Haag, Van Vleet headline softball all-conference honors

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – A trio of Simpson softball players earned spots on the All-Iowa Conference Team for the 2014 season following a vote of the league's coaches.

Sophomore catcher Tori Haag and sophomore designated player Abbie Van Vleet earned first team recognition while junior first baseman Hailey Jensen was a second team pick.

Haag hit .415 with five home runs, 28 RBIs and a .674 slugging percentage on the year, all good for second on the team. The Waukee, Iowa product slugged a league-high 18 doubles and didn't commit an error in 180 chances. She tied for third in the conference in hits (56) and ranked second in total bases (91), both tops on the team. She also led the team with a .442 batting average and tied for first with 12 RBIs in conference play.

The accolade is the first of Haag's career and the first all-conference selection for a Simpson catcher since Michelle Fowler in 1999.

Van Vleet was a welcome addition to the Storm lineup, transferring to Simpson after her freshman season at Northern Iowa. The Indianola, Iowa native was the team's No. 1 pitcher and top offensive threat, serving as the designated player when she wasn't in the lineup at pitcher. She earned Iowa Conference Player of the Week accolades twice, once as a pitcher and once as a position player.

Van Vleet hit a team-high .437 while going 19-2 with a 2.41 ERA. She led the team in nearly every major offensive category, including home runs (6), RBIs (40), slugging (.723) and on-base percentage (.493). She tied for third in the league in RBIs and led the conference with five triples. She logged 142.1 innings in the circle and her 19 wins were second only to the league's Most Valuable Pitcher, Maddison Woddruff, who had 20.

Jensen brings home her second All-Iowa Conference citation after earning honorable mention honors a year ago. Originally from West Des Moines, Iowa, Jensen hit .314 with four doubles, a home run and 20 RBIs in 2014. She led the league in defensive chances (344) and putouts (320), committing just five errors at first base.

Jensen brought her best during league play, hitting .400 with a .489 on-base percentage. Both marks put her second on the team.

2014 All-Iowa Conference Softball

Position Player of the Year - Kelsey Rose, Luther (Jr., OF)
Pitcher of the Year - Maddison Woodruff, Coe (Sr.)
Coach of the Year - Bob Timmons, Coe