RIVAS EARNS NAIA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK HONORS
Lindsborg, Kan. – Ulissa Rivas, a sophomore third baseman from Waco, Texas, has been named the NAIA Softball Player of the Week based on her monstrous performances from February 24 to March 2. She was chosen out of a pool of conference player of the weeks from around the NAIA and unaffiliated groups. Players of the Week are announced weekly throughout the regular season on Tuesdays.
Rivas is the first Bethany College softball player to earn national weekly honors since 2012 when Hollind Englert won Pitcher of the Week in Week 6.
Ulissa Rivas had an incredible week, hitting "for the cycle" in home runs (i.e. a solo shot, two-run, three-run, and grand slam) this week while tallying a whopping 24 RBI. Rivas currently leads the NAIA in RBI (26) and home runs (7) so far this season.
Player of the Week
Ulissa Rivas - Bethany College
So. | IF | Waco, Texas
| Hitting | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | k | sb | cs | avg | obp | slg |
| Feb 24 vs. Hannibal-LaGrange (MO) W, 7-2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .750 |
| Feb 24 at William Woods (MO) W, 6-1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | 2.000 |
| Feb 25 at Ecclesia W, 15-8 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .800 | .800 | 1.600 |
| Mar 1 vs. Midland W, 4-1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | 1.333 |
| Mar 1 vs. Doane (NE) W, 4-3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | .500 | .667 |
| Mar 2 vs. Mayville State W, 12-3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
| Mar 2 at Dakota State (SD) W, 17-1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .750 | .750 | 2.250 |
| Conference | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Overall | 7 | 26 | 12 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .654 | .630 | 1.423 |
| Extended Hitting | g | hbp | sf | sh | tb | xbh | hdp | go | fo | go/fo | pa |
| Feb 24 vs. Hannibal-LaGrange (MO) W, 7-2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.00 | 4 |
| Feb 24 at William Woods (MO) W, 6-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 |
| Feb 25 at Ecclesia W, 15-8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 5 |
| Mar 1 vs. Midland W, 4-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 3 |
| Mar 1 vs. Doane (NE) W, 4-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.00 | 4 |
| Mar 2 vs. Mayville State W, 12-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 |
| Mar 2 at Dakota State (SD) W, 17-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 4 |
| Conference | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Overall | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0.40 | 27 |
| Fielding | g | tc | po | a | e | fpct | dp | sba | rcs | rcs% | pb | ci |
| Feb 24 vs. Hannibal-LaGrange (MO) W, 7-2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 24 at William Woods (MO) W, 6-1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 25 at Ecclesia W, 15-8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1 vs. Midland W, 4-1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1 vs. Doane (NE) W, 4-3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2 vs. Mayville State W, 12-3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2 at Dakota State (SD) W, 17-1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
| Conference | - | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Overall | 7 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
Head Softball Coach Tyler Gunelson on Rivas earning this highly touted weekly honor: "Uli (Ulissa) was seeing the ball extremely well this week and capitalized nearly every time the bat was in her hands and specifically when her teammates were on base. I am grateful to be able to see this performance in person."
Rivas and the Swedes will look to get back into action this Sunday as they take a trip to Atchison, Kan. to take on the Benedictine College Ravens in a double header. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.