---Jessica Farris

By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information

PEORIA, Ill. – Jessica Farris was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Softball Freshman of the Year while four Northern Kentucky University players earned spots on the All-GLVC teams, the league office announced Thursday.

Third baseman Cara Parker was named to the All-GLVC first team, while Farris, outfielder Shatona Campbell and designated player Sam Del Vecchio each earned spots on the second team.

Farris, a graduate of Simon Kenton High School in Independence, Ky., earned the job as the starting shortstop for Kathy Stewart’s squad and has been a stalwart defensively, committing just 10 errors on the year.  At the plate, Farris got a slow start but became one of NKU’s most important offensive weapons down the stretch, hitting .477 over the last two weeks of the season with 13 runs scored and 16 RBIs.  Overall, Farris was a .343 slugger and led the team with 12 doubles and 28 runs scored.

Parker, a senior from Maineville, Ohio, earned her first All-GLVC selection after lighting a fire under the NKU offense during the stretch run to the postseason.  Coming through with the big hit when it counted, Parker slugged a shocking .701 in conference play, second-best in the league.  Parker has been a mainstay in the hot corner for NKU, missing just one game in the last four seasons.

Campbell, a senior from Fairfield, Ohio, took advantage of her chance in the spotlight, batting .323 on the season with 21 runs scored and 16 more driven in to take her first All-GLVC honor.  Campbell was a force defensively as well, leading NKU outfielders with a .976 fielding percentage while picking up an outfield assist earlier in the season against Minnesota State.

Del Vecchio, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, worked tirelessly to earn her spot in the NKU lineup midway through the season and pounded out hit after hit, leading the team with a .377 batting average and a .488 on-base percentage in 25 starts on the year.  Del Vecchio also spent time behind the plate for the Norse, and has become Chelsie Roy’s everyday catcher, as that battery has combined to go 4-1 in their last five starts.

As a team, NKU leads all GLVC teams in hitting, on-base percentage and hits while standing second in total bases, slugging percentage and RBIs.

NKU (27-21) opens play at the GLVC Tournament on Friday in East Peoria, Ill.  The sixth-seeded Norse will take on No. 3 Indianapolis in the first round.  First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern.