PORTLAND, Ore. – Seven players from the Montana State University Billings softball team earned academic all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference recognition, as the conference office announced its awards for the 2019 season on Monday. They include sophomore Georgiabelle Benning, senior Kelsee Bushell, senior Shayla Felix, sophomore Brittanee Fisher, sophomore Allie Hughes, junior Maddy Lincoln, and sophomore Sydney Norwood.
 
A total of 65 athletes in the GNAC were recognized for their achievements in the classroom and on the field. Central Washington University received the most award winners with 13, followed by Concordia University and Northwest Nazarene with nine apiece.
 
Benning (outfield, Payallup, Washington) made 25 appearances and had 18 starts in 2019. Benning hit .205 with nine hits, one triple, and nine runs batted in. She is majoring in health and human performance and held a sophomore GPA of 3.66.
 
Bushell (shortstop, Plain City, Utah) had a senior season shortened by injury but started 11 games for the 'Jackets. She hit .167 with two doubles and two runs batted in and recorded a multi-hit game against Saint Martin's on March 8. Bushell is set to graduate with a degree in business administration: marketing this spring with a 3.68 GPA.
 
Felix (catcher, Dewey, Arizona) continued as the 'Jackets second catcher as a senior and saw action in 15 games with 13 starts behind the plate. She hit .194 with 36 at bats, five runs scored, four doubles, and six runs batted in. Felix was excellent in the field with a .974 fielding percentage, 34 putouts, and four assists. She plans to graduate with a degree in business administration: marketing.
 
Fisher (first base, Billings, Montana) started all 46 games this season after being named all-GNAC honorable mention her freshman year. She hit .268 with nine doubles, six home runs, and 22 runs batted in. Fisher ranked fifth on the team in batting average, second in runs batted in, and second in slugging percentage and played first base in every game. Fisher is continuing work on her area of study, health and human performance: teaching and holds a 3.77 sophomore GPA.
 
Hughes (outfield, Sparks, Nevada) improved from her freshman campaign to hit .288 in 2019 over 46 games. She had nine doubles, six home runs, and a team leading 23 runs batted in while slugging .520. Hughes currently has a 3.52 GPA in the field of health and human performance.
 
Lincoln (pitcher, Olympia, Washington) was a crucial piece of the Yellowjacket pitching staff in her junior year. She posted 24 appearances and 18 starts with a 4.79 earned run average and 4-14 record. Lincoln put up a team high 18 complete games and struck out 82 opposing hitters. Lincoln will go into her senior year in elementary education with a 3.46 GPA and becomes the only member of the current team to earn GNAC all-academic honors in two separate seasons.
 
Norwood (infield, Billings, Montana) made her first career appearance on the field last weekend against Simon Fraser where she reached base on a fielding error. Norwood is a magic city native and attended Billings Senior High School prior to joining MSUB. Norwood is working toward a degree in health and human performance with a 3.33 GPA.
 
The Yellowjackets finished the 2019 season last weekend at home with a four game sweep over Simon Fraser University. The team finished 15-31 overall, 8-20 in the conference for seventh place.
 
22 student-athletes are repeat selections to the softball all-academic team. Allyson Drury (Western Oregon) led this year's selections with a 4.00 GPA in Biology as a sophomore.