finished the season as one of the premier pitchers in the conference as she currently ranks fourth in both ERA (2.22) and strikeouts (99), while is second in saves with two. The rookie right-hander compiled a 9-13 record with one shutout and 15 complete games in 19 starts. She issued just 21 walks to her 99 Ks in 126 innings pitched.

"Erin did a great job for us in the circle this season," Ortman said. "In addition to being tough in the circle, she also brought a lot of great energy to our team. She battled a shoulder injury for the last half of the season and was still able to produce great results."

Villalobos was Ortman's All-Sportsmanship selection for the second-straight year. The junior was the team's lead-off hitter and amassed a .359 batting average and .413 on-base percentage. The lefty connected for 47 hits and is currently second on Alverno's all-time hits list with 128, just four off the top spot and one in front of her teammate, Wilmore.

"Jamie is a great leader on and off the field," Ortman said. "She has done a great job in helping build our program and has definitely been a huge part of where we are today. Jamie is one of the most consistent hitters we had this year and did a great job in the lead-off position."

Defensively, Villalobos was a dual threat as one of the top first basemen in the league and also tallied a 7-7 record and a save in the pitcher's circle. She had a .962 fielding percentage and a 4.15 ERA including a 47/18 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 91 innings pitched.

Alverno finished the season with a school record 17 wins (17-21) and was eighth in the NAC at 10-14, also a record mark. The 15 home runs hit by the Inferno were the most in school history and the team's ERA of 3.14 was also tops in program history.

2012 Northern Athletics Conference Softball Awards