WINTHROP, Mass. – Simmons College's Ivy Vann (Bend, Ore.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Softball Rookie of the Week for the week of March 19-25, it was announced today by the league.
The first year batted .417 (5-12) with two walks to contribute to a .500 on-base percentage, while smacking a pair of triples as part of a .750 slugging percentage and knocked in a run to go with five runs scored in four games. The left fielder also handled eight chances without an error, including an outfield assist to cut down a runner at the plate. In addition, Vann struck out just once in 14 plate appearances.
Vann reached base safely in all four games for the Sharks and opened the week with a 1-3 effort, including a triple and two runs scored vs. visiting Emmanuel College (Mass.) on March 24 in the opening game of a GNAC doubleheader. She capped the day by going 2-4 with a run scored. A graduate of Mountain View High School, the rookie was 2-3 with a walk and another triple in addition to a run batted in and a pair of runs scored in the opening contest of a twinbill with host Albertus Magnus College on March 25. She drew a walk in the second game and also threw out a runner at the plate.
The West Coast native has started all 12 games in the outfield this season for Simmons, while batting .343 (12-35) to lead all newcomers with more than 10 plate appearances for the Sharks. She leads the conference with four triples and ranks 11th in the nation in triples per game at 0.33. Vann also leads the team and stands fifth in the league with 11 runs scored and tops the team with a .600 slugging percentage that ranks her sixth among GNAC leaders. She has shown an outstanding knowledge of the strike zone with five walks to contribute to a .425 on-base percentage and has been set down on strikes just three times in 40 plate appearances. The left fielder also places third on the team with six RBI and has hit safely in eight of 12 games, including four multi-hit outings. She recently enjoyed a five-game hitting streak that saw her bat .467 (7-15) from March 9-25 with three triples, eight runs scored and four RBI.
Simmons is currently 3-9 on the season, including 1-3 in league play and will be in action again on Wednesday, March 28 when it hosts Brandeis University for a twinbill starting at 5:00 p.m. at Daly Field.