VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., -  Howard University utility player Brianne Gutierrez earned the MEAC Softball Player of the Week honors, the league announced on Monday.  Teammates Emily Johnson and Dale McNeal were selected as the Rookie and Pitcher of the Week.

Gutierrez (UTL, 5-4, Sr., Englewood, Colo.) homered in three of four games last week finishing with a .604 batting average to aid the Lady Bison with an unblemished (4-0) mark last week. In addition to the three home runs, Gutierrez recorded three doubles, hitting 9-for-15 from the plate, with nine RBI.  She also posted five putouts and three assists.  

Johnson (P/IF, 5-7, Fr., Jacksonville, Fla.) batted .666 (10-for-15) for the week with one triple, four doubles and four RBI.  She recorded a perfect performance against Bowie State (3-for-3) with one double and one RBI. She was 7-of-15 in a three game series against Maryland E. Shore. This is the second consecutive week she has received MEAC Rookie of the Week honors.

McNeal (P, 5-5, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.) was dominant last week (0.00 ERA) in the circle as she picked up two wins and two saves to help the Lady Bison post a 4-0 mark.  McNeal tossed 16.2 innings, earning a shutout against Bowie State, and another one in the final game of a three-game series against Maryland E. Shore.   For the week McNeal had 16 strikeouts, allowing only four walks and no runs. 

Howard returns to action on Thursday with a matchup against Florida A&M in the opening round of the MEAC Championship. Game time is slated for 1:30 pm in Ormond Beach, Fla.