Four UW-Parkside softball players picked up an all-conference award at the pre-tournament social in East Peoria, Illinois, on Thursday. The annual event kicks off the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament, which begins Friday, May 7.

                Two Rangers made the all-conference first team with another making the second and yet another on the third squad. #Krista Kelly# was tabbed first team as a utility player. Teammate #Christine Holthus# earned first team honors as an outfielder.

                Pitcher #Kallie Walczak# picked up a second team honor and first baseman #Lisa Casey# was a third team selection.

                Kelly is used as a catcher and designated hitter. She brings a .326 average into tournament play. Kelly led the Rangers in home runs with eight and paced the team in slugging percentage at .542.

                Holthus, a centerfielder who hits in the leadoff spot, stole 29 bases in 35 attempts during the regular season. She led UW-Parkside in batting average (.396) runs scored (48), triples (5) and total bases (81).

                Walczak owns a 9-8 pitching record with a 1.89 earned run average. She tossed a perfect game this season and has struck out 178 batters contrasted with 28 walks.

                Casey, who was a third team all-GLVC member in 2008 and a second team selection last season, earned her third all-conference award. She hit .354 this year and led the team in RBI (40) and doubles (12).

                See the entire all-conference teams.

                The Rangers (27-19) are the No. 7 seed in the GLVC tournament. They will tangle with No. 2 seed Quincy (35-13) Friday in the first round of the double-elimination tournament at 11:00 a.m. If the Rangers win, they will play Friday at 5:00 p.m. A loss would have UWP playing at 3:00 p.m.

                Get all the information you need including live stats, scores and brackets by going to the tournament website.