ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst College softball team has selected its yearly award winners for the 2010 season, as announced by the coaching staff Thursday, May 13. Sophomore Jen Bower was named Offensive MVP, while sophomore Emily Redig earned Defensive MVP honors. Senior Amber Rapose was selected as the Team Choice Award winner.

Bower was the team's leading hitter at the cleanup spot in 2010, batting .359 with a program-record-tying 14 doubles, 12 homers and 34 RBI. She was named the PSAC West Player of the Week March 3 after opening the season with a .385 average over the first 13 games. Bower closed out the season with a 4-for-7 performance at the PSAC Tournament, hitting a home run against Lock Haven.

Redig, a PSAC West First Team honoree, was one of the Lakers' leaders at the plate and in the field during the season. She led the team in assists at second base, posting a .955 fielding percentage. During conference play, Redig recorded just one error in 16 conference games, registering .986 in the field in PSAC West competition. She hit .314 and led the team with 35 runs and tied for third with five homers.

Rapose concluded her third season at Mercyhurst as one of the team's best power hitters and outfielders. She hit five home runs and drove in 15 runs, adding six doubles as part of her .238 batting average. Rapose started the season at right field before earning 26 starts in center, tying for first with five outfield assists while committing no errors in the field. Rapose was named PSAC West Player of the Week March 16.

Mercyhurst finished 23-23 overall during 2010, posting a 9-7 record while earning second place in the PSAC West and its first berth in the PSAC Tournament. The Lakers recorded 20 or more wins for the fourth season in a row, and fifth time in seven years under head coach Sara Headley. The team swept back-to-back doubleheaders from Slippery Rock and Edinboro in the final week to earn the No. 2 seed.

A list of team award winners follows.

Team Choice Award
2004 Kimmerly Roberts
2005 Shanna McDowell
2006 Kim Griffin
2007 Jen Feret
2008 Jessica McNurlen
2009 Megan Houston
2010 Amber Rapose

Defensive MVP
2004 Anne Styn
2005 Jen Feret
2006 Kim Griffin
2007 Megan Houston
2008 Kara Gorgos
2009 Kara Gorgos
2010 Emily Redig

Offensive MVP
2004 Rachael Confer
2005 Kimmerly Roberts
2006 Kim Griffin
2007 Jen Feret
2008 Jessica McNurlen
2009 Elizabeth Maier
2010 Jen Bower