In a vote of the league’s coaches, Fighting Scots coach John Goddard was named the South Division Coach of the Year in his first season. Goddard, the first Scots’ coach to receive the Coach of the Year honor since LeAnn Hagen in 2003, guided the Scots to their first MWC Tournament appearance since 2004 and the team’s best win percentage in five years. After beginning the season 2-9, the Scots posted an 11-6 record the rest of the way, dropping just one of their last 10 games of the regular season and running off a seven-game win streak. Monmouth rebounded from an 0-3 start in conference play to reel off five straight wins and qualify for a conference tournament berth.

Junior Sarah Christensen (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg) was named the South’s Pitcher of the Year, making her the first Scots’ pitcher awarded the honor. The junior righty went 4-0 with one save as the Scots posted a 9-1 record over their last 10 games. Christensen allowed just four earned runs over that stretch and finished the year 7-6 with a 3.62 ERA. Her 102 strikeouts this season ranks her second on the Monmouth season strikeout list and her 175 career Ks moves her to fourth all-time. The selection was Christensen’s second all-conference honor.

Senior shortstop Emily Willems (Moline, Ill./Rockridge) became the Scots’ first four-time all-conference performer with her selection to the first team. The sweet swinging Willems hit two grand slams this season to set the school record for slams in a season and led the Scots with a .446 batting average which ranks in the top five season averages at Monmouth. She also sported a .663 slugging percentage and was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts. Willems led the Scots in RBIs (20), runs scored (28) and doubles (11). She finished her career tied for fourth on the all-time home run list.

Catcher Kristin Bickett (Malden, Ill./Princeton), named to the second team, picked up her first all-conference honor. The senior saved her best for last, hitting a career-high .357 with 16 RBIs. A four year starter, Bickett hit .472 against conference opponents this season with 11 RBIs.

Sophomore first baseman Maggie Dort (Spring Grove, Ill./Richmond-Burton) was selected to the second team for the second time. Dort, who hit .320 this season, tied for the team lead in home runs (3) and was third in RBIs (15). The first baseman collected all of her RBIs against conference opponents and will enter next season with a .340 career batting average.

Kembra Bell (Beardstown, Ill./Beardstown), a lifetime .348 hitter, earned her second all-conference honor on the second team in as many years. The sophomore third baseman was third on the Scots with a .349 average and was fourth in RBIs (11). Bell feasted off conference opponents’ pitching, hitting at a .436 clip, picking up four of her seven doubles against MWC teams.

The Scots, who finished 13-15, placed second in the division and fourth overall in the Midwest Conference for their best league finish since 2004.