| 5/6/2011 12:00:00 AM

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MIAA softball regular season co-champions Emporia State, Missouri Western and Nebraska-Omaha combined for eight All-MIAA First Team selections, and swept the five end-of-season awards to highlight the all-conference team announced Thursday by the league office. The selections were made by the league's 12 head coaches, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.

Emporia State second baseman Angela Mahan was named the MIAA Player of the Year after a season in which she held a .715 slugging percentage, recorded 17 doubles and scored 51 runs, all tops in the conference. The senior from Liberty, Mo., was also an All-MIAA First Team selection.

Nebraska Omaha senior Beth Haley is the MIAA Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season. The Highland, Ind., native led the MIAA with a 0.91 ERA and was third in the conference with 19 wins on the season. Haley was named All-MIAA First Team as well.

Nebraska Omaha catcher Lauren Larson was voted the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year after finishing the regular season tied for the MIAA lead with three runners picked off and second in the league with 331 putouts. The Omaha, Neb., native was also named All-MIAA Honorable Mention.

Missouri Western pitcher Jackie Bishop was honored as the MIAA Freshman of the Year after a season in which she ranked second in the MIAA with a 1.00 ERA, second in the conference in wins with 23 and second in the league in strikeouts with 193. The Kirksville, Mo., product was also an All-MIAA First Team selection.

Nebraska Omaha head coach Jeanne Scarpello and Missouri Western head coach Jen Bagley were voted MIAA Co-Coaches of the Year after guiding their squads to identical 18-4 records in MIAA play and a share of the regular season conference championship along with Emporia State. It is the third coach of the year honor for Bagley, and the second for Scarpello.

Emporia State led the way with four first-team selections, followed by Central Missouri, Missouri Western and Nebraska Omaha with two each, and Fort Hays State, Missouri Southern and Northwest Missouri with one apiece.

2011 ALL-MIAA SOFTBALL TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Angela Mahan, Sr., 2B, Emporia State

PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Beth Haley, Sr., Nebraska Omaha

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lauren Larson, Jr., C, Nebraska Omaha

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Jackie Bishop, P, Missouri Western

COACHES OF THE YEAR
Jeanne Scarpello, Nebraska Omaha
Jen Bagley, Missouri Western

FIRST TEAM
P: Beth Haley, Sr., Nebraska Omaha [r1]
P: Jackie Bishop, Fr., Missouri Western
C: Malinee Powell, So., Fort Hays State
1B: Megan Roark, Sr., Missouri Southern
2B: Angela Mahan, Sr., Emporia State
SS: Abby Hughes, Sr., Emporia State
3B: Katie Groves, Jr., Central Missouri
OF: Kit Daugherty, Sr., Northwest Missouri
OF: Ashlea Bengtson, So., Central Missouri
OF: Jessica Brewer, So., Emporia State
OF: Brittany Douglas, Sr., Missouri Western
DP: Abby Smith, Sr., Emporia State
UT: Lindsey Slocum, Sr., Nebraska Omaha [r1]

[r1] - Repeat first team selection from last season

[Note: Ties in voting created an additional spot at OF]

SECOND TEAM
P: Karley Schmelzer, So., Emporia State
P: Nicole Reed, Jr., Missouri Southern
C: Amanda Self, So., Emporia State
1B: Adriana Wortley, Jr., Fort Hays State
2B: Brianna Fulkerson, Jr., Missouri Southern
SS: Molly Feichtinger, Jr., Nebraska Omaha
3B: Taylor Reichard, Fr., Emporia State
3B: Maegan Roemmich, So., Missouri Western
OF: Toni Dance, Sr., Missouri Western
OF: Katelyn Hinton, Jr., Nebraska Omaha
OF: Erin Eddy, Sr., Pittsburg State
DP: Amber Lutmer, Fr., Nebraska Omaha
UT: Kelsey Bollman, Fr., Truman

[Note: Ties in voting created an additional spot at 3B]

HONORABLE MENTION
Central Missouri: Kelli Kurka, Sr., 1B; Braylyn Bivens, Fr., SS; Nicole Norberg, Jr., OF; Kasey Martin, Sr., DP; Brandi Campbell, So., UT.

Emporia State: Jennifer Heerey, Jr., P; Kaitlin Martin, Jr., UT.

Fort Hays State: Kayla Rupa, Sr., P; Britney Workman, So., 2B; Danie Brinkmann, So., SS; Erin Dyok, Jr., 3B; Sara Tani, Sr., OF; Maddie Holub, So., UT.

Lincoln: Clair Lorenz, Jr., P; Raschel Hoeflicker, Sr., 2B; Megan Braun, Jr., OF.

Missouri Southern: Breanna Volkmann, Jr., OF; Dawn Grass, So., DP.

Missouri Western: Jonnelle Belger, Sr., P; Keri Lorbert, So., C; Blair Stalder, Jr., 2B.

Nebraska Omaha: Lauren Larson, Jr., C; Ashley Lynch, Jr., 2B; Sarah Elliott, So., 3B.

Northwest Missouri: Jenna Creger, So., P; Kristen Hessel, Sr., C; Hailee Hendricks, So., 2B; Dacey Hassey, Sr., DP.

Pittsburg State: Amanda DeCastro, Jr., SS.

Southwest Baptist: Josie Rose, Sr., P.

Truman: Mary Manley, Jr., 1B; Laura Miller, So., OF; Bridget Schade, Jr., OF.

Washburn: Kacy Covert, Jr., OF; Lauren Himpel, So., OF; Lindsey Moore, Jr., UT.