By Scott Barker, Communications and Sports Information Intern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jenna Daniel of Oklahoma Wesleyan has been named the NAIA National Softball Pitcher of the Week and Leslie Miller of Oklahoma City has been named the NAIA National Softball Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Daniel and Miller were selected based on their performances from April 11 - 17, and were chosen out of a pool of conference, Association of Independent Institutions and unaffiliated group winners. The sixth national awards will be announced on April 26.

Softball Pitcher of the Week
Jenna Daniel, Oklahoma Wesleyan
5-4 Sr., P, Stafford, Texas

• Went 4-0 in the pitcher’s circle on the week for the Eagles.
• Allowed just six hits in 24.0 innings pitched, with 37 strikeouts and seven walks, and only allowed one run in the 4-0 week.
• Logged two games with double-digit strikeouts.
• Ranks in the top 20 in the NAIA in four categories – No. 11 in innings pitched per game (6.4), No. 14 in opponent batting average (0.178), No. 16 in hits allowed per nine innings (4.6) and No. 20 in earned run average (1.35).
• Daniel, now 14-5 on the season, has wins in her last six outings and ten wins in her last 11 appearances.
• This is her second career national pitcher of the week award – March 30, 2016

Softball Player of the Week
Leslie Miller, Oklahoma City
5-10, Sr., Infielder, Blanchard, Okla.

• Belted four home runs on the week with 11 RBI, helping her team to a 4-0 week.
• Logged a 0.571 batting average and a 1.429 slugging percentage.
• Helped the Stars to a two-game sweep over then-No. 2 St. Gregory’s (Okla.) by going 4-for-6 with six RBI, three runs scored, two home runs and a walk.
• In addition to her offense, Miller also picked up a win in the circle by tossing 2.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out seven in a 9-1 win over Bacone (Okla.) on April 14.
• Ranks in the top 15 in the NAIA in four offensive categories and two pitching categories – No. 1 in total runs batted in (66), No. 3 in opponent batting average, No. 4 in hits allowed per nine innings (3.43), No. 5 in runs batted in per game (1.4), No. 6 in home runs and No. 14 in slugging percentage (0.824.)
• This is her first career national player of the week honor.

For more information on NAIA softball, click here.

For a complete listing of all the national statistical leaders, click here.

Player Nominees: Caitlyn Carter, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.); Sarah Kate Jenkins, Reinhardt (Ga.); Britney Martinez, La Sierra (Calif.); Ali Graham, Oregon Tech; Sara Braden, St. Francis (Ill.); Hannah Shaffer, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio); Kaitlin Estes, Vanguard (Calif.); Hailey Unger, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.); Alexis Pacheco, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.); Vanessa Oakden, Friends (Kan.); Cheyenne Hamaker, Rio Grande (Ohio); Jacqueline Roof, Campbellsville (Ky.); Jessica Abrahamson, Waldorf (Iowa); Raquel Granados, LSU Alexandria; Alex Turner, Bethel (Tenn.); Brandi Hazen, Webber International (Fla.); Macey Harder, Northwestern Ohio

Pitcher Nominees: Paxton Welch, Columbia (Mo.); Harlee Grogan, Truett-McConnell (Ga.); Dayton Yingling, Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.); Hailey Kline, Eastern Oregon; Morghan Dieringer, St. Francis (Ill.); Breena Smith, Marian (Ind.); Jackie Aguilar, Arizona Christian; Aubrey Voboril, Morningside (Iowa); Taylor Pearcy, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.); Ashley Iagnemma, Point Park (Pa.); Victoria Decker, Campbellsville (Ky.); Brittany Rheault, Jamestown (N.D.); Cat Heflin, LSU Alexandria; Abby Meador, Oklahoma City; Taylor Powell, Auburn Montgomery (Ala.); Lindsie Scholwinski, Southeastern (Fla.); Emily Maves, Davenport (Mich.)

2015-16 Softball Composite Award Winners (Pitcher, Player)
Week 1 (March 23): Victoria Decker, Campbellsville (Ky.) , Ariel Roder, Rio Grande (Ohio)
Week 2 (March 30): Jenna Daniel, Oklahoma Wesleyan , Tara Moates, Oregon Tech
Week 3 (April 06): Kyra Parker, Evangel (Mo.) , Alex Vargas, Dickinson State (N.D.)
Week 4 (April 13): Nicole Nonnemacher, Saint Xavier (Ill.) , Ashli Hafford, St. Gregory's (Okla.)
Week 5 (April 20): Jenna Daniel, Oklahoma Wesleyan , Leslie Miller, Oklahoma City