INDIANAPOLIS -- UIC junior left fielder Courtney Heeley (Glendale, Ariz./Greenway) has been named Horizon League Softball Player of the Week, while Valparaiso freshman Sierra Pico (North Las Vegas, Nev./Legacy) has earned Horizon League Softball Pitcher of the Week honors, for the week of March 11-17.
Playing at the Hoosier Classic, UIC (6-16) went 3-1 across two days, knocking off Central Michigan, 3-2, before posting 7-6 and 6-5 victories over Toledo. Valparaiso (13-10) wrapped its spring break trip with a 4-2 week, collecting wins over Maine, Temple, Iowa State and Cornell.
Heeley went 4-for-9 at the tournament, posting the game-winning RBI in UIC’s 7-6 win over Toledo. Opening the week with a 1-for-2 effort against Central Michigan, Heeley was 2-for-3 against the Rockets, plating the game-winning run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Heeley’s walk-off single capped a two-RBI effort in the game.
The following day, Heeley gave the Flames an early 1-0 lead, driving her first homer of the season to left-center field. For the weekend, Heeley posted a 1.323 OPS.
Pico became the first Horizon League pitcher to earn multiple weekly awards this season, posting two wins in her four appearances. The right-hander got Valpo’s week off on the right foot by twirling a two-hit shutout in the Crusaders’ 3-0 victory over Maine.
At the USF Spring Invitational, Pico allowed just one run across 3.0 innings against Iowa State before coming back the following day to toss 5.1 innings against Cornell. In 15.1 innings, Pico struck out 10 and allowed just two earned runs.
UIC will meet Bradley on Tuesday, March 19, before opening Horizon League play on Saturday, March 23, with a three-game series versus Green Bay. Valparaiso will host Western Illinois on Wednesday, March 20, in its home opener, before welcoming Wright State over the weekend to start Horizon League action.
Softball Player of the Week:
Feb. 12: Joylyn Ichiyama, Valparaiso
Feb. 19: Dara Toman, Cleveland State
Feb. 26: Lauren Moore, Loyola
March 5: Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso
March 11: Lindsey Norway, Valparaiso
March 18: Courtney Heeley, UIC
Softball Pitcher of the Week:
Feb. 12: Sierra Pico, Valparaiso
Feb. 19: Susan Knight, Cleveland State
Feb. 26: Brittany Gardner, Loyola
March 5: Taylor Weissenhofer, Valparaiso
March 11: Kristina Vizza, Loyola
March 18: Sierra Pico, Valparaiso
