Week 10: GPAC Softball Players of the Week

(Sioux City, Iowa) – The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) and Hauff Mid-America Sports are proud to announce the softball player and pitcher-of-the-week for contests played April 6-12, 2026. Hauff Mid-America Sports is the presenting sponsor of the 2025-2026 GPAC Players-of-the-Week and Players and Coaches-of-the-Year awards program. 

Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Softball Weekly Honors

Player – Ava Gross, Northwestern College (Infielder)

Ava Gross of Northwestern College is this week's GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports softball player-of-the-week.  Gross, a freshman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, tied a 24-year-old program record with eight RBIs in Northwestern's rout of Briar Cliff on Wednesday, going 4-for-4 with three doubles and a grand slam. She followed it up with a 3-for-3 effort in game two. On Saturday, she helped the Raiders to a comeback win, going 2-for-4 with a double. On the week, she went 9-for-14 with five doubles, 10 RBIs, and a grand slam.

Pitcher – Alison Ernsberger, Dakota Wesleyan University

Alison Ernsberger of Dakota Wesleyan University is this week's GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports pitcher-of-the-week.  Ernsberger, a sophomore from Granville, Ohio, recorded a pair of wins in the circle during the week. She put up consecutive complete-game outings, setting a new career-high of 14 strikeouts in a 6-0 win over Waldorf, while striking out even against Doane just a few days later. On the week she tossed 14 innings, allowing eight hits, and one earned run, while recording 21 strikeouts.