All-MAC Softball Team Announced
May 8, 2003
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Cleveland - The Mid-American Conference announced the 2003 All-MAC award
winners at the annual softball banquet held in conjunction with the MAC
Softball Tournament in Akron, Ohio. Fifteen members were selected to the
All-MAC first team and an additional fifteen were chosen to the All-MAC
second team. Freshman of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Player of the
Year and Coach of the Year were announced as well.
Player of the Year honors went to Central Michigan's Michelle Brander.
Brander ended the regular season hitting .413, tied for second in the
conference. In conferene play her average jumped to .435. Brander was
second in the league with a .643 slugging percentage, hitting 24
extra-base hits. She started the year at catcher and moved to shortstop
when the teams every day shortstop, Natalie de la Vega, was injured.
Brander was solid in the field with a .952 fielding percentage at the
two positions.
Marshall outfielder Amanda Williams was chosen as MAC Freshman of the
Year. Marshall's freshman sensation has rewritten the school's record
books in only her first year in a Herd uniform. Williams' .431 batting
average not only led the Mid-American Conference in 2003, but also ranks
her fifth in the MAC's all-time single season record books. She also led
the MAC with 50 runs scored, 72 hits, a .508 on base percentage and 100
total bases, all Marshall records. Williams is second in the conference
in RBIs (46) and stolen bases (21). The centerfielder has been a
mainstay for the Herd, committing only three errors in that crucial
position.
Marshall pitcher Randi Nielson was named MAC Pitcher of the Year.
Nielson compiled a record of 22 wins against only five losses this
season. Currently ranked 12th in the nation in win-loss percentage
(.814), she has collected the most overall wins of any pitcher in the
Mid-American Conference. Nielson is sporting the best overall earned run
average of any pitcher in the conference, allowing opponents only 1.14
earned runs per game in 2003. Fanning 150 batters on the season, she
completes the pitching triple crown as the conference's overall
strikeout leader. Nielson has also been impressive in MAC only play,
earning the most wins (11) and posting a 0.93 ERA to place her third in
that category. Tossing four one-hit contests and with multiple two-hit
outings, she amassed a league leading eight shutouts on the season.
Marshall head coach Shonda Stanton was named the MAC Coach of the Year
for guiding the school to its first regular season title and outright
East Division Championship. The Herd, which finished 18-28 last year,
finished the season 40-15 overall and 20-14 in conference play. Both
overall and conference win totals are the most in program history.
The All-MAC teams were selected in a vote by all 13 league coaches. Each
team consists of one designated player, one utility player, one first
base, one second base, one shortstop, one third base, one catcher, three
outfielders, two pitchers and three at-large players.
Eight of the thirty honorees, Angie Gerber, Katie Shea, Breanne Nasti,
Michelle Brander, Tracee McCoy, Kris Burdine, Angie Fiero and Sierra
Davenport, received All-MAC accolades last year. Eleven of the thirteen
schools had at least one player named to the all-mac team.
First Team All-MAC
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
1B Angie Gerber# Miami Sr. LaSalle, MI
2B Lisa Mattke Northern Illinois Sr. Plymouth, IN
SS Katie Shea@ Ball State Sr. Royal Oak, MI
3B Gina Rango Bowling Green Fr. North Lima, OH
C Carrie Eneix Kent State Jr. Pickerington, OH
OF Breanne Nasti@ Buffalo Jr. Baldwin, NY
OF Amanda Williams Marshall Fr. Powder Springs, GA
OF Jaymie Voss Western Michigan Jr. Kalamazoo, MI
P Randi Nielson Marshall So. Tucson, AZ
P Laura Stewart Western Michigan Jr. Plymouth, MI
DP Allison Webb Marshall So. Wayne, WV
UT Michelle Brander# Central Michigan Sr. Jenison, MI
AL Lea Dorto Kent State Sr. North Canton, OH
AL Tracee McCoy@ Akron Sr. Akron, OH
AL De'Shaun Drake Marshall Sr. Spring Valley, CA
Second Team All-MAC
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
1B Toni DelToro Northern Illinois So. Las Vegas. NV
2B Courtney Kacenga Marshall Fr. Sierra Vista, AZ
SS Jessica Williams Marshall Fr. Powder Springs, GA
3B Aimee Smith Central Michigan Jr. Romeo, MI
C Becca Garcia Miami Fr. Martinez, CA
OF Kris Burdine# Ball State Jr. New Palestine, IN
OF Jamie Carey Miami Jr. Pendleton, IN
OF Erin Chapman Ohio Jr. Beavercreek, OH
P Liz Vrabel Bowling Green Fr. Allison Park, PA
P Courtney Salmon Miami Fr. Auburn, WA
DP Gina Dobbs Western Michigan Sr. Oak Park, IL
UT Jackie Poggendorf Miami So. Phoenix, AZ
AL Angie Fiero# Western Michigan Sr. Rives Junction, MI
AL Page Shemoski Northern Illinois Sr. Palos Park, IL
AL Sierra Davenport# Marshall Jr. Tucson, AZ
@ First Team All-MAC in 2002
# Second Team All-MAC in 2002
Coach of the Year
Shonda Stanton, Marshall
Player of the Year
Michelle Brander, Central Michigan
Freshman of the Year
Amanda Williams, Marshall
Pitcher of the Year
Randi Nieslon, Marshall
