CHICAGO – DePaul junior right handed pitcher Becca Heteniak has been named the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week.  Heteniak earns the league’s inaugural 2009 award after leading the Blue Demons to a 4-1 week with an impressive .533 batting average and a 2-1 record in the circle.  Syracuse’s Brittany Gardner was named conference’s Pitcher of the Week after recording a 0.50 ERA through 14 innings in two games.

At the Louisville Slugger/UNLV Desert Classic, Heteniak helped the Blue Demons to wins over No. 6/5 Michigan, Southern Miss, Oregon State and Kentucky.  The junior from Simi Valley California tallied eight hits and eight RBI for an impressive 1.000 slugging percentage. Of Heteniak’s eight hits, four were doubles and another was a home run.  In the circle, Heteniak (2-1) recorded the win against Oregon State and Kentucky while she was credited with the save against No. 6/5 Michigan and Southern Miss.  She struck out 16.

Heteniak has earned the BIG EAST’s Pitcher of the Week honor five times in her career, while this is her first Player of the Week award.  In 2008 Heteniak was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player of the Week as well as the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week.

The Blue Demons return to this weekend in Florida.  DePaul takes on Michigan State, Bethune Cookman, Fairfield and host Florida Gulf Coast, Feb. 20-22.  The Blue Demons and Spartans tangle at 2:15 on Friday.