CoSIDA Academic All-America Softball Release

AUSTIN, Texas -- Siena Heights senior second baseman Ashley Helmink (North Ridgeville, Ohio / North Ridgeville) was named to the 2019 Google Cloud Academic All-America® NAIA Softball First Team as awarded by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Helmink led the Saints in At-Bats (173), Runs (63), Hits (80) doubles (25), triples (9), home runs (10), runs batted in (60), and batting average (.462) among hitters with more than 10 at-bats. She broke single-season records for runs, 2B, 3B, and RBIs. Her .462 batting average is the second-highest season total in program history as are her 80 hits and her 10 home runs for 2019. For her career, she is second in batting average (.413), tied for 6th in home runs (16) and triples (10), 6th in doubles (39), and 8th in runs (101).

"Ashley has worked hard as a student and an athlete in her four years at SHU," said Head Coach Laura Klutsarits. "It's a great honor for her to receive this award and is a fantastic way to cap her career at Siena Heights University.

Helmink was a psychology major with a 3.94 GPA at Siena Heights. She has the sixth-highest GPA on the All-America team.

The 2019 Google Cloud Academic All-America® NAIA softball teams consist of the 22 best NAIA student-athletes on the field and in the classroom from all across the country. The first team consists of two pitchers, one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders, and two designated players. The second team consists of the same positions minus the designated players.

Helmink is the lone student-athlete in the state of Michigan and the only representative from the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC).