An outstanding senior season and collegiate career by Hope outfielder Laura Tjepkema of Dorr (South Christian HS) is being recognized with her selection to the Great Lakes All-Region second team by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
The all-region honorees come from NCAA Division III teams in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania,
The rightfielder was outstanding in the field and at the plate. Starting in all 36 of the team's games, she was errorless and was credited with nine putout assists. She batted a team-leading .380 and was the leader in RBIs, extra base hits and total bases. She was a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen bases.
Tjepkema went into the Hope recordbook ranked in the top ten in several categories. She batted .358 over her career and finished third all-time in RBIs (109), fifth in total hits (162), and sixth in runs scored (87). She had the second best stolen base success rate (.951) over her four years.
Tjepkema earlier was named to the Co-SIDA Capital One academic all-district team. She was a special educaiton major who maintained a 4.0 grade point average. She was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American as a junior and is a candidate for the honor this year, She was an All-MIAA first team honoree in both 2012 and 2013.