Kentucky Wesleyan's
Haleigh Ashworth has been chosen as the Great Lakes Valley Conference Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year for her athletic and academic achievements in 2009, as voted by the league's NCAA Faculty Athletic Representatives.
This marks the first Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for KWC softball.
Ashworth, a pitcher/shortstop from Owensboro (Owensboro Catholic HS), completed a record setting four-year career for KWC on the mound and at the plate.
On the mound, she led the Panthers in ERA (2.12), wins (15), strikeouts (162), shutouts (7), innings pitched (197.2), appearances (30), games started (26) and complete games (25). Her strikeouts ranked fifth in the league.
At the plate, she finished first in RBIs (32), doubles (11) and extra base hits (13), and second in batting average (.353) and hits (54). Ashworth also led the Great Lakes Valley Conference in doubles.
She was named to the All-GLVC first team and was an All-Midwest Region second team selection.
Ashworth in four seasons set the career pitching record for strikeouts (458) and the career offensive records for hits (213), doubles (42) and at bats (638). She also was second in extra base hits (54) and fielding assists (455).
The four-time GLVC All-Academic honoree maintained a 3.88 cumulative grade point average and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration and economics.
Nominees must have a cumulative grade point average which meets Academic All-America standards (3.30), and freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible for the award.