Creighton outfielder Stacey Rybar was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year last night at a banquet honoring the league's top student-athletes.
 
Rybar is the Bluejays' career-leader with 35 home runs and she leads the Creighton in runs, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and slugging. Plus, she leads the MVC in runs scored and ranks second in total bases, ranks third in slugging, on-base, triples and home runs, ranks fourth in batting and doubles and ranks fifth in hits and RBI.

Her teammate, Tammy Nielsen was voted the Valley Pitcher of the Year.  With five no-hitters under her belt this season, Nielsen leads the MVC with 23 overall wins, an ERA of 0.72, and 296 strikeouts in 223 innings of work.

Illinois State utility player, Stacy Birk was named the Newcomer of the Year. Birk’s 12 conference wins are the most by a Valley pitcher this season.  She also tops the MVC with 22 league appearances. Offensively, Birk owns a .279 overall batting average and she has driven in or plated 31 runs this season.

For the third straight season, the Coaching Staff of the year went to Southern Illinois. Kerri Blaylock, Buddy Foster, and Mark Cosgrove oversee the Saluki program.  With a 41-14 overall record, 41 victories is the most under Blaylock.


FIRST TEAM
P, Tammy Nielsen*^, CU
P, Amy Harre*, SIU
C, Kari Shank, CU
1B, Emily Krueger^, ILS
2B, Kate Stake, ILS
3B, Katie Wappler, DU
SS, Laura Harms, BU
OF, Stacey Rybar*^, CU
OF, Katie Jordan^, SIU
OF, Melanie Dorsey, CU

(At-Large Selections)
OF, Emily Winters, UE
SS, Jamie Davison*, UE
UT, Abby Johnson, CU
UT, Katie Shimon*, DU
UT, Ashley Lynn, WSU
P, Stacy Birk, ILS

SECOND TEAM
P, Lindsay Craig, WSU
C, Deanna Keim, SMS
1B, Brittany Mynesberg, BU
1B, Sarah Kothe, INS
3B, Haley Viefhaus, SIU
SS, Lindsay Larry, DU
SS, Rachael Rogers, UNI
SS, Jenny Doehring, SIU
OF, Stefanie Cheney, BU
DP, Ashley Meredith, SMS

HONORABLE MENTION TEAM
P, Margo Pruis, WSU
2B, Alicia Laraway, UE
3B, Erin Strellner, UNI
OF, Jenna Wilkin, DU
OF, Sara Cole, SMS
OF, Lisa Clary, WSU
DP, Christine Fukumoto, CU
UT, Amanda Clifton, SIU