VanVleet named IIAC Athlete of the Week
INDIANOLA, Iowa – Simpson's Abbie VanVleet went a perfect 3-0 and didn't allow an earned run in four appearances in the circle, earning Iowa Conference Female Athlete of the Week and Softball Pitcher of the Week honors for the period ending Sunday, March 8.
A junior from Indianola, VanVleet finished the week with three complete games, two shutouts and 14 strikeouts in 22 innings of work. As of Sunday, VanVleet hadn't allowed an earned run in 31 straight innings and saw a streak of 30 straight scoreless innings end in the seventh inning of a win over Hiram.
Through Sunday, VanVleet owned a 0.44 ERA and the Storm were a perfect 12-0 on the season.
After working an inning of relief in a 13-3 win over St. Scholastica , VanVleet threw back-to-back complete-game shutouts in wins over Westminster-Pa. (2-0) and Wheaton-Mass. (3-0). She closed the week with six strikeouts in a 5-2 win over Hiram on March 8.
Since winning the award, VanVleet has added two more wins to her credit and the Storm have improved to 16-0.
The league accolade is the third of VanVleet's career. In her inaugural season at Simpson after transferring from Northern Iowa, VanVleet earned IIAC Position Player of the Week honors on March 9, 2014 and added Pitcher of the Week honors on April 13, 2014.
The Storm are off Wednesday, March 11. They return to action Thursday to face No. 8 Illinois Wesleyan and Beloit as play continues at the Rebel Spring Games in Winter Haven, Fla.
