North Allegheny High School graduate Amanda Howard has been honored as the top softball player in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

Howard, a senior outfielder at Washington & Jefferson College, was named most valuable player of the PAC after leading the Presidents to a share of the regular-season title.

Howard, a four-year starter, led Washington & Jefferson with a .437 average, 36 runs scored, 59 hits, and 17 stolen bases. She also had 10 doubles and 21 RBIs while starting all 40 games for the Presidents.

Howard and W&J teammate Rebecca Nachreiner made their second consecutive appearances on the first team of the PAC softball all-star squad. Nachreiner, a North Hills High School graduate, is a sophomore pitcher for the Presidents. She had an 18-7 record, a 1.14 earned run average and 159 strikeouts in 153¹/₃ innings pitched.

Howard and Nachreiner were joined on the first team by senior catcher Hannah Schulz, a Hampton High graduate who was voted to the second team last year. Schulz led the Presidents with 15 doubles, 5 home runs, and 37 RBIs, and was second with a .372 average.

Seneca Valley graduate Lauren Pennell and Hampton grad Lis Schulz were voted to the PAC second team.

Pennell, a freshman pitcher at Grove City College, led the Wolverines with a .417 average and a .583 slugging percentage. She also broke Grove City records with 45 hits and 18 doubles. As a pitcher, she set a school record with 23 appearances, which included 17 complete games and four shutouts. She had a 6-15 record and a 3.63 ERA.

Schulz, a freshman pitcher/first baseman at Westminster College, started 35 games, including nine as a pitcher. She had a .302 batting average, and compiled a 4.17 ERA and a 4-3 record on the mound with two complete games and one shutout.

Two from district earn PSAC honors

North Allegheny graduate Sam Goettman and Seneca Valley grad Nicole Lollo were voted to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference softball second team.

Goettman, a sophomore catcher at IUP led the Crimson Hawks with nine doubles and 23 RBIs, while tying for the team lead with two home runs. She had a .244 average.

Lollo, a freshman third baseman at Clarion University, had a .247 average, with three doubles, 10 runs scored, and six RBIs.

She was Clarion's best player down the stretch.

Mars grad is tournament MVP

Mars Area graduate Brie Berkopec was named the most valuable player of the North Coast Athletic Conference softball tournament.

Berkopec, a sophomore catcher at Denison University, drove in five runs in three games and led the Big Red with six hits. For the season, Berkopec led the team with a .405 average, 49 hits, 12 doubles and 34 RBIs, and is second with six home runs.