2006 WIAC Women's Softball Headlines

Madison, Wis.--The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's softball coaching staff has been named the Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has announced.

Blugold head coach Leslie Huntington and assistants Robin Baker, Billie Buss and Nicole Pederson were one of eight staffs honored by the NFCA as Region Coaching Staffs of the Year.

The other region winners were Emory University (Atlantic Region), Muskingum College (Central Region), Rutgers-Camden (East Region), St. Thomas (Midwest Region), Williams College (New England Region), SUNY-Plattsburg (Northeast Region) and Linfield College (West Region). The Rutgers-Camden staff was tabbed as the Speedline/NFCA Division III National Coaching Staff of the Year after leading its team to a national championship and a 47-5 season record.

Huntington, who previously was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the third straight year, and her assistants directed the Blugolds to a 37-6 season mark, the best winning percentage (.860) in school history. The Blugolds were ranked No. 10 in the final NFCA Division III national poll.

During the course of the season, the Blugolds won an unprecedented third straight WIAC regular season championship and became the first team to go unbeaten through a conference campaign with a 14-0 mark. The Blugolds also breezed through the WIAC post-season tournament with a 4-0 mark to earn a spot in the 59-team NCAA Division III tournament. The NCAA berth was the first for a Blugold team since 2000 and the fifth overall.

The Blugolds reached the final of the Rock Island Regional, losing two one-run games to Coe College on the final day of the double elimination tournament. Those setbacks kept the Blugolds from advancing to the eight-team national tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Blugolds set numerous records this season including best fielding percentage for a season, most home runs in a season, most strikeouts by a pitching staff in a season and most home runs in a single game. The Blugolds also boasted the co-pitcher of the year and the co-player of the year in the WIAC.

The Blugolds figure to be a formidable foe again next season as no seniors were in the starting lineup at the end of the season.

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Mallory McKinney has been named to the 2006 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division III All-America Second Team.

McKinney, a junior pitcher from Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Champlin Park H.S.), claimed All-America honors for the second time in her career after she also secured second team status in 2004.

She joins Jill Schoenike (1997, 1999) and Heidi Bergstrom (1999, 2000) as the only Blugolds to capture NFCA All-America recognition in multiple years.

This season, McKinney set school single-season records with 26 wins, 183 strikeouts and 13 shutouts. She also topped UW-Eau Claire's all-time chart 408 career strikeouts. At one point during the season, she went 61 consecutive innings without giving up a run.

Her 26 wins and 13 shutouts rank second on the conference's single-season chart, while her 0.72 earned run average and 183 strikeouts rank third. McKinney's 408 career strikeouts place her sixth on the league's all-time list.

The NFCA recently announced an All-Great Lakes Region Team, which consists of individuals representing the WIAC, College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, Lake Michigan Conference, Midwest Conference and Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference.

Joining McKinney on the first team were teammates Jill Janke and Rachel Paulus, along with UW-Oshkosh's Ronessa Stampfli.

Second team selections included UW-Eau Claire's Casey Leisgang, UW-Oshkosh's Whitney Tyriver, UW-Stevens Point's Mandy Jellish and UW-Superior's Erin Kegley.

Third team choices consisted of UW-Eau Claire's Amanda Tschernach, UW-Platteville's Tera Burr, UW-Stevens Point's Laura VanAbel, UW-Superior's Kathleen Duffy and UW-Whitewater's Suzanne Gersich and Kyley Shramek.

Rock Island, Ill.--The fifth-ranked and top-seeded UW-Eau Claire women's softball team suffered a heartbreaker today, losing twice to Coe College (Iowa) in the championship round of the NCAA Rock Island Regional, resulting in elimination from the national tournament.

The Blugolds saw their 13-game winning streak come to an end in the first game of the championship round when they lost to Coe College, 1-0, forcing a winner-take-all final game. In the final game, the Blugolds lost 6-5 when Coe scored in the bottom of the seventh to break a 5-5 tie.

Coming into today, the Blugolds were the only undefeated team left in the eight-team double elimination regional and had won 31 of their last 32 games.

Coe, the three-seed in the regional, defeated Hope College (Mich.), 3-1, earlier in the day to advance to face the Blugolds in the championship. Coe lost the first game of the regional to the University of Chicago (Ill.), 1-0, and then went on to win six straight games.

The best chance the Blugolds had in game one was in the bottom of the first when the Blugolds had runners at the corners with one out. However, Cohawks pitcher Billie Schultz struck out the next two Blugold batters to get out of the jam.

The Kohawks then got on the board in the fourth inning after an RBI single by Leslie Schneck scored Chris Engel. That would be the only score of the game as the Blugolds would only get one more hit the final four innings as the Kohawks forced a second and final game, winning 1-0.

The Blugolds only had three hits in the game and only had one runner advance past second base. Pitcher Mallory McKinney pitched well in the loss striking out six and allowing just four hits. This is the first loss for McKinney (26-2) in the last 26 appearances.

In the final game, the Kohawks began the scoring in the bottom of the second inning on an Ashley Leonard home run to center field.

The Blugolds would respond in the top of the third. The inning would begin with a Steph Salter walk. After two Blugold outs, Mallory McKinney and Jill Janke would both walk to load the bases. Mandy Tschernach then got hit by a pitch to score Salter to tie the game at 1-1. Amber Haack would then step to the plate and hit a base clearing grand slam home run to left center field to make the score 5-1 in favor of the Blugolds.

However, the Kohawks would answer in the bottom of the inning. Chris Engel would hit a two-run single to cut the lead to 5-3. Coe would then score on a Blugold error and on a wild pitch to tie the game 5-5.

The score would stay that way until the bottom of the seventh inning. Mallory McKinney got the first two Coe batters to fly out. She then walked the next batter. Leslie Schnack would then hit a game-winning double to end UW-Eau Claire's season as Coe advances to the national tournament, winning 6-5.

Casey Leisgang led the Blugolds at the plate in game two, going 2-for-3. McKinney (26-3) gave a courageous effort on the mound, but came up short picking up the loss.

Three Blugolds were named to Regional's All-Tournament team, Mallory McKinney, Amber Haack, and Mandy Tschernach.

The Blugolds end their season with a 37-6 overall record. The 37 wins are the second highest in school history. UW-Eau Claire broke the team record for best winning percentage in a season at .881. The previous record was held by 1997 team, who had a .814 (35-8) winning percentage. The Blugolds also broke the team record for highest fielding percentage in a season at .964. The previous record was .960 back in 2001.

Rock Island, Ill.--The UW-Eau Claire women's softball team climbed to within one victory of a berth in the national tournament with a 1-0 triumph over Hope College (Mich.) in the NCAA Rock Island Regional here today.

With the win, the Blugolds are now the only remaining unbeaten team in the eight-team, double-elimination regional. They must wait until noon Monday to play their next game since Hope, because of its religious affiliation, has a Sunday exclusion and the NCAA has ruled that since Hope cannot play, no tournament games will be allowed Sunday. The tournament must be completed by midnight Monday in order for the regional champion to prepare for the national tournament which is hosted by Peace College in Raleigh, North Carolina, beginning next Friday.

Hope, the tourney's No. 7 seed but ranked No. 20 nationally in this week's NFCA Division III poll, must beat either Aurora College or Coe College at 10 a.m. Monday to earn a rematch with the Blugolds. Aurora, the No. 4 seed, and Coe, the No. 3 seed, were battling for survival in the game following the Blugold-Hope contest Saturday.

Mallory McKinney pitched a masterful three-hitter against Hope, walking one and striking out five with one hit batter. She retired the first eight Flying Dutch batters in order and the final seven. Only three Hope batters managed to get the ball out of the infield and only two runners got as far as second, both on stolen bases.

McKinney added to several of her school records, pushing her victory total to 26 this season against one loss, her shutouts to 13 and her strikeouts to 176.

While the Blugolds had the pressure on the Flying Dutch throughout the game, they managed the only run they needed in the second inning. Jill Janke drew a lead-off walk. Mandy Freidel ran for her and advanced to second on a misplayed sacrifice bunt by Mandy Tschernach. Amber Haack advanced both runners with a sacrifice and Shannon Barone plated Freidel with a single to left. The Blugolds stranded those two runners in that inning, left the bases full in the fourth and left two on in the sixth.

The Blugolds had one other serious threat in the top of the first. Casey Leisgang led off with a single, went to second on a sacrifice by Rachel Paulus and to third on a groundout by McKinney. She was tagged out at the plate when she tried to score on a wild pitch that bounced hard off the backstop to the catcher.

Hope suffered a blow when starting pitcher Becky Whitman reinjured a shoulder on Barone's hit in the second. However, Kelsey Guisbert came on to blank the Blugolds from that point on. Guisbert had bested McKinney in a 4-0 Hope victory over the Blugolds in the teams' 2005 spring trip meeting in Florida. That was the only other softball meeting ever between the two schools.

Fifth-year Blugold coach Leslie Huntington said the Blugold win "wasn't flashy. We did just enough to win. We played well but could have played better."

Huntington had praise for Hope, calling them a "good team." She said the Flying Dutch are "solid, fundamental all the way around."

Huntington said she had a premonition about the Blugold performance. "After an emotional win (7-1 over Central of Iowa) like yesterday, it's always tough to come back with the same intensity and be as sharp."

The win was the 13th consecutive for the Blugolds, who are now 37-4 for the season and ranked No. 5 nationally in this week's poll. The win streak is the second longest in school history, exceeded only by the record 18-game streak that preceded a 3-2 loss to St. Scholastica on April 18. The Blugolds have won 31 of their last 32 games after starting the season 6-3. Hope had won 20 of its last 23 games before falling to the Blugolds.

Rock Island, Ill.--The UW-Eau Claire women's softball team made a big statement in the NCAA Division III Rock Island Regional with a 7-1 triumph over Central College (Iowa) on May 12.

The win kept the No. 1 seeded Blugolds as one of two unbeaten teams left in the eight-team double elimination tournament. The victory came against a program that has been represented in the NCAA tournament in 19 of the last 20 seasons and has won four national championships. It also came just over 24 hours after an unimpressive 2-1 extra-inning decision against eighth-seeded Lake Forest College.

Fifth-year Blugold coach Leslie Huntington said that the tone for the game was set in the first inning.

As the designated visiting team in the game, the Blugolds, who are ranked No. 5 nationally in this week's poll and now stand 36-4 for the season, scored a run in the top of the first on back-to-back doubles by Rachel Paulus and Mallory McKinney.

Then in Central's half of the inning, after Tina Shimak rapped a two-out single, Blugold catcher Robyn Fennig threw out pinch-runner Trista Leaming on a steal attempt.

"They are a basestealing, running team," said Huntington and those two first-inning plays "set the tone for the game."

The other positives factors, according to Huntington, were that "Mallory was in control and we kept putting the pressure on them." The Blugolds had runners on base in every inning except the second. Huntington also credited Fennig with "stepping up with her awareness behind the plate."

With a 1-0 score and McKinney throwing a 1-hitter, the Blugolds added some insurance in each of the final three frames. In the fifth, Betsy Kettinger led off with a pinch-hit single, advanced to second on an error and to third on a passed ball. She scored when Steph Salter pushed a bunt past a drawn in infield into left. In the sixth, Mandy Tschernach reached on a one-out error. She raced to third when junior Amber Haack drilled a double that hit the top of the outfield fence and bounced back into the field of play. Tschernach scored on a wild pitch which also advanced Haack who scored on Kettinger's hit that fell over the outstretched hands of a back-pedaling shortstop.

McKinney lost her shutout in the sixth when a windblown ball was not handled by the Blugolds on the infield with runners at second and third.

The Blugolds provided McKinney with plenty of cushion in the seventh as they pushed across three more with the aid of three hits including a run-scoring double by sophomore Jill Janke and a two-run triple by Tschernach.

McKinney finished with a three-hitter and nine strikeouts against a team that is 33-12 for the year.

Eight of the nine spots in the Blugold lineup came through with hits including two each from Tschernach, Kettinger and Salter for a total of 11.

What may have been a numbing wind for the fans did not seem to affect the Blugold players. Tschernach said she was "too focused to be cold." McKinney said "I've pitched in this before." Salter said the team was confident. "We knew what we had to do."

The Blugolds were not concerned with whom they would face next. "We just focus on us," said Salter. "We believe we can do it," said Tschernach. "I've got a good defense behind me," said McKinney.

The Blugolds' next contest is scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday against Hope College (Mich.). Hope College defeated Chicago today 2-0. A win for the Blugolds on Saturday would mean that they would need just one more win on Monday to claim the regional title and a berth in the NCAA nationals. No games will be played Sunday.

Madison, Wis.--Two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2006 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Five College Division Women's Softball Third Team. UW-La Crosse's Jenny Miller and UW-Whitewater's Erin Langone were both named to the squad.

The team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA student-athletes from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota and is voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Miller, a junior outfielder from Durand, Wis., carries a 3.84 grade point average and is majoring in exercise and sports science with a minor in Spanish.

She secured all-WIAC first team status this year after placing fourth in the WIAC with a .422 batting average and 12 stolen bases, fifth with 12 sacrifice bunts, eighth with a .446 on-base percentage and 10th with 49 hits. Miller holds the school career record with 39 stolen bases.

Langone, a senior second baseman from Whitewater, Wis., is majoring in general management and maintains a 3.81 grade point average. She is a three-time recipient of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) scholar-athlete award and has been recognized on UW-Whitewater's Dean's List every semester. Langone was named the school's Marty van Steenderen Sportswoman of the Year earlier this season.

Langone recently claimed all-WIAC first team honors after ranking second in the conference with 153 total plate appearances, fourth with 134 at-bats, fifth with 33 runs scored, seventh with 68 total bases and eighth with five home runs.

UW-Eau Claire Needs Nine Innings to Win Opening NCAA Game

RELEASED: Thursday, May 11, 2006

Rock Island, Ill.--The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's softball team needed nine innings but finally won its opening game in the NCAA Rock Island Regional with a 2-1 triumph over Lake Forest College on May 11.

The Blugolds, who are the No. 1 seed in the eight-team, double elimination tournament, were down to their final out in the eighth inning before tying the game and forcing an additional extra inning. In the ninth, Shannon Barone hit a sacrifice fly with no one out to score Mandy Tschernach who had started the inning with an opposite-field double to the fence in left. She had advanced to third on a bunt hit by Amber Haack.

The game had developed into a pitching duel between Lake Forest's Kendra Grant and the Blugolds' Mallory McKinney and was scoreless after seven although both teams had missed chances to score.

The Blugolds had a runner cut down at the plate in the second and left runners at second and third in the same inning. The Blugolds also stranded a runner at third in both the fourth and seventh innings.

Lake Forest left a runner at third in the fourth and loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. A diving catch by Barone at second and a groundout to McKinney ended that threat.

Lake Forest finally broke the scoreless duel when cleanup hitter Christy Condon, who had struck out twice in three previous at bats, launched a monster home run over the 200-foot left field fence on a two-strike changeup.

In the bottom of the eighth, Casey Leisgang walked with out and advanced to second on a groundout. That's when McKinney delivered a bloop single over short into left enter to score Leisgang.
McKinney then retired Lake Forest in order in the top of the ninth to set the stage for Barone's winning sac fly. The blow came on a two-strike pitch after she had missed on two squeeze bunt attempts.

McKinney, who tied the school single season victory record with her 24th triumph against just one loss, scattered eight hits and struck out nine without walking a batter although she hit one. She pitched with what she called a "nasty cold" but said she knew her teammates "would play defense behind me." On her game-tying hit, McKinney said she just "wanted to hit the ball on the ground but I got it up."

The Blugolds managed seven hits against Grant who did not strike out anyone but walked two.

Blugold head coach Leslie Huntington, who recently earned her third straight WIAC Coach of the Year award, called the playing conditions (high winds) for the opening day of the tournament "unfortunate" because "one misplayed ball can decide a game."

She said the victory was "huge." With this being the first time in the NCAA tournament for these kids, "I'm just happy to win." Had the Blugolds not won, "it would have been hard to get the team back mentally," said Huntington. "We told them this is a different season and everybody that's here deserves to be here. There are no easy games."

She did say that in the eighth, following the Lake Forest home run, she was "a little nervous because we hadn't scored, but I knew it wasn't over with these kids."

The win was the 11th straight for the Blugolds and their 29th in the last 30 games, giving them a 35-4 season mark while Lake Forest, the Midwest Conference champion, fell to 24-14. This was the Blugolds' sixth extra inning triumph this season and their ninth one-run decision.

The Blugolds will play again Friday at 2 p.m. against the winner of the game between fourth-seeded Aurora College of Illinois and fifth-seeded Central College of Iowa.

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Two Share Position and Pitcher of the Year Honors in Leading All-WIAC Women's Softball Team

Madison, Wis.--For the first time in conference history, two individuals have shared both the Position Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors to lead the 20 individuals voted to the 2006 all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Softball Team by the league coaches. UW-Eau Claire's Mallory McKinney and UW-Oshkosh's Ronessa Stampfli were named co-Pitchers of the Year, while the Blugolds' Casey Leisgang and the Titans' Whitney Tyriver were voted co-Position Players of the Year.

UW-Eau Claire became the first team in WIAC history to win three consecutive regular season championships and the first to go through the conference regular season unbeaten since the league expanded to a 16-game schedule in 2002. UW-Oshkosh took second to the Blugolds in the league ledger with a 10-4 mark and finished runner-up to UW-Eau Claire at the conference tournament.

McKinney also won the award during the 2004 campaign and claimed first team recognition for the third straight season. This year, she leads the WIAC with a 0.52 earned run average, 23 wins and 11 earned runs allowed, while ranking second with 153 strikeouts, 148.0 innings pitched and a .164 opponent batting average, third with 21 games started and fifth with 25 appearances.

McKinney's 153 strikeouts and 12 shutouts set a school single-season record, while her 23 victories rank second on the Blugold list. She set a league record when she went 61 consecutive innings without giving up a run at one point this season.

Stampfli claimed Pitcher of the Year accolades for the second straight season after leading the WIAC with 196.1 innings pitched, 294 strikeouts and a .162 opponent batting average, while placing second with 36 appearances, 25 games started and 20 wins and third with two saves.

Stampfli's 294 strikeouts established a WIAC single-season record and her 480 career strikeouts rank as the second-highest total in league history. She tossed a no-hitter against Virginia Intermont College on March 16 and compiled a streak of 24 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.

Leisgang secured first team honors for the second consecutive year after leading the league with a .798 slugging percentage, .486 on-base percentage, 11 home runs, 42 runs scored and 99 total bases, while placing third with 18 walks, fourth with 31 runs batted in and 11 doubles, fifth with 51 hits, sixth with 147 total plate appearances and seventh with a .411 batting average.

She has started all 38 games and orchestrated a 16-game hitting streak earlier this year, which is the second-best in WIAC history. Leisgang has accumulated 14 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI contests. She has led off a game with a home run five times this season and her 11 home runs set a Blugold single-season record.

Tyriver also earned first team recognition a year ago. This year, she leads the conference with 61 hits, 166 total plate appearances and 148 at-bats, while ranking third with 83 total bases, fifth with a .460 on-base percentage, sixth with a .412 batting average and eighth with a .561 slugging percentage.

She started all 44 games for the Titans and had 18 games with two or more hits, including seven with three or more. Tyriver batted a league-leading .532 (25-47) in 14 WIAC contests and compiled a 14-game hitting streak, which is the fourth-longest in league history. She also started all 27 contests for the Titans' co-championship women's basketball team this past winter.

Joining McKinney and Leisgang on the first team were teammates Jill Janke and Rachel Paulus. Janke claimed first team status for the second consecutive year after placing fourth in the WIAC with a .478 on-base percentage, fifth with a .586 slugging percentage, sixth with 15 walks and eighth with 27 runs batted in.

Paulus leads the WIAC with 16 stolen bases, while ranking fifth with 51 hits and eighth with a .405 batting average.

UW-Oshkosh's Lyndsey Allen joined Stampfli and Tyriver on the first team. Allen is third in the association with 151 total plate appearances, fourth with 134 at-bats, fifth with 51 hits and sixth with 72 total bases. She was a honorable mention choice in 2005.

UW-La Crosse had three individuals secure first team status as Liz Bradley, Cassie Huettl and Jenny Miller were recognized for their efforts. Bradley is sixth in the association with 31 runs scored, seventh with a .447 on-base percentage and nine doubles and eighth with 143 total plate appearances and 14 walks.

Huettl ranks second in the WIAC with 14 earned runs allowed and third with a 1.18 earned run average and a .211 opponent batting average, while Miller places fourth in the conference with a .422 batting average and 12 stolen bases, fifth with 12 sacrifice bunts, eighth with a .446 on-base percentage and 10th with 49 hits. Miller was a honorable mention selection during the 2004 campaign.

UW-Superior's Jamie Bang and Erin Kegley became the third and fourth players in school history to earn first team status three straight years, joining Becky Mrozik (1994-96) and Barbara Matlack (1988-90). Bang led the league with four triples, while placing seventh with 131 at-bats and ninth with 26 runs batted in.

Kegley ranks second in the WIAC with a .439 batting average and third with a .598 slugging percentage, .479 on-base percentage and 32 runs batted in.

The Yellowjackets' Kathleen Duffy claimed first team recognition for the second straight year after securing honorable mention accolades in 2004. She is second in the league with 36 runs scored and 14 stolen bases, fourth with 52 hits, fifth with a .413 batting average and sixth with a .452 on-base percentage.

UW-Stevens Point's Mandy Jellish and Laura VanAbel helped the team register the 13th consecutive 20-win season in program history. Jellish secured first team status for the second time in her career after leading the league with a .442 batting average and 61 hits, while ranking second with 138 at-bats and a .480 on-base percentage, third with 151 total plate appearances, 35 runs scored and three triples, fourth with 76 total bases and 10th with a .551 slugging percentage. She was also a first team honoree in 2004.

VanAbel tops the WIAC with four triples, while placing third with a .427 batting average, sixth with nine stolen bases, seventh with a .564 slugging percentage, eighth with 50 hits and 10th with a .442 on-base percentage.

UW-Whitewater's Erin Langone and Suzanne Gersich helped the Warhawks register 25 or more wins for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons. Langone ranks second in the conference with 153 total plate appearances, fourth with 134 at-bats, fifth with 33 runs scored, seventh with 68 total bases and eighth with five home runs.

Gersich leads the league with 35 runs batted in, while placing second with a .688 slugging percentage and 86 total bases, nine home runs and 86 total bases, eighth with 50 hits, ninth with a .400 batting average and a .445 on-base percentage. Her nine home runs are the second-highest single-season total in school history.

UW-Platteville's Tera Burr leads the conference with 15 doubles, while ranking third with 53 hits, sixth with 133 at-bats and seventh with 68 total bases. Her 15 doubles set a Pioneer single-season record.

UW-River Falls' Emily Howlett ranked sixth in the WIAC with 10 doubles, eighth with 143 total plate appearances and 10th with nine sacrifice bunts.

UW-Stout's Jackie Juan led the Blue Devils with a .505 slugging percentage, six home runs, 17 runs scored and 16 runs batted in, while placing second with a .288 batting average, 111 at-bats and 32 hits.

Named to the honorable mention team were: UW-Eau Claire's Amber Haack and Mandy Tschernach, UW-Oshkosh's Dani Olsen and Jennelle Schmidt, UW-Platteville's Katie Larson and Ashley Strnad, UW-River Falls' Brittany Rathbun, Mindy Rudiger and Amanda Wojnowiak, UW-Stevens Point's Rebekah Bauer and Laura Zierler, UW-Stout's Megan Donley, Amanda McKellips and Courtney Zafft, UW-Superior's Katie Moench and UW-Whitewater's Dianna Frisbie and Kyley Shramek.

UW-Eau Claire head coach Leslie Huntington was voted the Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season, becoming the first coach in league annals to achieve the honor in three straight years. She has directed the Blugolds to a 34-4 record this season and owns a 128-69 overall record (.650 winning percentage) in her five years with the team.

2006 All-WIAC Women's Softball Team
First Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Lyndsey Allen, Oshkosh, Junior, Secondbase, Amherst
Jamie Bang, Superior, Senior, Leftfield, Hermantown, Minn.
Liz Bradley, La Crosse, Sophomore, Thirdbase, Platteville
Tera Burr, Platteville, Freshman, Secondbase, Shawano
Kathleen Duffy, Superior, Senior, Centerfield, Superior
Suzanne Gersich, Whitewater, Freshman, Rightfield, Wadsworth, Ill. (Warren Township)
Emily Howlett, River Falls, Sophomore, Thirdbase, Eagan, Minn.
Cassie Huettl, La Crosse, Sophomore, Pitcher, North Mankato, Minn. (West)
Jill Janke, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Firstbase, Black River Falls
Mandy Jellish, Stevens Point, Junior, Centerfield, Kaukauna
Jackie Juan, Stout, Sophomore, Rightfield, La Crosse (Central)
Erin Kegley, Superior, Junior, Secondbase, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
Erin Langone, Whitewater, Senior, Secondbase, Whitewater
Casey Leisgang, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Shortstop, Seymour
Mallory McKinney, Eau Claire, Junior, Pitcher, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Champlin Park)
Jenny Miller, La Crosse, Junior, Centerfield, Durand
Rachel Paulus, Eau Claire, Junior, Rightfield, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)
Ronessa Stampfli, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Pitcher, Brodhead
Whitney Tyriver, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Shortstop, Oshkosh (West)
Laura VanAbel, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Shortstop, Kaukauna

Honorable Mention
Rebekah Bauer, Stevens Point, Senior, Leftfield, Stevens Point (SPASH)
Megan Donley, Stout, Senior, Pitcher, Fridley, Minn.
Dianna Frisbie, Whitewater, Freshman, Pitcher, Juneau (Dodgeland)
Amber Haack, Eau Claire, Junior, Leftfield, Madison (LaFollette)
Katie Larson, Platteville, Senior, Pitcher, South Wayne (Black Hawk)
Amanda McKellips, Stout, Freshman, Centerfield, Mosinee
Katie Moench, Superior, Junior, Firstbase, Carlton, Minn.
Dani Olsen, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Catcher, Verona
Brittany Rathbun, River Falls, Sophomore, Pitcher, Rochester, Minn. (Mayo)
Mindy Rudiger, River Falls, Freshman, Shortstop, Menomonie
Jennelle Schmidt, Oshkosh, Freshman, Thirdbase, Richfield (Hartford)
Kyley Shramek, Whitewater, Junior, Catcher, Taylor (Blair-Taylor)
Ashley Strnad, Platteville, Senior, Catcher, Prairie du Chien
Mandy Tschernach, Eau Claire, Junior, Thirdbase, Rice Lake
Amanda Wojnowiak, River Falls, Sophomore, Outfield, Big Lake, Minn.
Courtney Zafft, Stout, Senior, Thirdbase, Rochester, Minn. (Century)
Laura Zierler, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Thirdbase, Kaukauna

Co-Position Players of the Year: Casey Leisgang of Eau Claire and Whitney Tyriver of Oshkosh
Co-Pitchers of the Year: Mallory McKinney of Eau Claire and Ronessa Stampfli of Oshkosh
Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete: Megan Donley of Stout
Coach of the Year: Leslie Huntington of Eau Claire

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stout's Megan Donley has been named the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Softball Scholar-Athlete.

Donley, a senior from Fridley, Minn., is majoring in general business administration with an emphasis in finance and investing. She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and is a seven-time Chancellors' Award winner at UW-Stout. Donley received a UW-Stout Foundation Scholarship a year ago.

Donley, a team captain this season, received all-WIAC honorable mention honors this year after claiming first team status in 2004 and honorable mention accolades in 2003. She was named her team's Super-Sub in 2005, Co-Most Valuable Player in 2004 and Rookie of the Year in 2003. Donley ranks second on the school's all-time list with 50 career victories and 631.1 innings pitched and set a school record with 259 innings pitched in 2004.

Donley was a member of UW-Stout's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2004 and serves as a Key Club volunteer for community service projects.

She joins Angie Pinnow (2001) as UW-Stout women's softball student-athletes to secure the conference's scholar-athlete award.

Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were: UW-Eau Claire's Andrea Neuville, UW-La Crosse's Elizabeth Kern, Maria Leu and Erin Thacker, UW-Stout's Courtney Zafft, UW-Superior's Jamie Bang and Kathleen Duffy and UW-Whitewater's Erin Langone and Jennifer Wilkins.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman, who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she functioned as Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from October, 1984 - September, 1996.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

UW-Eau Claire to Travel to Augustana College for NCAA Women's Softball Regional

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's women's softball team will travel to Rock Island, Illinois and participate in NCAA Division III Tournament regional action hosted by Augustana College on May 11-14. The regional will include eight teams and feature a double-elimination format.

The Blugolds will be making their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2000 and fifth in school history (2006, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997).

UW-Eau Claire (34-4) earned the top seed in the regional and will face eighth seeded Lake Forest (Ill.) (24-13) on May 11 at 10 a.m. The winner of the UW-Eau Claire/Lake Forest matchup will face either fifth seeded Central College (Iowa) (32-11) or fourth seeded Aurora University (Ill.) (36-9) on May 12 at 2 p.m., while the two losers will square off earlier in the day at 10 a.m.

Other teams participating in the regional include: Coe College (Iowa) (34-10), University of Chicago (Ill.) (19-13), Augustana College (Ill.) (33-8) and Hope College (Mich.) (30-12).

The winner of the regional will advance to the finals, which will be held May 19-23 at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex in Raleigh, North Carolina. The finals are being hosted by Peace College (N.C.).

NCAA Division III Women's Softball Augustana (Ill.) Regional
Thursday, May 11
Game 1--(#1) UW-Eau Claire (34-4) vs. (#8) Lake Forest (Ill.) (24-13), 10:00 a.m.
Game 2--(#5) Central (Iowa) (32-11) vs. (#4) Aurora (Ill.) (36-9), Noon
Game 3--(#3) Coe (Iowa) (34-10) vs. (#6) Chicago (Ill.) (19-13), 2:00 p.m.
Game 4--(#2) Augustana (Ill.) (33-8) vs. (#7) Hope (Mich.) (30-12), 4:00 p.m.

Friday, May 12
Game 5--Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 10:00 a.m. (loser eliminated)
Game 6--Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, Noon (loser eliminated)
Game 7--Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 2:00 p.m.
Game 8--Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 13
Game 9--Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 10:00 a.m. (loser eliminated)
Game 10--Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 loser, Noon (loser eliminated)
Game 11--Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 2:00 p.m.
Game 12--Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 4:00 p.m. (loser eliminated)

Sunday, May 14
Game 13--Game 12 winner vs. Game 11 loser, Noon (loser eliminated)
Game 14--Game 11 winner vs. Game 13 winner, 2:00 p.m.

Monday, May 15
Game 15--necessary only if Game 13 winner beats Game 11 winner in Game 14

Menomonie, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire captured the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Softball Tournament title with a 3-0 victory over UW-Oshkosh on May 6 at Wakanda Park.

The tournament title is the fifth in school history and first since 2000. The Blugolds also earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament, which begins on May 12.

In the championship game against second seed UW-Oshkosh, pitching dominated the game for the first five innings. The Titans had a couple of chances early in the game, leaving a pair of runners on base in the first and third innings.

UW-Eau Claire tallied a run in the sixth as Rachel Paulus led off the inning with a double. She advanced to third on a Mallory McKinney single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jill Janke.

The Blugolds added insurance runs in the seventh on Casey Leisgang's two-run home run. It was her 11th home run of the season and established a school single-season record.

UW-Oshkosh had two runners on with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but UW-Eau Claire escaped with the victory.

McKinney allowed seven hits and struck out eight batters to improve to 23-1 on the season.

Jennelle Schmidt had two hits for the Titans. Ronessa Stampfli took the loss after scattering six hits and striking out five and walking one to fall to 21-11 on the season.

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire became the first team in conference history to win three consecutive women's softball championships with a 1-0 victory over UW-Oshkosh on April 29 at Gelein Field in Eau Claire.

The league championship is the seventh in school history as the Blugolds also secured titles in 2000, 1998, 1997 and 1991. The seven conference titles are the most in league archives.

The game between the Blugolds and Titans was a pitcher's dual. The lone run of the game came on a solo home run by sophomore Jill Janke in the fourth. With that home run the Blugolds tied a team record for home runs in a season with 28, which was set last year. Janke finished the game 2-for-2.

Freshman pitcher Bri Sturm gave up four hits through the first six innings. The Titans began to threaten in the seventh as with two outs they got back-to-back singles. Junior Mallory McKinney was brought into the game and she got the Titan batter to pop up to second base to secure the win.

Sturm picked up her eighth win of the season, going 6.2 innings, striking out two and allowing six hits. McKinney picked up her first save of the year.

UW-Eau Claire also secured the top seed in the WIAC Tournament, which will be played May 5-6 at Wakanda Park in Menomonie. The winner of the league tournament receives the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

La Crosse, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has named Chris Helixon its head softball coach. Helixon served as head softball coach at Viterbo University (Wis.) from 1998-2002 and was named the 2001 Midwest Classic Conference Coach of the Year.

RELEASED: Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Platteville, Wis.--Heather Townsend returns to Wisconsin as the new UW-Platteville softball coach and Pioneer Activity Center program director.

Townsend (maiden name Schock) is a graduate of UW-La Crosse and was an assistant coach for the Eagles in 2001-02, helping them to a 23-15 record and 8-4 mark in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. She was the head softball and volleyball coach at Santa Paula High School for two seasons, leading both squads to the Southern Section-California Interscholastic Federation playoffs.

"It means a lot to me to come back to Wisconsin and be a part of the UW system," she said. "It's very reputable. In California, if I said I was from Wisconsin or went to a UW school, they paid attention and recognized it. I feel very excited about coming here."

Townsend,a native of Amery, played softball at UW-Green Bay, then transferred to UW-La Crosse, earning her bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science-physical education teaching (K-12). She earned earned her master's this summer from Azusa Pacific University in Asuza, Calif. She also married James Townsend on Aug. 13, and the couple is in the process of moving to the area.

"Platteville is a small community, and it is a community," she said. "People know who you are, and I like the small-town feeling. It's very personable and warm."

Townsend takes over a Pioneer program that was 15-21 a year ago, including 4-12 in the WIAC. UWP lost just four seniors from that squad. The new coach is excited about the potential of the program and the facilities, which will soon feature a lighted field. Townsend has high long-range goals for the program.

"I'd definitely like to win a conference championship and then from that would come NCAA tournament play," she said. "We want to be very competitive right away in the conference. There is a good core of the team coming back, and they have a lot of potential."

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