2002 WIAC Women's Softball Headlines

2002 WIAC Women's Softball Headlines

La Crosse's Kueppers, Whitewater's Koeller Named Softball Academic All-America

RELEASED: Thursday, June 6, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Kay Kueppers and UW-Whitewater's Megan Koeller have been named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America College Division Women's Softball First Team. They were two of eleven first team selections among NCAA Division II and III and NAIA institutions.

Kueppers, a senior designated player from South St. Paul, Minn., is majoring in physical education and health with a 3.65 grade point average. She has been a member of the UW-La Crosse Dean's List for eight semesters and a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar-Athlete for three years. Kueppers is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and UW-La Crosse's Athlete Advisory Committee.

Kueppers was named the 2002 WIAC Position Player of the Year after leading the league in runs scored (37), bases on balls (17) and home runs (8), while finishing second in hits (52). Kueppers set school season records for home runs and runs scored this season. She ranks first in career home runs (16) and doubles (37) at La Crosse. Kueppers also earned All-WIAC First Team honors in 2000 after claiming honorable mention status in 1999.

Koeller, a junior outfielder from Potosi, Wis., carries a 3.83 grade point average with an elementary education major. She has earned All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) First Team honors the last two years, after being an honorable mention choice her freshman season. Koeller also received Verizon Academic All-District V First Team honors this year. She led the WIAC in hits (56) and doubles (15). Koeller led the Warhawks in batting average (.418), slugging percentage (.604), on-base percentage (.451), runs scored (26) and RBIs (22).

The Verizon Academic All-America Teams are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Sports information directors nominate eligible athletes from their schools who are named to district teams prior to being voted upon the national level.

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Six Earn Women's Softball Academic All-District Honors

RELEASED: Thursday, May 9, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Six Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women's softball student-athletes have been named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-District V Team. La Crosse's Kay Kueppers and Jenny Nelson and Whitewater's Megan Koeller earned first team honors. Eau Claire's Jannah Grinnell and Megan Grinnell and Oshkosh's Jenny Okon were second team selections.

Kueppers, a senior from South St. Paul, Minn., is majoring in physical education and health with a 3.65 grade point average. She was named the 2002 WIAC Position Player of the Year, leading the Eagles in batting average (.409), slugging percentage (.654), on-base percentage (.483), runs (37), hits (52), home runs (8), total bases (83) and walks (17). Kueppers ranks first in school history in career home runs (16) and doubles (37).

Nelson, a senior from Watertown, Wis., is a therapeutic recreation major with a 3.74 grade point average. She was named the 2002 recipient of the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award. This season, Nelson batted .386 with six doubles, two triples, two home runs and 19 RBIs. She finished her career first in school history in hits (179), at-bats (496) and runs scored (111).

Koeller, a junior from Potosi, Wis., carries a 3.83 grade point average with an elementary education major. She led the WIAC with 56 hits and 15 doubles. Koeller led the Warhawks in batting average (.418), slugging percentage (.604), on-base percentage (.451), runs scored (26) and RBIs (22).

Megan Grinnell, a senior from Delano, Minn., has a 3.94 grade point average in her nursing major. She is a three-year starter and posted her best offensive numbers this season by batting .270, in addition to leading all Blugold outfielders with 34 putouts.

Jannah Grinnell, a junior from Delano, Minn., is majoring in accounting and carries a 4.00 grade point average. She ranked second on the team in batting average (.333), slugging percentage (.542), hits (32), doubles (4), home runs (4) and total bases (52).

Okon, a sophomore from Horicon, Wis., is majoring in spanish and biology with a 3.68 grade point average. In 2002, she had a .250 batting average with 13 hits, seven runs scored and five RBIs.

Eleven individuals were named to the first team, while 12 were second team picks. All first team selections will advance to the national ballot. The academic all-district teams are selected from all Division II, Division III and NAIA schools in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana.

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Fifteen Earn NFCA All-Region Honors

RELEASED: Tuesday, May 14, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Fifteen Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women's softball players have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Great Lakes Region Team. Named to the first team were Oshkosh's Brenda Feucht, Stevens Point's Karen Guckenberger, Superior's Melissa Nelmark and Whitewater's Megan Koeller.

Feucht, a junior first baseman from Mayville, Wis. (Hartford H.S.), started all 29 games for the Titans this past season and had a team-high .425 batting average with six doubles, one triple and one home run. Her batting average was the second-highest in the WIAC. Feucht also had 17 runs scored and 14 RBIs. She ended the 2002 season with a 13-game hitting streak. Feucht earned All-Great Lakes Region Third Team honors last season.

Guckenberger, junior pitcher from South Milwaukee, Wis., earned All-Great Lakes Region First Team honors for the second consecutive season, after being named to the second team in 2000. She was named the WIAC Pitcher of the Year this year after compiling a 0.73 ERA, allowing just 15 earned runs in 144.1 innings pitched. Guckenberger had a school record 143 strikeouts with just 20 walks. The single season strikeout total in the sixth-highest in WIAC history and gives her 382 for her career, which ranks fourth in conference history.

Nelmark, a junior outfielder from Duluth, Minn., helped the Yellowjackets to their first-ever conference title this season and a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament. She had a team-leading .411 batting average, .492 on-base percentage, 36 runs scored, eight doubles and three triples. Nelmark also added six home runs during the 2002 campaign.

Koeller, a junior outfielder from Potosi, Wis., had a team-leading .418 batting average this season, the third-highest mark in the WIAC. She added a league-high 56 hits and 15 doubles. Koeller was an All-Great Lakes Region Second Team pick last season.

Named to the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region Second Team were: La Crosse's Kay Kueppers and Andrea Tsilis, Oshkosh's Mary Easton and Stevens Point's Jill Van Wychen.

Named to the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region Third Team were: Eau Claire's Emilee Planert, La Crosse's Kelly Fischer and Sally Wenzel, Oshkosh's Katie Dams, River Falls' Angie Garin and Melissa Turbak and Superior's Jamie Busche.

The NFCA named 45 players to its 2002 NCAA Division III All-Great Lakes Region squad (15 on each of the three teams), with all first team members becoming eligible for All-America accolades.

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La Crosse's Nelson Named Women's Softball Scholar-Athlete

RELEASED: Wednesday, May 8, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Jennifer Nelson has been named the 2002 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Softball Scholar-Athlete, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Nelson, a senior from Watertown, Wis., is majoring in therapeutic recreation with a minor in English and carries a 3.74 grade point average. She was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Academic Scholar-Athlete the past three seasons and earned Verizon Academic All-District Second Team honors last season. Nelson has been named to UW-La Crosse's Dean's List six semesters and is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll.

Nelson helped the Eagles to a 23-15 record this season with a .386 batting average, 27 runs scored, 19 RBIs, six doubles, two triples and two home runs. She is a four-time All-WIAC First Team selection and was named to the NFCA Great Lakes All-Region Second Team in 2000. Nelson finishes her career first in school history in hits (179), at-bats (496) and runs (111). She is second in La Crosse history in career home runs (12), third in RBIs (89) and doubles (30) and tied for third in batting average (.361).

Nelson is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and UW-La Crosse's Therapeutic Recreation Club.

Also nominated for the scholar-athlete award were: Eau Claire's Megan Grinnell, La Crosse's Kay Kueppers, Kedra Clough, Sarah Hanson, Leah DeMares and Kelly Fisher, Stevens Point's Melissa Mullins, Stout's Sarah Kokke and Whitewater's Heather Wendt.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is sponsored by Culver's. 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.

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Kueppers, Guckenberger Lead All-WIAC Women's Softball Selections

RELEASED: Tuesday, May 7, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Kay Kueppers was named the Position Player of the Year and UW-Stevens Point's Karen Guckenberger was named the Pitcher of the Year, headlining the group of 20 players selected to the 2002 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Softball Team.

Kueppers leads the WIAC with eight home runs, 83 total bases, 17 walks and 37 runs, while ranking sixth with a .409 batting average. She becomes the first player in school history to win the player of the year honor. This is her second All-WIAC First Team honor after earning the accolade in 2000. In 1999, she was a honorable mention selection.

Kueppers ranks first in school history in career home runs (16) and doubles (37), third in at-bats (462), fourth in hits (162) and RBIs (78). She is also fifth in career runs scored (91) and sixth in batting average (.351).

Guckenberger had a 0.73 ERA, allowing just 15 earned runs in 144.1 innings pitched. She also posted a league-high seven shutouts. Included in her outstanding season was a streak of 32 consecutive scoreless innings, which ranks second in WIAC history behind the first 33.1 innings of her collegiate career. Her ERA eclipsed her own single-season WIAC record of 0.78, which she accomplished last season as a sophomore (based on 100 innings pitched).

In earning her third career All-WIAC First Team honor, Guckenberger had a school record 143 strikeouts with just 20 walks. The single season strikeout total was the sixth-highest in WIAC history and gives her 382 for her career, which ranks fourth in conference history, despite playing just three seasons. She also holds school records for career wins with 45 and saves with 11.

Stevens Point's Jill Van Wychen also earned first team honors. She leads the WIAC with a .439 batting average and ranks third with 28 runs scored and fourth with 47 hits.

Jenny Nelson, Andrea Tsilis and Sally Wenzel also represented La Crosse on the first team. Nelson earned her fourth straight All-WIAC First Team selection after ranking third in the league with 49 hits and fifth with 27 runs scored. She leads the school record book in career hits (179), at-bats (496) and runs (111).

Tsilis earned first team honors for the second consecutive season. She leads the conference with 24 RBIs, while ranking third with nine doubles and eighth with 39 hits. Wenzel landed on the All-WIAC First Team for the third straight season. She ranks second in the league with 12 victories and five shutouts, third with an 1.42 ERA and fourth with 84 strikeouts and 123.2 innings pitched. Wenzel is La Crosse's career leader with 384.2 innings pitched.

Superior, which won the first women's conference title in school history by claiming the 2002 WIAC women's softball championship, had four players named to the first team. Amanda Johnston is the Yellowjackets' leader on the mound, throwing a conference-high 164.0 innings with an 1.62 ERA. She also has 140 strikeouts, the seventh-highest total in WIAC history. Johnston earned All-WIAC First Team honors last season.

Jamie Busche, Melissa Nelmark and Sarah Tarasewicz also earned first team honors for the Yellowjackets. Busche ranks second in the league with a .430 batting average and sixth with 43 hits. Nelmark ranks eighth in the conference with a .402 batting average and has a league-leading three triples with six home runs and 33 runs scored. Tarasewicz has a WIAC-leading .789 slugging percentage with eight home runs in only 21 games played this season.

Whitewater had a trio of players named to the first team. Heather Wendt garnered first team honors for the third time in her career. She earned All-WIAC First Team accolades during the 1999 and 2000 seasons, and was a honorable mention pick last year. This season, she leads the WIAC with a 0.41 ERA, compiling a 10-3 record in 85.0 innings pitched. She has 92 strikeouts and opponents are batting .126 against her this season.

Joining Wendt were Megan Koeller and Casey Starkey. Koeller leads the league with 56 hits and 15 doubles, while ranking second with 22 RBIs and fourth with a .418 batting average. She earned All-WIAC First Team honors last season and was a honorable mention pick in 2000. Starkey ranks second on the team with a .379 batting average and 47 hits.

Eau Claire's Kim Czapla was named to the All-WIAC First Team for the second consecutive season. She ranks third in the league with 137.1 innings pitched and 10 victories, fifth with 77 strikeouts and ninth with a 2.14 ERA. Czapla also posted four shutouts this season.

Emilee Planert also represented the Blugolds on the first team. She ranks fifth in the conference with a .414 batting average and seventh with 41 hits. Her seven home runs this season ranks second in the league and is also the fourth-highest mark in WIAC history.

Oshkosh had a pair of players named to the first team. Brenda Feucht ranks second in the league with 10 doubles and third with a .425 batting average. She finished the 2002 campaign with a 13-game hitting streak. Julie Barth ranks second on the squad with a .369 batting average and third with 14 runs scored. She was an honorable mention selection for the 2000 season.

River Falls' Angie Garin and Melissa Turbak garnered first team honors. Garin ranks second on the squad with a .316 batting average and also added 15 runs scored and five doubles this season. She was a honorable mention pick last season. Turbak ranks eighth in the WIAC with 39 hits and 10th with a .386 batting average.

Kaela Wold represented Stout on the first team. She ranks sixth in the league with a .409 batting average and fourth with eight doubles.

Superior head coach Roger Plachta was named the 2002 Coach of the Year by the league coaches. He guided the Yellowjackets to the 2002 WIAC championship and a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Plachta becomes the second women's softball coach in school history to win the conference honor. Nancy Crammatte won the award during the 1988 season.

Named to the Honorable Mention squad were: Eau Claire's Jannah Grinnell and Tracy Steffens, La Crosse's Kelly Fischer, Oshkosh's Katie Dams, Platteville's Lisa Brown and Michelle Skaden, River Falls' Lindsey Becker and Amy Brooke, Stevens Point's Carrie Hermsen, Stacy Karls and Amy Schumacher, Stout's Kim Caswell and Sarah Kokke and Whitewater's Kelly Punzel.

Following is a detailed list of the 2002 All-WIAC Women's Softball Team:

First Team

Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Julie Barth, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Outfield, Neillsville
Jamie Busche, Superior, Senior, First Base, Duluth, Minn. (Central)
Kim Czapla, Eau Claire, Junior, Pitcher, Arlington Heights, Ill. (Buffalo Grove)
Brenda Feucht, Oshkosh, Junior, First Base, Mayville (Hartford)
Angie Garin, River Falls, Senior, Outfield, Inver Grove Heights, Minn. (Simley)
Karen Guckenberger, Stevens Point, Junior, Pitcher, South Milwaukee
Amanda Johnston, Superior, Senior, Pitcher, Aurora, Minn. (Mesabi East)
Megan Koeller, Whitewater, Junior, Outfield, Potosi
Kay Kueppers, La Crosse, Senior, First Base, South St. Paul, Minn.
Melissa Nelmark, Superior, Junior, Outfield, Duluth, Minn.
Jenny Nelson, La Crosse, Senior, Shortstop, Watertown
Emilee Planert, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Shortstop, Eau Claire (North)
Casey Starkey, Whitewater, Freshman, First Base, Schaumburg, Ill.
Sarah Tarasewicz, Superior, Freshman, Catcher, Hurley
Andrea Tsilis, La Crosse, Junior, Catcher, Sparta
Melissa Turbak, River Falls, Sophomore, Second Base, Little Canada, Minn. (Roseville)
Jill Van Wychen, Stevens Point, Junior, Outfield, Kaukauna (Freedom)
Heather Wendt, Whitewater, Senior, Pitcher, Hampshire, Ill. (Burlington Central)
Sally Wenzel, La Crosse, Junior, Pitcher, Mequon (Homestead)
Kaela Wold, Stout, Freshman, Outfield, Altoona

Honorable Mention

Lindsey Becker, River Falls, Senior, Catcher, Appleton (North)
Amy Brooke, River Falls, Junior, Pitcher, Spring Valley
Lisa Brown, Platteville, Senior, Outfield, Milton
Kim Caswell, Stout, Sophomore, Shortstop, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
Katie Dams, Oshkosh, Junior, Second Base, Greenfield
Kelly Fischer, La Crosse, Senior, Centerfield, Appleton (Hortonville)
Jannah Grinnell, Eau Claire, Junior, Outfield, Delano, Minn.
Carrie Hermsen, Stevens Point, Junior, Second Base/Shortstop, Oconto
Stacy Karls, Stevens Point, Senior, Catcher, Lodi
Sarah Kokke, Stout, Senior, Second Base, Galesville (G-E-T)
Kelly Punzel, Whitewater, Junior, Outfield, DeForest
Amy Schumacher, Stevens Point, Freshman, Second Base/Shortstop, Milwaukee (Wisconsin Lutheran)
Michelle Skaden, Platteville, Junior, Catcher, Lewiston, Minn. (Lewiston-Altura)
Tracy Steffens, Eau Claire, Senior, First Base, Seymour

Position Player of the Year: Kay Kueppers of La Crosse

Pitcher of the Year: Karen Guckenberger of Stevens Point

Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete: Jenny Nelson of La Crosse

Coach of the Year: Roger Plachta of Superior

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Superior Softball Headed To Tacoma

RELEASED: Monday, May 6, 2002

Superior, Wis.--After capturing the first women's conference championship in school history, the University of Wisconsin-Superior women's softball team will travel to Tacoma, Washington to participate in the NCAA Division III Regional hosted by Pacific Lutheran University on May 10-12.

Superior (19-13) received the automatic bid from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) by winning the league tournament last weekend in Onalaska, Wis. The Yellowjackets entered the league tournament seeded sixth, but rolled through the tournament with a 4-0 record to claim the WIAC Championship.

The Yellowjackets, ranked fifth in the regional, will face fourth seeded Trinity (Tex.) (27-14) in the double-elimination regional on Friday, May 10 at 10:00 a.m. (PST). Trinity won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament for the fourth straight year.

The winner of the Superior/Trinity contest will face top seeded Pacific Lutheran at 2:00 p.m (PST) on Friday. The Lutes enter the national tournament with a 31-0 record.

Also participating in the five-team Pacific Lutheran Regional are LaVerne (Calif.) (35-4-1) and East Texas Baptist (36-6).

Regional winners will advance to the NCAA Division III Championship on May 16-20 at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wis.

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UW-Superior Captures First Women's Softball Title

Onalaska, Wis.--The University of Wisconsin-Superior won the 2002 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball tournament and championship Saturday at the OmniCenter. The Yellowjackets, who went 4-0 in the tournament, defeated UW-Eau Claire, 8-2, to win the conference crown. UW-Superior earns the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA III Playoffs.

The conference championship for UW-Superior is the first women's title in any sport in school history. Amanda Johnston (12-11) picked up the victory for the Yellowjackets (19-13), pitching seven innings, allowing seven hits and two unearned runs while striking out three.

Sarah Tarasewicz hit two home runs for UW-Superior, finishing 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI. Melissa Nelmark went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a two-run home run.

UW-Eau Claire was led by Tracy Steffens, who finished 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI. The Blugolds finish their season at 18-15.

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Pairings Announced For Women’s Softball Championship

RELEASED: Tuesday, April 29, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Pairings for the 2002 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Softball Championship have been announced by the conference office. The league festivities will be hosted by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse at the Omni Center in Onalaska, Wis. on May 3-4.

UW-Eau Claire, the pre-season favorite to win the conference title, earned the top seed in the championship. UW-Stevens Point, which won the 2001 league title, claimed the second seed. UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls will kick-off the championship with a 9:00 a.m. contest on May 3.

The tournament winner will claim the 2002 conference championship and the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

2002 WIAC Women’s Softball Championship Schedule

Friday, May 3
Game #1--UW-Platteville (#9) vs. UW-River Falls (#8), 9:00 a.m.
Game #2--UW-Superior (#6) vs. UW-La Crosse (#3), 11:00 a.m.
Game #3--UW-Stout (#7) vs. UW-Stevens Point (#2), 11:00 a.m.
Game #4--UW-Whitewater (#5) vs. UW-Oshkosh (#4), 1:00 p.m.
Game #5--Winner of Game 1 vs. UW-Eau Claire (#1), 1:00 p.m.
Game #6--Loser of Game 2 vs. Loser of Game 3, 2:30 p.m.
Game #7--Loser of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 5, 2:30 p.m.
Game #8--Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3, 4:00 p.m.
Game #9--Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5, 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 4
Game #10--Winner of Game 7 vs. Loser of Game 8, 9:00 a.m.
Game #11--Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 9, 9:00 a.m.
Game #12--Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9, 11:00 a.m.
Game #13--Winner of Game 10 vs. Winner of Game 11, 11:00 a.m.
Game #14--Winner of Game 13 vs. Loser of Game 12, 12:30 p.m.
Game #15--Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 14, 2:00 p.m.
**Game #16 will be needed if winner of Game #12 loses Game #15, 3:30 p.m.

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