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RIPON, Wis. - St. Norbert aims for a fourth Midwest Conference (MWC) championship in the last five years as they are tabbed as one of the early favorite in the 2013 MWC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll. St. Norbert and Carroll are deadlocked for the top spot in the North Division while newcomer Cornell is picked to win the South Division this season.

The Green Knights and Pioneers each received 14 total points with Carroll earning three first place votes and St. Norbert capturing the other two. Ripon (one first place vote) is entrenched in third place with 11 points while Lawrence (seven points) and Beloit (four points) round out the division. Cornell is playing in the MWC for the first time since the 1997 season and had 23 points and three first place votes to edge out Lake Forest (three first place votes) by one point. Monmouth (18 points) and Illinois Col. (13 points) were voted in third and fourth, respectively while Knox (nine points) and Grinnell (five points) finished out the poll.

The conference will look familiar this season as 17 All-MWC selections return (nine from the North Division, eight from the South Division) led by all three of the All-North Division Player and Pitchers of the Year. Steph Brunette (St. Norbert) was the 2012 North Division Pitcher of the Year while both Stephanie Rieuwpassa (Ripon) and Taylor Steinhilber (Carroll) shared the North Division Pitcher of the Year award as all return to compete in 2013.

North
t1	Carroll (2)	14 points
t1	St. Norbert (2)	14
3	Ripon (1)	11
4	Lawrence	7
5	Beloit	4
South
1	Cornell (3)	23
2	Lake Forest (3)	22
3	Monmouth	18
4	Illinois Col.	13
5	Knox	9
6	Grinnell	5

Notes: first place votes in paranthesis...In the North four points awarded for first place, three for second, etc. and in the South five points awarded for first place, four for second, etc.

NORTH DIVISION PREVIEW

t1. Carroll Pioneers
2012 Record: 22-14 (5-3)
Returning All-MWC: 2

Reigning MWC North Division Coach of the Year Amy Gradecki leads the Pioneers onto the field for her fourth season and tries to duplicate last season’s MWC Tournament appearance, the first time Carroll had appeared in the league tournament since 2001. Gradecki returns a talented team led by a pair of All-North Division award winners Hannah Sanidas and Taylor Steinhilber. Sanidas batted .365 for a team that led the entire league in average (.311), slugging percentage (.411), on base percentage (.353), runs (170), hits (313), and runs batted in (149). Sanidas also led the league in doubles (14) and finished eighth with a .548 slugging percentage. Steinhilber performed double-duty as she finished third in the conference with a 1.83 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .233 average while also hitting .367 with four doubles and only striking out seven times in 83 plate appearances. Jamie Siewert will complement the Carroll offense after collecting eight doubles, three triples, and a pair of home runs a year ago.

t1. St. Norbert Green Knights
2012 Records: 18-20 (6-2)
Returning All-MWC: 4

St. Norbert will have a target on its back after winning the MWC last season with an 18 win season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last six seasons under JoAnn Krueger. The Green Knights welcome back a veteran lineup that boasts four All-North Division selections including All-North Division Player of the Year Steph Brunette. Brunette led the entire league in batting average (.444), on base percentage (.478) and hits (56) while also clubbing ten doubles and stealing nine bases. Morgan Buboltz finished runner-up to Brunette with a .395 average and also finished in a tie for third in the league with five homeruns to go along with eight doubles. Samantha Gross headlines the infielders with a .276 average with 32 hits, five doubles and only eight strikeouts in 121 plate appearances. All-MWC pitcher Shannen Schmidt is back to stabilize the defense after winning 11 games and throwing 143.2 innings a year ago with 101 strikeouts and four shutouts.

3. Ripon Red Hawks
2012 Records: 16-13 (4-4)
Returning All-MWC: 2

After missing the MWC Tournament for the first time since the 2005 season Jen Mueller takes a young team and looks to parlay them to a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Red Hawks have only one senior on the roster but that one senior will be a huge part of the success of the Ripon program in the 2013 season as Stephanie Rieuwpassa comes back as the reigning North Division Co-Pitcher of the Year. Rieuwpassa led all pitchers last year in ERA (1.45), opponent batting average (.187), strikeouts (134) and saves (three) all while hitting for a .343 average with seven doubles, a triple, and six homeruns. Joining Rieuwpassa is All-MWC performer Beth Ebben who hit .296 with four doubles, a triple, and 23 runs scored for the Red Hawks. Karisa Simonsen led the team with a .365 average and finished tied for second in the league with three triples and posted a .458 on base percentage. With the help of Rieuwpassa Ripon led the league in most pitching categories including ERA (2.05), opponent batting average (.217), strikeouts (176), and hits allowed (165). 

4. Lawrence Vikings
2012 Record: 9-22 (2-6)
Returning All-MWC: 1

Entering her 20th season Lawrence Head Coach Kim Tatro welcomes back all but one player from nine win team in 2012 and aims to get back to the MWC Tournament for the first time since 2006. Shannon Murray highlights the returning class after earning All-North Division honors finishing with a .344 average with nine doubles, two triples, and two home runs while driving in 21 runs. Murray also paced the Vikings in the circle as she threw 143.2 innings (tied most in league) and struck out the third most batters (107) with 19 complete games. Coley LaChance had a successful rookie campaign with a .280 average (second on team) including five doubles and 21 hits with teammate Cathy Kaye scoring a team-best 23 runs with seven doubles, a triple, and four homeruns.

5. Beloit Buccaneers
2012 Record: 9-24 (3-5)
Returning All-MWC: 0

Beloit Head Coach Kim Zarling aims to get the Buccaneers back to the MWC Tournament for the first time since 2005 after a 2012 season where they finished with nine overall wins, three coming in conference play. Zarling has to replace All-MWC award winning pitcher Katy Sandt and will turn to Megan Salm to help replace the 141 innings that Sandt pitched last season. Salm appeared in 16 games and threw 70.2 innings while earning three wins. Offensively Kandace Fox returns after hitting .284 in 33 games with six doubles and a team-best on base percentage of .394. Emily Dorjath had eight extra base hits (six doubles, two homeruns) as Beloit’s primary power source as her slugging percentage (.423) was almost 150 points higher than the team average slugging percentage (.278).

SOUTH DIVISION PREVIEW

1. Cornell Rams
2012 Record: 20-18 (6-10 IIAC)
Returning All-IIAC: 1

Cornell is back in the MWC for the first time since 1997 and is coming of a 20 win season in 2012 under the direction of Shanda Ness. Ness welcomes back her top four hitters and a top pitcher in hopes of claiming the school’s first MWC Championship. Kari Martin headlines the hitters after leading the team with a .385 average that included eight doubles, three homeruns, and a 1.027 OPS. Brittani Yost had a team-best 40 hits for a .342 average that included nine doubles, two homeruns, and six stolen bases while teammate Rebekah Ozga had 12 extra base hits (ten doubles, two homeruns) and also was one of six players with a .300 or better average (.310). Amanda Engel will shoulder the pitching duties after tossing 93 innings a year ago that included 68 strikeouts and four shutouts while holding opposing hitters to a .256 average.

2. Lake Forest Foresters
2012 Record: 17-18 (7-1)
Returning All-MWC: 3

Lake Forest looks to continue their success as they have appeared in the MWC Tournament every season since 200 and have won the tournament four times in that span. Joe Kinsella returns a pair of All-South Division performers including Whitney Leiderman and Nora Logue. Logue finished tied for fourth in the league with a .381 average collecting four doubles, a triple, and five home runs all while posing a 1.096 OPS. Leiderman was third on the team with a.293 average and scored 21 runs also collecting seven doubles and five home runs. She also stole ten bases for a team that led the league with 43 steals and were only thrown out ten times. Sam Ritsema is the Foresters top power producer as she topped the league with seven home runs and also chipped in four doubles and a triple with teammate Nikki Miller bringing back a .320 average and a team-best 33 hits. Molly Thomsen will shoulder the load on the mound after throwing 102.2 innings last season with a 3.27 ERA and threw ten complete games in her 15 starts.

3. Monmouth Fighting Scots
2012 Record: 18-18 (6-2)
Returning All-MWC: 2

Monmouth aims for the school’s sixth straight MWC Tournament bid under John Goddard and its first MWC Championship since 1987. Monmouth returns a pair of All-MWC performers headlined by Sommer Foster and Caitlin Lingle. Foster ranked sixth in the league with a .379 average, led the team with 13 extra base hits (five doubles, three triples, five homeruns) and posted a 1.102 OPS. Lingle hit for a .328 average with six doubles, a triple, and four homeruns while driving in 28 runs, which was second-best in the MWC, with Alyssa Edler contributing six doubles for a team that finished third in the league with 42 doubles. Edler also led a trio of pitchers after posting a 2.81 ERA in 79.2 innings with six wins and four complete games. Skyler Johnson (2-4, 2.81 ERA, 47.1 IP) and Taylor Smith (6-5, 3.73 ERA, 50.2 IP) compliment Edler in the circle after the Fighting Scots ranked third in team ERA (3.13) and fourth in opponent batting average (.286).

4. Illinois Col. Lady Blues
2012 Record: 9-22 (5-3)
Returning All-MWC: 2

Taking over for 2012 MWC South Division Coach of the Year Mark Brayfield, Megan Roman embarks on her first season, welcoming a team that only lost one player to graduation. Despite losing 2012 South Division Pitcher of the Year Erin Rutledge the Lady Blues bring back a pair of All-South Division award winners in Courtney Kwasnitza and Paige Cullison. Cullison finished tied for fourth in the league with a .381 average while scoring 22 runs and posting a team-best .422 on base percentage. Kwasnitza hit .359, scored 21 runs, and lead the league in triples with four. She will also be a threat on the base paths after 13 steals (tied second in MWC), only getting thrown out twice. Mollie Hoerr was second on the team with a .365 average and led the team with 12 extra base hits (eight doubles, four home runs), 20 runs batted in, and a .600 slugging percentage (tied third in MWC). Alese Speckhart (44.2 innings, 4.86 ERA) and Megan Kuchar (41.1 innings, 5.93 ERA) will be a solid one-two punch on the mound and aim to replace the over 90 innings of work that were lost from the graduation of Rutledge.

5. Knox Prairie Fire
2012 Record: 9-17 (1-6)
Returning All-MWC: 1

Knox last won a MWC Championship in the 1980 season and plays for a spot in the MWC Tournament for the first time in school history under fourth year Head Coach Ashley Sims. Sims works with a young team this season with only one senior and four juniors on the 15 player squad. Although there are a lot of underclassmen Sims welcomes back her top four hitters from a year ago including All-South Division selection Amber Eisha. Eisha finished tied for eighth in the conference with a .367 average and belted eight doubles and a pair of home runs while starting in all 26 games. Rhiannon Neuville finished third in the league with a .387 average with three doubles, a triple, and stole a team-best three bases. Avecena Hollingsworth (.296/.358/.380) and Jenna Butler (.293/.316/.373) will supplement Eisha and Neuville offensively for a team that hit .255 last season. Not only did Eisha help carry the Prairie Fire offense she also threw 102.1 innings and won six games that included three shutouts.

6. Grinnell Pioneers
2012 Record: 2-26 (0-7)
Returning All-MWC: 0

Grinnell takes the field after improving two games last year and will push towards making an appearance in the MWC Tournament for the first time since 2006 under Amanda Reckamp. The Pioneers field a young team in 2013 with only one senior and two juniors and look towards Summer Wilke to lead the offense. Wilke looks to fill the void of departed All-South Division selection Amanda Stromquist after scoring a team-best 12 runs and collecting 18 hits. Aniela Wendt had four doubles and 13 hits as one of only five returning players from a year ago.  Jennifer Fulton comes back after throwing 54 innings a year ago and earning a win while Wilke threw 30 innings in 14 appearances.


[2012 Statistics]

[2012 MWC Championship Tournament]

[2012 Standings]

[Softball Record Book]