D2CCA All-Midwest Region Teams

Grand Valley State landed three softball players on the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Midwest Region Teams, released on Monday (May 15). Senior second baseman Jenna Lenza earned All-Region First Team honors, while senior designated player Ellie Balbach and sophomore pitcher Allison Lipovsky were both voted to the All-Region Second Team. 

Last Wednesday (May 10), Lenza, Lipovsky, and senior Janae Langs were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Teams, selected by head coaches throughout the Midwest Region. Monday's announcement featured teams selected by the region's sports information directors.

GVSU's three honorees were tied with Saginaw Valley State and Southern Indiana for the second-most of any team in the region. Truman State led the way with four players on either the First Team or Second Team. Lenza was one of just four GLIAC players on the First Team; there were six GLIAC student-athletes on the Second Team.

Last year, all three players were named to the All-Midwest Region Second Team, along with then-senior pitcher Sara Andrasik. 

Lenza has now earned All-Midwest Region First Team honors from both the NFCA and D2CCA. The senior hit .456 in 51 games this season, with 73 hits, 45 runs, a GLIAC single-season record 23 doubles, five homers, and 31 RBI. She recorded 111 total bases and 24 walks and owned an on-base percentage of .529, along with a .694 slugging percentage. Lenza's 23 doubles are a new school record for a single season, while she finished third in on-base percentage, tied for third in batting average, and ninth in slugging percentage. Her 111 total bases tied for 10th-most in program history.

For her career, Lenza finished second in Laker history with 58 doubles, third with 88 walks, fifth in total bases (364) and tied for fifth in runs (158), along with the sixth-most hits (244). She was also fifth in career on-base percentage (.454), sixth in slugging percentage (.570), and seventh in batting average (.382). Her 18 home runs are the ninth-most in GVSU career history. In addition to last year's accolade, Lenza also earned All-Midwest Region Second Team honors in 2014 when the organization was Daktronics, prior to its change to the current D2CCA.

Balbach posted a .331 average in 2017 with 45 hits, eight doubles, a pair of homers, and 24 RBI. She also logged 70.2 innings in the circle, with five complete games among her 15 appearances and three total shutouts. As a hitter, she totaled 154 career hits and her 36 doubles are tied for ninth-most in GVSU history. Balbach added eight homers and 89 career RBI in 161 games. As a pitcher, the lefty went 21-15 with 14 complete games in 237.2 total innings in the circle. She made 60 total appearances and 37 starts for the Lakers, while tying for eighth in program history with a pair of saves.

Lipovsky finished her sophomore campaign as the GLIAC Pitcher of the Year, putting forth a 16-4 overall record and a 1.53 ERA. In 156.0 innings, she struck out 216 batters, the fourth-highest single season total in Laker history. She started 22 times in her 25 appearances, notching 19 complete games and nine shutouts, which is tied for the eighth-most in a single season at GVSU. Lipovsky's final appearances of the year was an 11-strikeout no-hitter in the team's 1-0 victory over Indianapolis on Friday (May 12) in the NCAA Tournament. She notched 13 double-digit strikeout efforts in 2017, including 11 of her last 13 outings of the season. Through her first two seasons, Lipovsky has recorded 297 strikeouts, good for the ninth-most in Laker history.

Lenza will advance to the D2CCA All-America ballot, as the All-America Teams will be announced next Wednesday (May 24).