UW-Whitewater Selected To Win Softball Title
MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the two-time defending champion, has been picked to claim the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) softball title, based on a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
The Warhawks shared last year’s regular-season championship with UW-Eau Claire, collecting the 10th first-place finish in program history. UW-Whitewater has also won three straight WIAC tournament titles. The Warhawks welcome back 12 letterwinners from last year when they produced the 10th season of at least 31 victories in the last 18 years.
UW-Oshkosh is slotted for second in the eight-team league race. The Titans entered the 2016 campaign ranked No. 25 nationally by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and have won three regular-season championships - with the most recent in 2007.
UW-Oshkosh is followed in the league poll by: UW-Eau Claire; UW-La Crosse; UW-Stout; UW-River Falls; UW-Stevens Point; and UW-Platteville.
The 2016 season welcomes a pair of new head coaches to the conference as Amber Dohlman takes over at UW-River Falls and Becky Iaccino assumes the top spot at UW-Stout. Dohlman was the head coach at Millikin University (Ill.) the past four years, while Iaccino was most recently an assistant at Concordia University-Chicago (Ill.).
The WIAC Championship (presented by Culver’s) will be a five-team event this season after including six teams the previous six years.
2016 Preseason Predictions (Voted on by WIAC head coaches and sports information directors)
|
2015 Record |
| 1. UW-Whitewater |
36-9 overall, 13-3 WIAC |
| 2. UW-Oshkosh |
30-12, 12-4 |
| 3. UW-Eau Claire |
26-16, 13-3 |
| 4. UW-La Crosse |
27-14, 11-5 |
| 5. UW-Stout |
16-27, 7-9 |
| 6. UW-River Falls |
23-22, 6-10 |
| 7. UW-Stevens Point |
15-24, 5-11 |
| 8. UW-Platteville |
12-28, 3-13 |
Team Vitals (Entering the 2016 season)
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach: Leslie Huntington; 15th season at UWEC; 395-204
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 11/8
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 3/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 3/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/1
Returning All-WIAC: Lauren Blasczyk, Jr., RHP (2015-First); Zana Lorbetske, Sr., RHP (2013-First)
Notable Returning Position Players: Kelsey Meredith, Jr., INF/OF; Leah Wolff, Jr., INF
Notable Returning Pitchers: None
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Chris Helixon; 15th season (11th at UWL); 298-250-1 (overall) / 246-159 (UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 16/7
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 6/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 4/0
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/0
Returning All-WIAC: Brittany Baldwin, So., CF (2015-Honorable); Alecia Faber, Sr., C (2013-Honorable, 2014-Honorable, 2015-First); Emily Holldorf, Sr., LF (2013-Honorable, 2014-Honorable, 2015-First); Katie Klein, So., RHP (2015-Honorable); Megan Nelson, Sr., RHP/RF (2013-Honorable, 2014-First, 2015-First); Emilie Wiltzius, Sr., 1B (2014-First, 2015-Honorable)
Notable Returning Position Players: Jenny Gallagher, Jr., 2B; Kerrigan Koch, So., OF; Katrina O’Keefe, Sr., OF
Notable Returning Pitchers: Jessie Carignan, Jr., RHP; Heather Grelle, Sr., RHP
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Scott Beyer; 3rd season at UWO; 53-23
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 11/6
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 6/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 2/0
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 1/0
Returning All-WIAC: Hayley Bayreuther, Sr. SS (2014-First, 2015-First); Erika Berry, So., 3B (2015-Honorable); Sara Brunlieb, Jr., RHP (2015-Pitcher of the Year); Hayden Krueger, Sr., OF (2013-First, 2014-First, 2015-First)
Notable Returning Position Players: Elizabeth Fonk, So., 1B; Caitlin Hoerning, So., OF; Brianna Witter, So., OF
Notable Returning Pitchers: Clare Robbe, So., RHP
UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Lee Negrelli; 5th season at UWP; 56-92
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/8
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 3/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 3/0
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/0
Returning All-WIAC: Jess Butzen, Jr., RHP (2014-Honorable); Carley Rote, Sr., OF/UTIL (2015-Honorable)
Notable Returning Position Players: Crystal Rote, So., OF; Keri Treml, Sr., UTIL
Notable Returning Pitchers: Jordan Schimke, Jr., RHP
UW-River Falls
Head Coach: Amber Dohlman; 4th season (1st at UWRF); 53-57 (overall) / 0-0 (UWRF)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 11/10
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 6/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 1/3
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 1/3
Returning All-WIAC: Katie Thompson, Jr., OF (2015-First)
Notable Returning Position Players: Shannon Borchardt, So., OF; Aiyana Ledwein, So., OF; Sarah Sorensen, Sr., INF
Notable Returning Pitchers: Michelle LaCasse, Jr., RHP
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Ashley Steltenpohl; 6th season (2nd season at UWSP); 74-117 (overall) / (15-24 UWSP)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/10
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 3/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 0/3
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 0/3
Returning All-WIAC: Paige Allen, So., OF (2015-Honorable)
Notable Returning Position Players: Bailie Sheahan, Sr., SS; Katie Uhlenbrauck, So., 3B
Notable Returning Pitchers: None
UW-Stout
Head Coach: Becky Iaccino; 2nd season (1st season at UWST); 18-18 (overall) / 0-0 (UWST)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 12/5
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 7/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 3/0
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/0
Returning All-WIAC: Tori Workman, Sr., RHP/OF (2014-Pitcher of the Year, 2015-First)
Notable Returning Position Players: Sara Griesbach, Sr., OF; Nicole Rogers, Sr., OF; Rachel Thomas, So., C
Notable Returning Pitchers: Abbey Ball, So., RHP; Beth Wood, So., RHP
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: Brenda Volk; 18th season at UWW; 528-214-4
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 12/11
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 2/2
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 1/2
Returning All-WIAC: Mallory Klotz, So., OF (2015-First); Amy Ricci, Jr., 1B (2014-Honorable)
Notable Returning Position Players: Maggie Hansen, Sr., 2B/SS; Haley Morelli, Jr., OF; Hannah Taylor, Jr., 3B
Notable Returning Pitchers: Cara Smoczynski, Jr., RHP; Kara Tadda, Jr., RHP; Steph Waller, Jr., RHP
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