WINTHROP, Mass. – Simmons College's Molly Hennessey (Charlton, Mass.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Softball Rookie of the Week for the week of April 17-23, it was announced today by the league. The honor marks the second time that Hennessey has received the award this season after having earned top rookie accolades for the week of March 6-12. The award has been earned three times by a Shark this season with first year Lauren Del Vacchio (Murrieta, Calif.) also winning the honor for the week of April 3-9. 

Hennessey batted .455 (10-22) in eight games on the week, while working a pair of walks for a .500 on-base percentage and owning a .864 slugging mark. The first year started all eight games, while hitting safely in her final seven games in a row for the week. She also knocked in six runs, scored five times and collected two doubles, a pair of triples, two walks and the first home run over the fence in Daly Field history. 

The center fielder began the week by going 1-4 with a double and a walk in a doubleheader vs. nationally-ranked #25 Massachusetts Institute of Technology on April 17. The rookie rapped out two hits, including a triple and drove in a pair of runs in a twinbill at Saint Joseph's College. Hennessey enjoyed an outstanding weekend, going 3-6 with a home run, three RBI and a double vs. Albertus Magnus College on April 22 and came back the next day to go 4-7 with a double and a triple in addition to scoring three times and knocking in a run for the Sharks. 

For the season, the Shepherd Hill Regional High School product is the only player on the squad to start all 33 games and is batting .333 (33-99) to lead all Simmons players with 25 or more at-bats for the year. Hennessey also leads the team with 18 runs batted in, a .485 slugging percentage, 33 hits and four triples, which is also good for tops in among GNAC leaders. She also owns a .389 on-base mark for the year. A Nursing major, Hennessey has collected seven multi-hit outings to rank second on the team, including a trio of three-hit efforts. She has driven in two or more runs on three occasions, including a career-high of four vs. Anna Maria College on April 8. 

Simmons is currently 11-22 on the season, including 6-12 in league play and will be in action again on Wednesday, April 26 when it heads to Nashua, N.H. to take on GNAC foe Rivier University at 6:00 p.m. for a twinbill.