Saints tabbed by coaches for 10th-straight UMAC softball championship
ST. PAUL, Minn.---Over the last decade, the College of St. Scholastica has dominated the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) during the softball regular season winning nine-consecutive titles. The Saints will look to keep the streak alive heading into 2018 as the top selection in the UMAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Wednesday.
The top-dog Saints pulled in 61 points and six first-place votes from the coaches, while three other squads appeared first on one ballot. Last season's co-runner-ups Crown College and the University of Northwestern came in second (53 points) and third (51 points), respectively, with each getting a first-place nod. The 2016 UMAC postseason champion University of Wisconsin-Superior also picked up a first-place vote and sits fourth with 47 points.
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Poll |
Matchups |
Team Previews |
A season ago, the perennial power Saints had a "down" season by their standards with two conference losses. However, their 14-2 conference mark was good enough to host the UMAC five-team double-elimination tournament in which the Saints powered to a postseason title – allowing just one run through the entire championship – and returned to their usual place in representing the UMAC in the NCAA regional.
This season, the Saints are again the favorite to take the conference crown despite some other teams receiving first-place votes. That doubt could come from the significant losses in personnel for the Saints. However, there are plenty of veteran returners who should help lead the Saints to yet another solid season on the diamond.
As a team last season, the Saints topped nearly every major statistical category in conference play including average (.422), hits (198), RBI (126), slugging (.610), OBP (0.474), ERA (1.25) and opponent BA (.183).
In her third season leading the Saints, Rilee Dawson will experience her first season without star pitcher Chrisi Mizera who was twice named UMAC Player of the Year during her stellar four-year career on the mound. Two other All-UMAC First Team selections in Olivia Bretting and Hannah Borgeson have also graduated, but Alexa Bremer should carry the load for the Saints on the infield and at the plate. Bremer was one of the top hitters a year ago and led the UMAC in conference hits (30). The 2016 Rookie of the Year Maggie Schley and senior pitcher Vanessa Kohl will help Bremer lead an experienced Saints squad.
Both Crown and Northwestern will look to unseat the Saints for the first time in 10 years. The two teams finished 12-4 in conference play last season and each handed the Saints a regular season loss. The Storm ended as the No. 2 seed in the postseason tournament on tiebreakers, but the Eagles pulled off the upset of the Storm in the semifinals of the tournament and earned an opportunity to play the Saints for a title.
Picked second by just two points, Crown will need strong leadership from UMAC Coach of the Year Jamie Ross and reigning UMAC Player of the Year Lis King. As a sophomore, King was one of the top pitchers and hitters in the UMAC in 2017. Her power at the plate set her apart leading the conference in slugging (1.000), RBI (22) and home runs (8). On the mound, King was a workhorse pitching 98.2 innings in conference play for a conference-best 11 wins. King will also be joined by experienced returners in Cassidy Valenzuela and Olivia Dols.
Northwestern was the tournament surprise defeating Crown twice and winning back-to-back games in come-from-behind fashion to have a shot at the title. The Eagles will be a young team after losing a plethora of talent to graduation including three All-UMAC selections. In her 10th season at the helm, Alicia Du'Monceaux will need junior Mindy Forcier to lead the Eagles after picking up All-UMAC honors last season. Sophomore Abbie Nelson will anchor the Eagles' pitching after seeing some time on the mound as a rookie.
Wisconsin-Superior was picked fourth after placing in the same position last season. The Yellowjackets will reload with returning talent in All-UMAC honorees Ciarra Stavang, Saige Patrick and Katie White. All three seniors have helped the Yellowjackets to success in their first two seasons as UMAC members. Patrick was among the top 10 hitters in league play last season with a monster .700 slugging percentage and 22 hits.
In his first season leading Bethany Lutheran College, Dan Nessler took his squad to an 8-8 conference record, the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament and a playoff win to open tournament play. This year, the Vikings were slotted fifth in the preseason poll with 38 points. Senior hurler Anna Pipenhagen will carry the Vikings in her final season after throwing 90 innings in conference play and recording a UMAC-best 106 strikeouts.
The University of Minnesota Morris is slated to make a postseason push taking sixth in the poll with 27 points. The Cougars will rely heavily on Autumn Mahoney who has earned a variety of conference honors in her first three seasons. Juniors Megan Knickerbocker and Lacey Sullivan will also need to have strong years if the Cougars want to return to the postseason.
Martin Luther College came in seventh in the poll with 23 points. The Knights return 2017 Honorable Mention Kayla Rosenbaum and 2016 All-UMAC pick Megan Lemke to lead the charge. Northland College was slated eighth with 16 points in its first season under new Head Coach Brittany Jurek while North Central University rounded out the poll with eight points.
Crown will be the first team to see action in 2017 facing the College of Saint Benedict in dome play this Saturday, Feb. 17. Five other conference squads begin action in dome tournaments the following weekend before teams take off for warmer weather on spring break trips beginning the first week of March.
Prior to reschedules that come with Minnesota and Wisconsin spring weather, the conference schedule is slated to begin the final weekend of March. With the Easter holiday that weekend, four teams will meet in official conference games Thursday, March 29 while Northland and Northwestern will start Friday, March 30. The following Wednesday will see bridge rivals St. Scholastica and Wisconsin-Superior face off in Superior to highlight the first big matchup of the season.
Saturday, April 7 will see the Saints host the Eagles in a rematch of the postseason championship game and the Vikings and Yellowjackets will have a rematch of the No. 4/5 game from the start of last season's tournament in which the Vikings upset the Yellowjackets. Wisconsin-Superior will then have to turn around to face a Northwestern squad that came-from-behind to eliminate them from the tournament last season.
The southern rivalry between Martin Luther and Bethany Lutheran will be renewed Wednesday, April 18 on the Knights' home field with both teams hoping to gain traction toward a postseason position. That Saturday, the most anticipated matchup of the season comes when St. Scholastica hosts Crown in the second-to-last weekend of the regular season. The regular season wraps Saturday, April 28 with the conference tournament set to begin Thursday, May 3.
Complete UMAC Schedule
2018 UMAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. St. Scholastica - 61 points (6 First Place Votes)
2. Crown - 53 points (1 First Place Vote)
3. Northwestern - 51 points (1 First Place Vote)
4. Wisconsin-Superior - 47 points (1 First Place Vote)
5. Bethany Lutheran - 38 points
6. Minnesota Morris - 27 points
7. Martin Luther - 23 points
8. Northland - 16 points
9. North Central - 8 points
Team Previews
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BLC |
CC |
CSS |
MLC |
NC |
NCU |
UMM |
UNW |
UWS |
Bethany Lutheran College
Dan Nessler | 2nd season |
2017 Season
8-8 UMAC, 15-24 Overall | 5th place finish |
Postseason: Entered the 2017 UMAC tournament as the #5 seed and went 1-2 with a win over UW-Superior and losses to St. Scholastica and Northwestern.
Top Returners
- Anna Pipenhagen, Sr., P | UMAC First Team All-Conference and UMAC All-Defensive Team | 0.93 UMAC ERA, 0 errors during the entire season, .373 UMAC average |
- Katelyn Karels, So., IF | .280 average, three homeruns on the season, 15 RBIs
- Kendra Porath, Jr., IF | .266 average, 6 2Bs |
Need to Know
Last qualified for the NCAA regional tournament in 2013.
The College of St. Scholastica
Rilee Dawson | 3rd Season |
2017 Season
15-2 UMAC, 24-17 | 1st |
Postseason: Went 0-2 at the NCAA Decorah Regional, Won 2018 UMAC Tournament
Top Returners
- Alexa Bremer, Sr., SS | 2017 All-UMAC; 2015, 2016 Honorable Mention All-UMAC; 2017 UMAC All-Defensive Team | 2017 Third Team NFCA All-Midwest Region| 56 H, 30 Runs, .412 avg. |
- Maggie Schley, Jr., 3B | 2016 UMAC Rookie of the Year; 2016 All-UMAC | 2016 NFCA Second Team All-Midwest Region| .380 avg., 38 H, 27 Career Doubles |
- Vanessa Kohl, Sr., P | 8-4, 66 K, /229 Opp. BA |
Need to Know
The Saints out-scored their three opponents in the 2017 UMAC Tournament 31-1.
Crown College
Jamison Ross | 8th Season |
2017 Season
12-4 UMAC, 15-24 | 2nd |
Postseason: Third place in the UMAC tourney
Top Returners
- Lis King, Jr., P/1B | 2017 UMAC Player of the Year, All-UMAC First Team | All-Region Third Team | 13 HRs, 37 RBIs, 2.23 ERA |
- Cassidy Valenzuela, Sr., OF | 2016 All-UMAC First Team | .271 BA, 20 Runs, 7 Doubles |
- Olivia Dols, So., 2B | .921 Fielding %, 20 Hits, 11 RBIs |
Need to Know
Returning reigning UMAC Player of the Year & Coach of the Year.
Martin Luther College
Matt Pearson | 4th Season |
2017 Season
6-10 UMAC, 13-22 overall | T-6th |
Top Returners
- Kayla Rosenbaum, Jr., 3B | 2017 HM All-UMAC | .267 BA, .983 FLD%, 16 RBI |
- Megan Lemke, Sr., IF | 2016 1st Team All-UMAC| 6 doubles, 3 triples, 19 R |
- Audrey Timm, Jr., OF | .281 BA, 20 RBI, 2 HR |
North Central University
Allison Meadows | 2nd Season |
2017 Season
UMAC: 0-16, Overall: 0-34 | 9th |
Top Returners
- Amanda Roth, Sr., UT | Two time UMAC All-Conference First Team (2015, 2017) | .506 Avg., 12 Doubles, 3 HRs|
- Kylee Bommersbach, Sr., INF | Played in 85 of 90 games since rookie year, more than any other Ram |
- Abbey Erzberger, Sr., C | .402 On Base %, Second on team with 26 hits, 8 RBI |
Need to Know
In 2018 the Rams will add 10 new faces from across the country.
Northland College
Brittany Jurek | 1st Season |
2017 Season
6-10 UMAC, 7-27 | 7th |
Top Returners
- Megan Mader, JR, P
- Cheyenne Otto, JR, 3B
Need to Know
Northland starts new traditions with new coach.
University of Minnesota Morris
Heather Pennie-Roy | 20th season |
2017 Season
5-11 UMAC record, 10-28 Overall record | 8th |
Top Returners
- Lacey Sullivan, Jr., IF | .356, 42 hits, 24 runs, 13 2Bs, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 492 SLG% |
- Megan Knickerbocker, Jr., OF | .350, 35 hits, 20 runs, 13 2Bs, 1 HR, 17 RBI, .510 SLG% |
- Autumn Mahoney, Sr., UT | 2016, All-UMAC Honorable Mention, 2016 UMAC All-Defensive Team, 2017 UMAC All-Defensive Team | .338, 44 hits, 28 runs, 8 extra-base hits, 19 RBI, .423 SLG% |
Need to Know
The Cougars had their 8-year streak of at least a .500 winning percentage in conference play snapped in 2017.
University of Northwestern
Alicia du'Monceaux | 10th Season |
2017 Season
12-4 UMAC, 19-20 Overall | 3rd |
Top Returners
- Mindy Forcier, Jr., OF | 2017 UMAC 1st Team All-Conference, 2017 UMAC All-Defensive Team | NCCAA All-Region | Game-High Runs [4 vs. North Central (Apr. 8, 2017)], Game-High Catches [6 vs. UW-Stout (Apr. 1, 2017)], 2017 batting avg [.365] |
- Abbie Nelson, So., P/UT | 2017 UMAC Individual Sportsmanship Award | Game-High Strikeouts [6 vs. North Central (Apr. 8, 2017)], Game-High Catches [5 vs. Carleton (Feb. 24, 2017)], 2017 s-era [2.92]|
Need to Know
UNW has a strong-looking freshman class.
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Roger Plachta | 18th season |
2017 Season
9-7 UMAC, 16-17 | 4th |
Postseason: No. 4 seed in UMAC Tournament
Top Returners
- Katie White, Sr., 1B | UMAC Honorable Mention and All-Defensive Team | .327 BA, 195 PO, 20 runs scored |
- Ciarra Stavang, Sr., OF | Three time All-UMAC | .485 SLG, .402 OBP, 10 doubles |
- Saige Patrick, Sr., LF | All-UMAC | .454 BA (2nd in UMAC), .667 SLG, .454 OBP |
Need to Know
Have won both UMAC and WIAC Tournament Championships.