PORTLAND, Ore. ? Senior infielder Jamee Rauch led the way this past weekend at the PSU Softball Awards Banquet, bringing home the MVP and Best Defensive Player awards.

Also on Saturday, senior center fielder Jackie Heide was named the Best Offensive Player, and sophomore transfer Lacey Holm garnered the Teammate Award. Senior outfielder Jenna Wilson and junior utility player Becca Diede shared the Most Improved award.

Rauch entered her final year with a .245 career batting average, but was brilliant both offensively and defensively in helping the Vikings capture the Pacific Coast Softball Conference title. She hit .312, including .405 in conference games, and led the PCSC in runs scored (39) and stolen bases (13).

In the field, Rauch didn't commit an error in 77 fielding attempts in PCSC action. She was named a first team All-PCSC player at the end of the year.

It was no surprise that Heide was tabbed as the Best Offensive Player after leading the Vikings with a .358 batting average, 59 hits, 12 home runs and 41 RBI, the latter number of which led the PCSC. She also paced the Viks in slugging percentage (.606) and on-base percentage (.442), and was named the PCSC Co-Player of the Year.

Heide's .358 batting average is tied for the ninth-best in PSU history, and is also the best mark ever for a Vikings player since PSU moved up to the DI level for the 1999 season.

Diede and Wilson shared the Most Improved Award, and for Wilson it was the second straight year she was honored.

Diede started 54 of 55 games for the Viks after transferring in from Otero Junior College, where she was a shortstop. After starting the first 37 games of the year in left field, Diede was moved to second base, where she started 17 of the team's final 18 games. In conference action, Diede hit .245 with four doubles and committed only two errors.

Wilson, who was a second team All-PCSC pick, saw her batting average climb 27 points from a year ago to .285. She finished the season ranked third in the PCSC with 13 doubles, which is tied for the sixth-most in Vikings history. In conference action, Wilson batted .353 and tied for the team lead with four home runs.

Despite not playing a single game for the Vikings this year, Holm garnered the Teammate Award, as voted on by her fellow Vikings. After spending one year at North Carolina State, Holm had to sit this season out due to NCAA transfer rules.

The award goes to the one person that best exemplifies what the definition of a true teammate is supposed to be, and Holm was that person for PSU this season. The Salem, Oregon native practiced all year long with the team and was an integral part of the Vikings run to the NCAA Tournament.