NAPERVILLE – The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) announced its Softball Student-Athletes of the Week for games played between Monday, March 24 and Sunday, March 30.
 
Hitter: Gwen Hendrick, Carthage, Junior (Appleton, Wis.)
Hendrick hit .800 (12-for-15) with seven doubles to help the Firebirds post a perfect 4-0 record on the road last week. She had eight runs batted in and scored four runs during the week.
 
Hendrick had seven hits in last Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep of Concordia Chicago, including a 5-for-5 performance with three doubles, three RBI and two runs scored in game two of the twin bill. She added a 4-for-4 effort in the nightcap of Friday’s sweep at Beloit, doubling twice with two more runs scored and an RBI.
 
Pitcher: Gianna Certa, Illinois Wesleyan, Junior (Third Lake, Ill.)
Certa pitched IWU’s first perfect game since 2020 on Sunday, striking out six in an 11-0 shutout of Lake Forest in Bloomington. She went 3-0 during the week with 15 strikeouts, no walks and a 1.51 earned-run average over 19.1 innings.
 
Certa was the winning pitcher for the Titans in games against Illinois College, Wartburg and Lake Forest, helping the Titans pick up five wins during the week. She struck out a season-high six in Wednesday’s win over IC.
 
2025 CCIW Softball Student-Athletes of the Week
Hitter
March 31: Gwen Hendrick, Carthage
March 24: Jen Kuhn, Illinois Wesleyan
March 17: Clare Rettler, Carthage
March 10: Jen Kuhn, Illinois Wesleyan
 
Pitcher
March 31: Gianna Certa, Illinois Wesleyan
March 24: Kelsey Bruno, Millikin
March 17: Maddie Conway, Carthage
March 10: Mallory Holland, Illinois Wesleyan