Feb. 18, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

ST. LOUIS - The Missouri Valley Conference announced sophomore outfielder, Katie Wilson, as the State Farm MVC Softball Player of the Week on Monday, Feb. 18.

Wilson helped lead the Salukis to a 5-0 record at the Jacksonville University Tournament (Feb. 8-10), and the third 5-0 start to a season in the program's history. Wilson went 7-for-10 (.700) at the plate, with two doubles, a triple, four runs batted in, and five runs scored in four games.

The Alton, Ill. native went 2-for-2 with a double, her first-career triple, and drove in three out of the four Saluki runs in a 4-3 victory against Coastal Carolina. Wilson also went 3-for-5 at the plate in SIU's 11-4 win against Minnesota, and tallied a hit and a career-high two stolen bases in a 14-1 win versus Jacksonville.

In the next tournament at Mississippi State, Wilson went 6-for-14 (.429) at the plate with six runs scored, two RBI, a double and a solo home run to help lead the Salukis to a 3-2 record at the Bulldog Round-Robin (Feb. 15-17).

Wilson is batting .480 (12-for-25), averaging more than a run scored per game, and has recorded a hit in eight out of the nine games she's started this season.

This is the second time Wilson has received MVC Player of the Week honors in her career, after being named player of the week on March 12 last season.

The Saluki softball team continues play this weekend at the Middle Tennessee State Classic in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Feb. 23-24. SIU opens the tournament against Belmont at 11 a.m. on Saturday.