UMAC Softball Coaches Pick CSS to Claim 2015 Crown
2015 UMAC Softball Coaches Preseason Poll
1. 49 Points – College of St. Scholastica (7 First Place Votes)
2. 42 Points – University of Minnesota Morris (1)
3. 32 Points – University of Northwestern
4. 28 Points – Northland College
5. 26 Points – Bethany Lutheran College
6. 22 Points – Martin Luther College
7. 18 Points – Crown College
8. 7 Points – North Central University
ST. PAUL – The College of St. Scholastica, winner of six consecutive Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Softball Regular Season titles, was once again selected by the league coaches to claim the conference crown in 2015. The Saints were the unanimous favorite grabbing 49 points and seven first place votes in the annual coaches’ poll.
1. College of St. Scholastica Saints
2014-15 Overall Record: 27-12
2014-15 UMAC Record: 18-0
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 1st
Starters Returning: 8
Starters Lost: 2
After missing the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2013, the St. Scholastica softball team made sure nothing would get in its way in 2014, going undefeated in conference play and then cruising through the conference postseason tournament winning by a combined score of 32-6 in three games. The Saints set a single-season program record with 37 home runs in 39 games.
The Saints had a program record 21-game overall winning streak entering the 2014 NCAA Tournament where they battled 11th-ranked and host Coe College (Iowa) to a 3-0 loss in the first game of the tournament. A pair of near home runs for the Saints and the result may have been different.
This will be Head Coach Jen Walter’s toughest schedule to date as the Saints will face the top five teams from Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from a season ago as well as two of the top five teams from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Back for the Saints this season is UMAC Rookie of the Year Chrisi Mizera inside the pitching circle. Also back are home run leaders Kara Warren and Rendi Johnson. Another returnee Kasandra McCabe, along with Warren and Johnson, recorded 47 hits each in 2014. The Saints will have to replace 2014 UMAC Player of the Year and second team all-region performer Tiff Hudack.
2. University of Minnesota Morris Cougars
2014-15 Overall Record: 21-17
2014-15 UMAC Record: 15-6
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 2nd
Starters Returning: 6
Starters Lost: 3
Minnesota Morris is coming off their first 20 win season under Coach Heather Pennie-Roy, and while they lost some key parts from last year many players do return from that squad. Topping that list is All-UMAC player Molly Olson. Olson became only the second player in NCAA softball history to have two 25 plus game hitting streaks in a career last season.
In addition to Olson, the Cougars return All-UMAC players Mackenzie Weatherly, Gina Downie and Meghan Pomeroy. Morris won 15 games in the conference season thanks to a solid batting average, on-base percentage and good pitching staff.
The team will look for their returners to help lead them back to the UMAC Tournament with a goal of capturing that crown. A few new additions to the team will add depth and try to replace some of the offense that left through graduation.
3. University of Northwestern Eagles
2014-15 Overall Record: 16-23
2014-15 UMAC Record: 12-7
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 3rd
Starters Returning: 7
Starters Lost: 2
The University of Northwestern softball team will see young talent again this year, bringing back only one senior and two juniors. Nine sophomores and five freshmen will make up a majority of the squad.
Returners to keep an eye on are Jen Ankrom and Megan Threlkeld, who led in hitting last season. Ankrom had a great collegiate debut in 2014, ending the season with a .433 hitting rate in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference games while maintaining a .583 slugging percentage and a .528 on-base percentage. Ankrom hit six doubles in 19 starts and her .447 overall batting average was a Northwestern program-best since 2008. Threlkeld led the team in her freshman year with 21 runs batted in, including a Northwestern-best of 39 bases and 30 hits. Both received all-conference honors last season and were staples in the infield.
Pitchers Lauren Silbernick and Ann Lokke return to the circle this year, sharing the majority of the innings as sophomores.
Due to construction of the new facility, the Eagles didn’t play any home games last season, but UNW welcomes their inaugural season on the new complex as they start a new chapter on 100 percent artificial turf.
4. Northland College LumberJills
2014-15 Overall Record: 13-23
2014-15 UMAC Record: 11-9
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 4th
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 5
The 2015 Northland College LumberJill team will be returning five of ten starters from last year. There are, however, some big holes to fill. Jayna Loy who was the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) player of the year in 2013 and Northland’s first ever NFCA All-American in 2014 has graduated. Another key player, Faye Koosmann suffered an injury in last season’s conference tournament and will not return to the field, staying on as a student coach. Overall the LumberJills will be looking to replace over half of its offensive output, as well as almost two thirds of its innings pitched.
Leading returners are catcher Kaitlyn Witthun, and outfielder Brigid Reina, who hit .468, and .469, respectively in UMAC play. Crystal Diaz, the LumberJills’ only returning pitcher, had a 4-6 overall record last year. DP Carolyn Malecha and second baseman Kelsey Bodart bring experience as regular starters in 2014. Katie Groeschel, Erin Gilligan, and Briana Tody also saw significant action, each starting about half of the team’s conference games.
Five newcomers join LumberJills this season. Transfer Allison Dunn will bring needed collegiate experience, while Cheyenne Otto, Alecea Piper, Heidi Guenther and Hattie Hoffman hope to contribute in their first season.
5. Bethany Lutheran College Vikings
2014-15 Overall Record: 9-27
2014-15 UMAC Record: 8-13
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 6th
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 5
Fourth year head coach Renee Tatge will have the difficult task of replacing five players (Rebecca Ludewig, Gena Chester, Nicole Starkson, Amanna Berthusen, and Shannon Heitz) who have been vital to the team's success in recent years. Tatge will be relying on some veterans and a fresh cast of newcomers to fill the void of those graduated seniors.
Junior Aimie Wiechmann has seen time at multiple positions in two seasons, mainly in the middle infield positions and junior Angela Timm has been a solid player in the outfield. Allison Norton returns at third base. The Alaska product has a solid bat and a good mental game.
Fresh faces will be on the mound this season. Two who are expected to contribute are Anna Pipenhagen and Desi Becker. Pipenhagen was a 3-time All-Section and All-Conference performer who set six school records at Elk River High School. Becker holds the recors for most wins at Cleveland High School and also brings a good bat winning the team's Best Offensive Player award.
In the field, junior college transfer Dani Emkes brings with her speed in the field and on the base paths. Cindy Pawlitschek is a catcher who brings an offensive presence to the Viking squad.
6. Martin Luther College Knights
2014-15 Overall Record: 15-16
2014-15 UMAC Record: 9-12
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 5th
Starters Returning: 7
Starters Lost: 4
The 2015 softball season marks the beginning a new era, as new head coach Matt Pearson takes over for Barb Leopold, who served as the team’s coach for 37 years dating back to 1978. The Knights finished 15-16 in Leopold’s final campaign, and this year’s team will be looking for a return to the top half of the conference standings and a spot in the UMAC Postseason Tournament.
2014 First Team All-UMAC performer Emily Waldek returns for her senior season in center field. Waldek set an MLC single-season record with 50 hits last season, and finished second in the UMAC with a batting average of .481 to go with 33 runs scored, 12 doubles, three triples and three home runs. She will be joined in the outfield by several returning players, including Maggie Schultz, Sarah Couture and Sara Willems, who set an MLC single-season record in 2014 with eight home runs to go with 12 doubles and 32 runs batted in.
The Knights lost four starters from the five infield positions, with only first baseman Morgan Kumbier returning. The other four positions remain open heading into the season, with Kelli Doell and Rachel Haugly battling for time at second base, Megan Lemke and Janelle Radue playing third, and Jessica Friebe and Emily Neeb playing shortstop. Friebe and Willems are also in the mix at catcher, along with Cassie Doering.
Kathryn Marquardt will once again lead the pitching staff. The junior ranks third in program history with 19 wins in her first two seasons, and pitched 109.2 innings in 2014. Doell started 13 games as a freshman and figures to be the number two starter, while Waldek is in the mix as the third starter.
7. Crown College Strom
2014-15 Overall Record: 9-26
2014-15 UMAC Record: 7-14
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 7th
Starters Returning: 8
Starters Lost: 2
A year after breaking through into the win column for the first time in four years, the Crown women’s softball team is poised to continue their climb, with eight players who saw action in 20+ games a year ago returning to the roster. That group is led by Sarah Petkau, who earned All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades a season ago after leading Crown in almost every offensive category.
Also returning are UMAC stolen-base leader Moriah Sawyer, and six other starters that helped Crown to seven conference wins a year ago. In addition to that strong core, Crown added seven freshmen who should all have an impact in 2015.
Headlining that group is shortstop Marissa Becerra from Rosenberg, Texas, DH Sofia Palacios from Sylmar, California, and centerfielder Cassidy Valenzuela from Anaheim, California.
Competition in the fall was at a peak with a talented young roster all vying for starting roles this spring. Crown should prove to have more talent and depth than at any time in the past five years and have their sights set on breaking into the UMAC postseason.
8. North Central University Rams
2014-15 Overall Record: 3-23
2014-15 UMAC Record: 1-20
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 8th
Starters Returning: 2
Starters Lost: 6
Rams first year head coach Jesse Martens is eager to get the Rams back on the map for women’s softball. The Rams roster is filled with freshman athletes also eager to make an impact on the program. The Rams saw their entire infield depart over the off-season including starting pitcher Meryn Garvey. The crop of new players, however, looks to have the talent to fill most of those holes.
Freshman Kylee Bommersbach has the skill set to make a positive impact on the program’s success. She has worked her way into the starting rotation and looks to make an impact with her bat as well. Megan Myers, a junior captain, looks to be a mentor and leader on the field for the freshman players. Coach Martens is confident that the team can compete in 2015 and build on many of last year’s closely contested games.
Following a full slate of nonconference games to start the season, all eight UMAC teams will begin their league schedules the week of March 31. After conference play, the top four teams will gather at Kenwood Field in Duluth, Minn. on May 2-3 for the UMAC Tournament, with the winner earning an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.
Following a full slate of nonconference games to start the season, all eight UMAC teams will begin their league schedules the week of March 30. After conference play, the top four teams will gather at Kenwood Field in Duluth, Minn. on May 1-2 for the 2015 UMAC Tournament, with the winner earning an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.