Click named MIAC Player of the Year

The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference released its 2009 Post-Season Softball Awards on Wednesday and the league champion Gusties garnered the majority of the awards. Senior shortstop Rachael Click was named the MIAC Player of the Year....Four players received All-Conference honors including Click, Klass, senior outfielder Emily Klein, and pitcher Erin Truebenbach.

Rachael Click is the second player in the history of the program to be named MIAC Player of the Year following Molly Biehn who received the honor in 2003. Click, a four-time All-Conference performer, led the league in the majority of the offensive categories including batting average (.529), slugging (1.216), on-base percentage (.594), RBI (27), home runs (10), and total bases (62). She set the school record for home runs in a season with 16 and became only the third player in MIAC history to hit 30 home runs (35) in a career. Click is only the third player in the program's history to earn All-Conference honors four times in her career.
ST. CLOUD, MN -- Winona State University placed three players on the 2009 Daktronics, Inc. Softball All-Central Region Teams.

Senior, second baseman, Amanda Wilhelm ...was placed on the First Team,   It was the second time Wilhelm earned all-region honors, having been named to the Second Team in 2007. Wilhelm ... will now be placed on a ballot for All-America consideration.

Amanda Wilhelm named All Region

KTTC Player of the Week:  Jess Hegseth

ZUMBROTA (KTTC-DT) -- Week in and week out she just blows hitters away.

"I don't shoot for the strikeout. But if you get it, it's a plus."

This past week she pitched in two games, winning both while striking out 22 runners and allowing just a single run. It's just a snippet of what Zumbrota-Mazeppa's Jess Hegseth has accomplished this season.

"There is a lot of pressure."

The senior hurler has compiled an 18-1 record this season and has the Cougars within one win of an HVL title. In the process she's struck out 180 batters - that's just over 10 a game - and her ERA is a miniscule 0.287.

But the season isn't over for Hegseth and the Cougars. And the goal is to contend for a state title. In order to do that, Hegseth needs to be as close to perfect as possible and she knows it.

For her dominating season on the mound, helping her team to an impressive 18-1 record t his season, Zumbrota-Mazeppa's Jess Hegseth is the KTTC NewsCenter Sports Athlete of the Week

MIAC Player of the Week of 4/20/2009

Rachael Click, Gustavus from Rochester, Minn./Mayo

Gustavus Adolphus College senior shortstop Rachael Click (Rochester, Minn./Mayo) played a major role in helping the Gusties compile a record of 8-0 during the week with wins over Bethel (5-1, 6-0), Hamline (5-0, 2-1), St. Benedict (8-0, 9-2), and Saint Mary's (4-3, 4-0). Click went 12-for-23 at the plate with five home runs, eight runs scored, and nine runs batted in. Her batting average was .523, while her slugging percentage was 1.173, and her on-base percentage was .695. Click, who became the career home run leader at Gustavus during the week (currently with 27), hit one home run against Bethel, two against Hamline, and two against St. Benedict. Against the Blazers, Click was 6-for-6 in the doubleheader (including the two home runs) with five runs scored and 5 RBI. She also became the career RBI leader at Gustavus during the week as she pushed her four-year total to 155. Click is currently hitting .444 with a slugging percentage of .901 and an on-base percentage of .510. The Gusties are currently 27-3 overall and in first place in the MIAC with a record of 16-0.

WIAC Week of April 13 - 19 Position Player of the Week

Mindy Rudiger, Senior (Menomonie), Shortstop of UW-River Falls Rudiger was one of the team’s top hitters in six WIAC games last week. She compiled 11 hits in 20 at-bats for a .550 batting average. Rudiger had eight runs scored, eight RBI, three doubles and one home run. Against UW-Platteville on April 18, she went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, four RBI and belted a three-run home run. In the six games, she also walked three times, had a .609 on-base percentage and a .850 slugging percentage. Rudiger had multiple hits in four contests. Also nominated: UW-Eau Claire, Ainsley Klar, Junior, Thirdbase, La Crosse (Aquinas) -- Former Dane as well.

UW-EC's Kidnie balances school, sport

By Mark Stewart Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Bekki Kidnie is locked in. The UW-Eau Claire junior catcher has driven in 20 runs for the nation's seventh-ranked team. Her slugging percentage was close to .600, and her batting average was nearly .440. But to see her truly in tune with her abilities, you must leave the diamond at Gelein Field and head to the Haas Fine Arts Center. Singing, not swinging, is what she considers her calling.

The story goes that she could sing before she could talk; she was belting out tunes from the Wizard of Oz when she was 2 or 3. "I would sing, 'Over the Rainbow' over and over," she said. "I would just rewind the tape and sing it every day."

One day that story might be the stuff of legends. Right now, it is merely the beginning of a lifelong love of the arts and performing that led Kidnie from her hometown of St. Paul to Eau Claire. There, the aspiring opera singer has blended two challenging and time-consuming disciplines. This is a rare combination.

Some college majors are more attractive to student-athletes because of their flexibility. At Eau Claire, those fields of study are not usually found in the Department of Music and Theater Arts. But being willing to make the commitment sometimes is not enough. Kidnie said some Division I programs told her such a double wasn't possible. "So when I started looking at D-II and D-III schools, some places were still like, there's not enough time for that," she said. "Usually the athletic department is more lenient on the time than the music department I've found because there is so much you have to do as a music major."

Kidnie's hands are full. In addition to practice and games, she has voice practice two to three hours a day, five to six days a week. She also tries to get in at least an hour of piano practice a day. Giving up softball or singing wasn't an option, though. Both seemingly have always been in her life. Her mom sings, both parents play guitar, and there has always been a piano in the basement to tickle. But Kidnie also has a lot of memories of playing catch with her dad and sister in the backyard and playing fast-pitch since the third grade.

"I wouldn't be the athlete that I was if I weren't a musician, and I wouldn't be the musician that I am without being an athlete," she said. "I think I have been able to learn how to balance my time and dedicate myself to something fully while being able to pursue other things." This year her time has been split between preparing for and performing a recital in the fall, and preparing to add to UW-Eau Claire's growing softball legacy.

Wilhelm Named National Player Of The Week

4/1/2009 2:42:30 PM STARKSVILLE, MS -- The National Fastpich Coaches Association has announced that, senior, second baseman, Amanda Wilhelm has been Division II National Player of the Week. Wilhelm helped the Warriors win all six games they played last week and extend their winning streak to eight games by .667 with 10 hits in 15 atbats. Wilhelm also scored 5 runs and drove in 10. Overall Wilhelm had one double and 5 home runs for a 1.733 slugging percentage and added five walks for a .750 on base percentage. She did not strikeout and was perfect in the field, handling 20 total chances. During the period Wilhelm hit home runs in four of six games.

Wilhelm Named NSIC Player Of The Week

ST. PAUL, MN -- No. 13-ranked Winona State University kicked off its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season with a pair of wins over Northern State University and extended its winning streak to eight games as, senior, Amanda Wilhelm was named NSIC Player of the Week. Wilhelm batted .667 for the week with 10 hits in 15 official trips to the plate. She slugged out one double and five home runs for a slugging percentage of 1.733. She also scored eight runs and drove in 10, while walking five times to record a .750 on base percentage. Wilhelm also was flawless in the field, handling 20 total chances without an error.

Freshman Krieg leads pitching staff  by Tim Stang
Issue date: 3/26/09

Along with throwing a no-hitter on Feb. 27, freshman pitcher Brit Krieg leads the 13-18 Huskies with seven wins and a 3.24 ERA.

The transition from high school to college softball generally takes some time, which is why it is rather surprising that Huskies pitcher Brit Krieg threw a no-hitter midway through her first season. Krieg has pitched in a team high 20 of the Huskies 31 games, starting 15 of them. Her 15 decisions are the most on the team. She also leads the team in wins with seven, strikeouts with 53 and innings pitched with 99.1. She also has the only save so far this season. Her strong performance early on in her career is especially important because of the overall team youth.

The Huskies roster has eight first year players and six sophomores. "It takes a little time for young hitters to adjust to college pitching," said head coach Paula U'Ren. "So with our lineup made up of mostly first year players and sophomores we needed her (Krieg) to throw great for us."

The amount of games Krieg has appeared in at such an early stage in her career has surprised many including Krieg. "I didn't think I would be pitching this much, but an injury forced me into this role," said Krieg, the team leader with a 3.24 ERA. "I thought I would be the third of fourth pitcher all winter."

Krieg added that the biggest adjustments she has made to her life here at SCSU have been off the softball field. "The biggest change I have had to make is managing time," Krieg said. "I don't have much of a life during the season as a college athlete. So spending time with friends is not as easy with school and softball."

U'Ren knew Krieg would eventually step into a role as a front-end pitcher along with Kaity Strever, but even she didn't expect her to pitch so well so soon. "We knew we needed a pitcher," U'Ren said. "We needed that 1-2 punch. We were hoping to Krieg would give us that, but we did not realize she would so fast. It has been exciting for us."

Krieg came to SCSU from Hudson, Wis. where she earned four letters on the softball field. She earned three All-District awards as a three-time Big Rivers Conference First Teamer and posted a 0.78 ERA her senior season. U'Ren said there are a number of reasons make Krieg a good pitcher.

"She has a couple different pitches in her arsenal. Her mound presence is great too. She is consistent at all times," U'Ren said. "You would never be able to tell if she just struck a batter out or walked one.

"She was also selected a captain by her peers so she has some leadership ability. She has a lot of softball knowledge and a desire to be great. She loves pressure situations. We threw her into the fire right away against some of the top teams in our conference as well as some Division I teams."

And Krieg has responded to those pressure situations with some impressive games. She has two shutouts including the no-hitter in the Huskies 4-0 victory over Northern State in the Husky Dome. Krieg struck out three while walking zero. If not for two errors in the field by the Huskies, Krieg would have had a perfect game. "That was exciting," Krieg said. "I knew about it all along and I was just hoping that I did not screw it up." Krieg added that she has experience throwing no-hitters as she threw a couple her senior year of high school.

U'Ren said Krieg had particularly good use of her pitching ability that day. "Her rise ball was really hopping that day. She also throws a screwball and she did a nice job using all three of her pitches," U'Ren said. "She also had some timely pitches at the right time."

Krieg nearly threw another no-hitter a few days later when she struck out five batters and limited Bemidji State to just one hit in a complete game shutout victory that the Huskies won 2-0. Krieg said she and the team, which is off to a 13-18 start, should only get better with time.

"We are a really big class, so it is really important that we all stick with it," Krieg said. Krieg and the rest of the Huskies will open the NSIC schedule with double-headers this weekend against Minnesota Duluth on Saturday and Bemidji State on Sunday, both at the Husky Dome.

SOFTBALL: Five Captains Chosen for SCSU 2009 Softball Season

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

St. Cloud, Minn. – The St. Cloud State University softball team has chosen its five team captains for the 2009 season. Those captains include senior Rachel Haines (Pepin, Wis.), junior Kaity Strever (Laurel, Mont.) sophomores Melanie Upchurch (Waterloo, Iowa) and Sarah Stalker (Hudson, Wis.) and first year Britt Krieg (Hudson, Wis.).  

The St. Cloud State softball team has a leadership council that is selected by votes of each member of the team and the coaching staff.  Each class selects a member to represent their class and the program.  This model was employed last year and it allows for the growth of the leaders on the team throughout all classes.  

Head Coach Paula U’Ren commented on the captain selection process, “Leadership is a learning process and by developing leadership skills in each class, it promotes an opportunity for these young women to grow into a leadership and accountability role, and also provides each class with a captain.”  

Coach U’Ren also commented, “Softball is a team sport and this committee provides ownership for the team in more than just the senior class who may typically be named captains.  It is a great honor for each one of these individuals to represent their class and our program as we prepare for the up and coming 2009 season!”

St. Cloud State University, an NCAA Division II affiliate, is a member of the always rugged Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.  Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State University enrolls over 16,000 students, making it the second largest college in the state of Minnesota.

Note:  Haines, Stalker and Krieg are all former Danes Players