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(May 2, 2013) – After batting .404 in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play and leading the league in doubles, Amanda Walker was named CCIW Newcomer of the Year on Thursday and First Team All-Conference.  Joining her on the First Team were Kiersten Tinkoff and Vlasta Mangia. 

Sophomores Carly Trenhaile and Kayla Antle were both named Second Team and the five Cardinals that made the All-CCIW Team were the most since North Central placed six on the squad in 2011. 

Walker, the first Cardinal to win the Newcomer of the Year Award, has started all 40 games in the outfield for the Cardinals and has hit an impressive .393, good for second on the team behind Tinkoff's .409.  Walker had hits in 12 of 14 conference games including five multi-hit games.  Walker's 15 doubles this season are third most in North Central history for a single season.  She also heads into this weekend's CCIW Tournament in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak. 

Mangia (22-3) won her first 16 games in 2013 and went 7-4 in the conference season to earn First Team honors for the second time in her career.  Mangia was named Second Team All-CCIW last season.  She led the conference this season in starts (11) and innings pitched (81 2/3), while finishing third in earned run average (2.31).  This season, Mangia was named CCIW Pitcher of the Week twice, and set North Central career records for wins (50) and for innings pitched (505 2/3).  She is also fourth on the all-time list for shutouts (14) and strikeouts (253).  Mangia tossed a perfect game earlier this year against Millikin University and no-hit Curry College to highlight her junior season. 

Tinkoff was named to the First Team in her first season with the Cardinals.  Tinkoff hit .372 during the CCIW schedule and led North Central with a .471 on-base percentage.  She has started every game for the Cardinals this season, primarily at first base, and is currently third in putouts for a single season with 383.

Antle hit .302 in conference play and led the Cardinals with 10 runs scored.  She was named CCIW Hitter of the Week after she hit .538 in series' against Wheaton College and Millikin.  Antle made just one error from her third base position and posted a .970 fielding percentage. 

Trenhaile provided the North Central lineup with some pop as she knocked in 13 runs in 14 CCIW games and smashed three home runs.  Two of her three homers came in Bloomington against Illinois Wesleyan University.  Both of her hits that series were round trippers and she drove in three of North Central's eight runs.  The right fielder hit .364 in conference and slugged a team-high .636.

North Central heads to Kenosha, Wis. tomorrow for the CCIW Tournament.  After earning the No. 4 seed, the Cardinals will face regular season champion Carthage College in the opening round at 12:00 p.m.