The University of Minnesota Duluth's shortstop Becky Smith was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Week for her contributions to the Bulldogs' 5-1 mark this past week with sweeps over Northern State University and the University of Sioux Falls. This is the senior's second NSIC Player of the Week honor this season, previously collecting the honor on Feb. 20, and the club's fifth, a league-high. Freshman Jessica Bren (3/12), junior Valerie Hohol (3/12) and sophomore Breanna Swint (4/2) have been bestowed by the NSIC.

The Long Lake, Minn. native batted .478 and scored a team-high 11 runs including four times in a 10-0 win over the Wolves. Seven of her 11 hits went for extra bases as she totaled six doubles and a home run. During the week, Smith had a run of six consecutive games with at least two hits. She drove in seven runs over the week, now up to a NSIC-leading 54 RBI, including the go-ahead two-run homer in the 10-6 win over the Cougars. In her six games, Smith finished with a .478 on-base and a .870 slugging percentage.

For the season, Smith is enjoying her best season at the plate hitting .387 with 15 doubles and nine home runs including her abforementioned 54 RBI. She has already set a career high in runs scored (44) and is closing in on breaking three other personal marks( runs, home runs, RBI. She holds the single-season (57, set in 2015) and career records for RBI (194).

UMD (34-9; 16-4 NSIC)is back on the diamond on Wednesday, April 24 for its regular season road finale with Bemidi State University. First pitch of those contests will be at 2:00 p.m.