For the second straight season, junior pitcher Christy Engel has been chosen as the "Most Valuable Player" for the 2009 Illinois Wesleyan softball team.

In other honors for the team that finished with a 37-6 record, sophomore first baseman Kris Lee was chosen as the "Most Improved Player" and, for the second straight season, junior Kelli Flahaven (Streator, Ill./HS) earned the team's "Gwen Meyer" Spirit Award.

Engel (St. Charles, Ill./North), who was the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin "Pitcher of the Year" for the second straight season, set school season records in 2009 for wins (22-5), innings pitched (180 2/3), strikeouts (198), lowest earned run average (0.93) and lowest opponent batting average (.150).

For her career with one season to play Engel is the school's all-time leader in strikeouts (429), shutouts (14) and earned run average (1.32) and is second in wins (48), trailing only Kelly Murray (55-18 from 2001-04).

Lee (Naperville, Ill./North HS) led the Titans with a .386 average and collected four home runs, 10 doubles and batted home 32 runs. She had a team-high .553 slugging percentage.

The "Gwen Meyer Award" is given to the player who gives 100 percent, shows support of the team and is self-motivated. The award was established in 1986 to honor the memory of Meyer, IWU's most valuable softball player in 1984, who died of cancer.

The 2009 letterwinners are:

SENIORS
Sarah Carlson, Brimfield, Ill. / Brimfield HS
Natalie Chase, Libertyville, Ill / Libertyville HS
Valerie Hackett, New Lenox, Ill. / Lincoln Way Central HS
Monica Urban, Wheaton, Ill. / North HS

JUNIORS
Christy Engel, St. Charles, Ill. / North HS
Kelli Flahaven, Streator, Ill. / Township HS
Lisa Narotsky, Willowbrook, Ill. / Hinsdale South HS
Maggie Olson, Glen Ellyn, Ill. / Glenbard South HS
Allison Ward, Bloomington, Ill. / Normal Community HS

SOPHOMORES
Lauren James, Darien, Ill. / Montini Catholic HS
Kris Lee, Naperville, Ill. / North HS
Lisa Male, Gardner, Ill / Gardner South Wilmington HS
Jordan Menendez, Bloomington, Ill. / Normal Community HS
Jen Monaco, Geneva, Ill. / Geneva Community HS

FRESHMEN
Jessi Bozek, Downers Grove, Ill. / South HS
Caitlin Carpenter, Palatine, Ill. / Palatine HS
Stephanie Humbert, Dwight, Ill. / Township HS
Kayla Mahoney, Elk Grove, Ill. / Elk Grove HS
Amanda Murray, Bloomington, Ill / Central Catholic HS