PORTLAND, Ore. -- Senior Chandler Bishop leads the pack for the Western Oregon University softball team on the All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference Team that was announced Wednesday. Bishop was named to the first team, while Aleya Turner, Sydney Bowers, Zoie Recolan and Bella Valdes landed on the second team. Allyson Drury was named to the honorable mention team.
It's been a big year for Bishop as she returned for another season and in the process put together strong all-around numbers. Back on Apr. 7, Bishop earned the first NFCA National Player of the Week award as she tallied the accolade after hitting .636 with three home runs, nine RBI, slugged 1.545 and finished the second game of the series against Northwest Nazarene that week with a walk-off grand slam in extra innings. In addition to that award this season, Bishop was also named to the Academic All-GNAC Team.
Bishop, from Arlington, Wash., has played several positions throughout the season including first base, pitcher and designated player. She leads the team in home runs (6), RBI (21), slugging percentage (.745), OPS (1.205) and on-base percentage (.460). She is second on the team with a .373 batting average, 12 runs scored and a double while playing in 24 games that includes 22 starts. In the circle, Bishop has started seven games, logging 32 innings, tallying two complete games and picked up a win this past week at Central Washington. Bishop tossed a season-high 6.2 innings at Montana State Billings and had four starts going at least six innings. In the field, Bishop had 10 or more putouts in two games against Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin's and had multiple assists in three games with a high of three against Montana State Billings.
At the plate, Bishop posted a season-high three hits against Northwest Nazarene in the walk-off grand slam game. She has six multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games, going for a season-high four RBI twice against Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington.
Turner has made a big impact in her only season with the Wolves in 2021. The senior transfer from Vacaville, Calif., arrived at WOU this year from Concordia (OR) and has seen time all over the field. Turner has seen time in the outfield, third base and designated player. She leads the team with a .375 average and 27 hits, along with tallying 12 runs scored, two doubles, a home run, five RBI and a stolen base in 21 games that includes 20 starts. Turner has 10 multi-hit games to lead the team which included a season-high three hits against Central Washington. She drove in a run in five different games, three times vs. Central Washington and twice vs. Montana State Billings. She scored three runs against Central Washington and had two runs scored vs. Saint Martin's. In the field, Turner has multiple putouts in five games, going for a high of three versus Central Washington. She added multiple assists in two games, with a high of three also against Central Washington. Turner was also named to the Academic All-GNAC Team.
Slick-fielding shortstop Bowers has put together another great year both offensively and defensively. The senior from Eugene, Ore., is third on the team with a .333 batting average, coming away with a second-best 25 hits, 13 runs scored, four doubles, a team-high two triples, two home runs and 10 RBI while starting all 28 games at shortstop. Bowers has seven multi-hit games going for a season-high three hits against Montana State Billings. She drove in two runs in a game twice against Saint Martin's and Central Washington. Bowers scored two runs in a game three times against Central Washington (twice) and Saint Martin's and added both of her triples against Central Washington. In the field, Bowers had a season-high 5 putouts against Central Washington and in that same game added seven assists. She has at least one assist in 26 games and multiple assists in 21 games.
Recolan has put together a solid redshirt sophomore season, as the first baseman from Ewa Beach, Hawaii has played in 22 games that includes 20 starts. She holds a .270 average with 17 hits, three doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and four runs scored. Recolan has five multi-hit games tallying two hits against Central Washington (three times) and Montana State Billings (twice). She drove in a pair of runs in three different games versus Central Washington (twice) and Montana State Billings. In the field, Recolan tallied 10 or more putouts at first base in four games with a high of 11 against Central Washington. She added two assists versus Northwest Nazarene. Recolan was also named to the Academic All-GNAC Team.
Valdes has had an immediate impact in her first season as a true freshman for the Wolves in 2021. Valdes from Tualatin, Ore., saw time at second base, designated player and as a pinch-runner during the year. Her .290 batting average is sixth-best on the team, as she tallied nine hits, six runs scored, a triple, a double, three RBI and a stolen base while playing in 18 games that included eight starts. Valdes posted three multi-hit games, tallying two hits against Northwest Nazarene (twice) and Western Washington. She drove in two runs against Western Washington and scored two runs against Montana State Billings. In the field, Valdes has seven putouts against Northwest Nazarene and added three assists also against Northwest Nazarene.
Drury has started all 28 games this season in the outfield as the senior from Dairyville, Calif., holds a .254 batting average with 16 hits, two home runs, six RBI, a double, two stolen bases and 13 runs scored which is tied for the team lead. Drury has five multi-hit games this year tallying two hits apiece against Northwest Nazarene (twice), Montana State Billings (twice) and Central Washington. She drove in two runs against Montana State Billings. Drury scored two runs in a game twice versus Montana State Billings and Northwest Nazarene. In the field, Drury tallied nine putouts against Central Washington and added two outfield assists on the year, one each against Montana State Billings and Northwest Nazarene. Drury was also named to the GNAC Academic Team after earning a near perfect GPA.
WOU will get set to compete in the GNAC Championships this Thursday when they will enter as the fourth seed and will face top-seed Northwest Nazarene beginning at 2:30 p.m.
