By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Marykate DeLuca (Sr., C, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) of Willamette University has been named the Northwest Conference Softball Position Player of the Week after leading the Bearcats to a 3-1 record in games played on Saturday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 12. Willamette defeated Warner Pacific University 5-4 and 8-1 on Saturday. The Bearcats split a pair of games at Bushnell University on Sunday, losing 6-4 and then winning 8-0 on the run rule after five innings.

DeLuca excelled at the plate, batting .667 for the weekend with 8 hits in 12 at bats. She registered 11 RBIs while smacking one home run and belting five doubles, as she scored three runs and provided a 1.333 slugging percentage. DeLuca also received three walks on her way to a .733 on-base percentage.

She earned at least two hits and two RBIs in all four games. In the first game against Warner Pacific, she was credited with three RBIs. In the first game at Bushnell, she recorded all four of Willamette's RBIs.

Willamette is 3-3 on the season. The Bearcats will play at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, on Sunday, Feb. 19, in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. (PST). On Monday, Feb. 20, Willamette will complete the trip with a doubleheader against Concordia University Texas at 2 p.m. in Austin, Texas.