Five Penn athletes garnered first-team recognition on the 18-person first team, while three others were on the 19-person honorable-mention squad. The eight honorees are the most ever for Penn in program history and ties Grand View for the most in the MCC this season.

First baseman Tyanna Helton (Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif., Palomar CC) led the MCC's offensive players by being named the MCC Player of the Year, while Allysa Fligg (Sr., Agency, Nebraska-Omaha) topped the pitchers with the MCC Pitcher of the Year award.

Lady Statesmen head coach Mike Christner was named MCC Coach of the Year by his peers, his fourth such award from the league in his eight-year coaching career. Christner led his Penn squad to a 40-18 overall record this spring, including a 28-4 mark that secured the regular season crown. It was the Lady Statesmen's fourth league crown in the eight years of being a member of the MCC.

Helton, now a three-time first-team MCC honoree, led Penn in numerous offensive categories, including owning a .412 batting average with 12 home runs and 61 RBIs. She had a total of 75 hits with 37 runs scored.

The three-time MCC Player of the Week this spring, Helton struck out just seven times in 182 at bats and owned five hitting streaks of five games or more, including a season-best nine-game streak to end the regular season.

Fligg, a first-time awardee by the MCC, owned a 16-6 mark with a 1.85 Earned Run Average in 144 innings of action. She had a team-best 15 complete games with five solo shutouts (one combined shutout). For the year, the senior struck out 156 batters with 40 walks and allowed opponents to hit just .194.

Fligg earned the league's top pitching award by dominating in conference play. The senior was 11-1 with a 1.22 ERA in MCC contests this spring. She was MCC Pitcher of the Week once.

Shortstop Ashley Stream (Fr., Chariton, Chariton HS) joined Helton on the first team's infield list, while pitcher/designated hitter Ashley Johnson (Sr., Burlington, Southeastern CC) garnered first-team laurels as a utility player and outfielder Krystle Carr (Sr., Acton, Calif., Paraclete HS) made the first team as an at-large selection.

Stream hit .404 in her freshman campaign, good for second on the squad. She paced Penn with 76 hits, 19 doubles, 51 runs, and five steals and also had one home run and 16 RBIs. Stream had six hitting streaks of five games or more, including a team-best 12-game streak from April 11-23.

Johnson was strong both in the pitcher's circle and at the plate as she collected her utility award. An honorable-mention all-MCC pick last season, Johnson was 13-6 with two saves and a 1.10 ERA in 147 innings of work. She had 14 complete games, seven solo shutouts (three combined), and struck out 178 batters against 40 walks. Opponents hit just .156 off of Johnson. The senior was named MCC Pitcher of the Week four times.

At the plate, Johnson hit .330 (35 hits) with 17 RBIs and eight runs scored. She owned a season-best five-game hitting streak near the end of the year.

Carr, earning the second laurel of her career, hit .286 (52 hits) with 24 RBIs and 17 runs scored. The senior had three hitting streaks of five games or more, including a season-best nine game streak from March 13-22.

Pitcher Hannah Lugar (Fr., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) topped the trio of Penn honorable mentions. The freshman was 10-6 with a 1.60 ERA in 100 2/3 innings. She had ten complete games with four solo shutouts (two combined) and struck out 59 batters with 20 walks. Opponents his .213 off of the freshman.

Infielders Kara Atkins (Fr., Burlington, Burlington HS) and Leah Mork (Jr., DeWitt, North Iowa Area CC) were also honorable mentions in their first seasons in the MCC.

Atkins hit .312 (58 hits) with four home runs, 34 RBIs, and 21 runs scored. She owned four hitting streaks of four games or more, including a season-best ten-game streak from April 11-20.

Mork hit .292 (49 hits) with three home runs, 29 RBIs, and 37 runs scored. She owned three hitting streaks of four games or more, including a season-best six-game hitting streak from April 4-9. Mork was MCC Player of the Week once.

For the complete 2009 all-MCC Softball Team, click here