NAPERVILLE, Ill. – North Central’s Laura Whitfield and Brianna Nelson were named the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Softball Players of the Week Tuesday. 

Whitfield, a senior from Newark, Ill., and Newark High School, finished the week hitting .765. She was 2-for-4 with two RBI in the team's 8-7 extra innings victory over 2008 national champion University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on March 22. The game saw Whitfield belt her 14th career home run, establishing a new school career record. Whitfield followed her record-breaking performance with a 3-for-4 effort against Carleton, driving in four RBI. A day later, Whitfield was 5-for-5 with five RBI against St. Catherine, finishing a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. She closed out the Arizona trip with a 3-for-4 effort against Saint Olaf, driving in five runs. For the week, the shortstop was 13-for-17 with 16 RBI and six extra base hits. Whitfield is a Finance major.

Nelson, a senior from Bourbonnais, Ill., and Bradley-Bourbonnais High School, finished the week with three wins in the circle for the Cardinals. She pitched all five innings in the team's 12-4 mercy rule victory over Carleton on March 22 before making a pair of relief appearances later in the week. Nelson tossed the final 2 1/3 innings of the team's 13-8 extra innings victory over Saint Catherine, retiring all seven batters she faced. She then closed out the final 3 2/3 innings in the late game that day in a 13-7 win over Saint Olaf. Nelson finished the week with a team-best 3.18 earned run average, striking out one and allowing just five earned runs in 11 innings of work. Nelson is an Elementary Education major.

2011 CCIW Softball Players of the Week

Hitter of the Week
Laura Whitfield – North Central (3/29/11)
Vlasta Mangia – North Central (3/22/11)
Tess Strang – Millikin (3/15/11)

Pitcher of the Week
Brianna Nelson – North Central (3/29/11)
Alyssa Vorel – Illinois Wesleyan (3/22/11)
Danielle Schmidt – Wheaton (3/15/11)