MAC Announces 2015 Softball Awards
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced Tuesday afternoon, the day before the 2015 MAC Softball Championship’s opening round, the end of the year award winners for the 2015 softball season. Along with the All-MAC first and second teams, the conference office also announce the All-Freshman team and individual awards which included Player, Pitcher and Coach of the Year, as well as the Nan Harvey award, as voted on by the 12 head coaches of the Mid-American Conference.
Central Michigan grabbed three individual awards as junior Katelyn Rentschler was named the 2015 MAC Player of the Year, Sara Hansen the 2015 Freshman of the Year, and Chelsea DeLamielleure the 2015 Nan Harvey award winner. Rentschler, who was also named to the All-MAC First Team, finished the MAC season hitting at a .438 with eight home runs and 26 RBI’s in the Chippewas 20 conference games. The first baseman is ranked fourth in home runs (10) and fifth in slugging percentage (.667) in the MAC for all total games played. She leads the team in six offensive statistical categories, some including hits (23), total bases (49) and RBI (23).
For the Freshman of the Year, Hansen currently ranks second on the team with batting average (.341) in the 16 Mid-American Conference games and .297 in the 40 games played. The freshman, who also was named to the All-MAC Second Team and All-Freshman Team, ranks tied for sixth in the MAC with 14 stolen bases out of her 16 attempts; which also leads the Chippewas.
DeLamielleure was honored with the Nan Harvey Award because of her perseverance in the face of a setback that would have claimed the careers of many. Currently DeLamielleure is hitting .313 with 7 homeruns and is fielding .954. Her on field abilities are achievements worthy of praise; however it is the energy, passion and determination that she exhibits to her softball family every day that truly sets her apart from her peers.? The Nan Harvey’s dedication and passion for women’s sports and the game of softball were shown through her everyday commitment to excellence. She was a part of the University at Buffalo family for over two decades where she helped shape the women’s softball, basketball and volleyball programs. The progression of women’s athletics is, no doubt, a tribute to the vision she had. Her hard work and never give up attitude for pushing forward were all self driven and qualities that cannot be taught or coached.
Kent State’s Emma Johnson claimed the 2015 MAC Pitcher of the Year award for the second time in her career, winning it back in 2013. Johnson entered the weekend ranked in the top 10 in the country in ERA, strikeouts per 7 innings, hits allowed per 7 innings and shutouts in addition to ranking 11th in strikeouts. Her dominance has been noticed across the country, as she was named NFCA National Pitcher of the Week on April 28 and has twice been featured in espnW’s “5 Things You Need to Know” column about happenings in the college softball world.
Kent State’s head coach Karen Linder was named the 2015 Coach of the Year for the fourth time. Linder led her team to a 39-11/17-4 record to earn the number one seen in the MAC Championship.
The All-MAC First Team was made up of Ball State’s Emily Dabkowski and Hanne Stuedemann, Buffalo senior Alexis Curtiss, and CMU’s Trista Cox and Chelsea DeLamielleure. Three Golden Flashes, Maddy Grimm, Dani Ramos and pitcher of the year Johnson claimed first team honors as well as Miami’s Amber Logemann and Tiyona Marshall, Northern Illinois' Kayti Grable, Emily Naegele, and Jessica Sturm and Western Michigan sophomore Ivy Schaaf.
The All-MAC Second team was made up of Akron’s Taryn Allmon and Erin Seiler, Ball State’s Jessica Craft and Nicole Steinbach, CMU’s Rachael Knapp, Eastern Michigan’s Abi Clark, Michelle Kriegshauser, and Taylor Wagner, Kent State’s Holly Speers, Miami’s Remy Edwards, and Western Michigan’s Kelsea Cichocki, Melissa Palmer, Jenny Rohn, and Taylor Sanicki.
Closing-out the regular season awards was the naming of the 2015 MAC All-Freshman Team recognizing the best of the up-and-coming following their first season’s. Along with the Freshman of the Year, the team included Akron’s Taylor Kirian, Bowling Green’s Morgan Evangelista, Buffalo’s Leandra Jew, CMU’s Hannah Warren, Kent State’s Speers, NIU’s Bekah Harnish and Keegan Hayes, Toledo’s Samantha Showalter and WMU’s Anissa Sanchez.
The 2015 MAC Softball Championship begins Wednesday at 10:30 AM ET at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. Check out the MAC Softball Championship Central
HERE.
2015 Player of the Year
Katelyn Rentschler, Central Michigan, Junior
2015 Pitcher of the Year
Emma Johnson, Kent State, Senior
2015 Freshman of the Year
Sara Hansen, Central Michigan
2015 Coach of the Year
Karen Linder, Kent State
2015 Nan Harvey Award Winner
Chelsea DeLamielleure, Central Michigan, Junior
2015 All-MAC First Team
Emily Dabkowski, Ball State, Junior, 2B
Hanne Stuedemann, Ball State, Senior, OF
Alexis Curtiss, Buffalo, Senior, UT
Trista Cox, Central Michigan, Senior, SS
Chelsea DeLamielleure, Central Michigan, Junior, 2B
Katelyn Rentschler, Central Michigan, Junior, 1B
Maddy Grimm, Kent State, Sophomore, 3B
Emma Johnson, Kent State, Senior, P
Dani Ramos, Kent State, Senior, OF
Amber Logemann, Miami, Junior, P
Tiyona Marshall, Miami, Senior, OF
Kayti Grable, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, 1B
Emily Naegele, Northern Illinois, Junior, C
Jessica Sturm, Northern Illinois, Senior, UT/P
Ivy Schaaf, Western Michigan, Sophomore, OF
2015 All-MAC Second Team
Taryn Allmon, Akron, Senior OF
Erin Seiler, Akron, Junior, P
Jessica Craft, Ball State, Senior, C/SS
Nicole Steinbach, Ball State, Junior, P
Sara Hansen, Central Michigan, Freshman, OF
Rachael Knapp, Central Michigan, Sophomore, P
Abi Clark, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 1B
Michelle Kriegshauser, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, OF
Taylor Wagner, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, C
Holly Speers, Kent State, Freshman, SS
Remy Edwards, Miami, Senior, UT/P
Kelsea Cichocki, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3B
Melissa Palmer, Western Michigan, Junior, 2B
Jenny Rohn, Western Michigan, Senior, OF
Taylor Sanicki, Western Michigan, Senior, C
2015 All-Freshman Team
Taylor Kirian, Akron, OF
Morgan Evangelista, Bowling Green, C/UT
Leandra Jew, Buffalo, OF/2B
Sara Hansen, Central Michigan, OF
Hannah Warren, Central Michigan, P
Holly Speers, Kent State, SS
Bekah Harnish, Northern Illinois, C/INF
Keegan Hayes, Northern Illinois, P
Samantha Showalter, Toledo, IF
Anissa Sanchez, Western Michigan, P
