ATLANTA, Ga. – The Great South Athletics Conference announced the spring sports Players of the Week for contests played April 7 – 13 and, following voting by the league sports information directors, Agnes Scott’s Claire Rinaldo won Women’s Tennis Player of the Week, Lauryn Smith of Salem captured Softball Pitcher of the Week and Agnes Scott’s Aimee McKibbin claimed Softball Player of the Week.

GSAC Softball Pitcher of the Week – Lauryn Smith

First-year Lauryn Smith won 3 straight starts and helped Salem College to a 4-2 week. Smith is the second recorded pitcher at Salem to win three consecutive starts.  She went the distance to get a 3-2 win over non-conference foe Methodist to open the week, giving up 8 hits and walking only one with one strikeout. She followed that with seven innings towards the win in game one against conference rival Agnes Scott, an 8-3 victory. She gave up three runs on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts. She went 4 innings to start game two versus Conference opponent Wesleyan, giving up just one hit with a walk and two strikeouts in a 8-0 shortened victory. Smith propelled herself this week to be in a three way tie for the lead in win totals in the GSAC.  Smith had an outstanding week for Salem going 3-0 with a 1.000 Win percentage, pitching 18 innings only giving up 5 runs with 7 strikeouts and four walks. 

GSAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week – Claire Rinaldo of Agnes Scott

Claire Rinaldo from Agnes Scott finished the GSAC schedule undefeated in both singles and doubles. She and her sister Anne were the only two student-athletes to finish the GSAC season undefeated in both singles and doubles, going 5-0 in singles and 5-0 in doubles.

GSAC Softball Player of the Week – Aimee McKibbin of Agnes Scott

Aimee McKibbin, a junior, went 11-for-20 in six games over the past week with a batting average of .550. McKibbin notched two doubles and six stolen bases throughout the week. McKibbin also scored 8 runs, drove in 6 RBI's, had 2 strikeouts and left zero runners on base.

The GSAC sports information directors nominate Player of the Week candidates and then vote on the top two nominees in each sport as selected by the conference office. Player of the Week voting occurs on Tuesdays and the weekly announcement of the winners is released each Wednesday morning.