Marshall University Athletics
Five Players Named To All-Conference Team
8/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 10, 2005
CLEVELAND - Rachel Folden (Baldwin Park, Calif.) was named Freshman of the Year and head coach Shonda Stanton was awarded Coach of the Year in the Mid-American Conference as the Marshall softball team racked up a slew of recognitions on Tuesday.
Joining Folden on the First Team All-MAC squad is centerfielder Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) and pitcher Randi Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.).
Folden, who is the first freshman to garner the award since teammate A. Williams did so in 2003, has been a force to be reckoned with since stepping foot on the field in February. The rookie led the conference in slugging percentage (.677), RBI (54), doubles (19) and total bases (111), while ranking second in batting average (.415), runs (33) and hits (68). The catcher tallied three MAC East Player of the Week nods in her first campaign in the Green and White.
A three-time, first-team honoree, A. Williams found herself in a different role this season, serving as the MAC Regular Season Champion's lead-off hitter. The junior took full advantage, leading the league in runs (43), while ranking second in doubles (16) and third in hits (59). A. Williams .345 batting average was the sixth best in the conference in 2005. The tri-captain was named the weekly top player in the East Division three times in 2005
Nielson is back on the first-team squad after a one-year hiatus last year. After winning MAC Pitcher of the Year in 2003, Nielson returned with a vengeance in 2005, leading the league with a 19-7 record, including a tremendous 10-1 mark in conference play. The senior wrapped up the regular season with a 2.19 ERA, 110 strikeouts and an opponent's batting average of .221. Nielson picked up three MAC East Pitcher of the Week awards this season.
Stanton was named Coach of the Year for the second time in three years for her work in guiding a team with only one senior to a regular season title. In this her sixth season at the helm of the program, Stanton's squad led the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, runs, RBI, doubles, home runs and wins. The Herd boasted 10 weekly conference awards and turned out its second 20-win season in league play in just three years. MU possesses the No. 1 seed heading into tournament play in Akron on Wednesday.
Also notching spots on the all-conference list were juniors Jessica Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) and Leigh Wintter (Acworth, Ga.). The duo landed on the Second Team All-MAC squad.
J. Williams, a three-time, all-conference performer, was named to the First Team in 2004 and the Second Team in 2003. The two-year captain has been the backbone of the Herd infield all season, leading the conference in sacrifice bunts (15) and ranking fourth in stolen bases (20). The shortstop concluded the regular season batting .295 with 30 runs and 46 hits.
Wintter captured all-conference accolades for the first time in her career. The junior captured the Marshall single-season home run record and already holds the career mark. The third baseman was third in RBI (35), second in home runs (10) and also put up a .256 batting average and 13 doubles as the Herd's cleanup hitter. Wintter picked up two home runs last weekend, including a grand slam, for some momentum heading into the Herd's tournament run.
First Team All-MAC 1B Kelly Quigley, Akron 2B Jenny Tisevich, Ohio SS Gina Muratori, Toledo 3B Gina Rango, Bowling Green 3B, Amy Hudson, Central Michigan C Rachel Folden, Marshall OF Kathy Dearborn, Northern Illinois OF Katie Niemi, Western Michigan OF Amanda Williams, Marshall P Liz Vrabel, Bowling Green P Randi Nielson, Marshall P Jill DeRoche, Central Michigan P Jackie Poggendorf, Miami DP Kerry Omerza, Akron UT Tricia VanDerSlik, Western Michigan
Second Team All-MAC 1B Christan Dhondt, Central Michigan 2B Megan McPherson, Bowling Green 2B Marcy Hansen, Buffalo SS Sara Zilles, Akron SS Jessica Williams, Marshall 3B Leigh Wintter, Marshall 3B Liz Flack, Eastern Michigan C Whitney Lebowitz, Kent State OF Allison Vallas, Bowling Green OF Christin Sobeck, Central Michigan OF Christine Bills, Miami P Tina McCauley, Akron P Lindsey LaChiana, Northern Illinois DP Kim Pettitt, Toledo UT Megan MacKenzie, Akron
MAC Player of the Year Gina Rango, Bowling Green
MAC Pitcher of the Year Liz Vrabel, Bowling Green
MAC Freshman of the Year Rachel Folden, Marshall
MAC Coach of the Year Shonda Stanton, Marshall
