2016 MAC Softball Awards Announced
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced Tuesday afternoon, the day before the 2016 MAC Softball Championship’s opening round, the end of the year award winners for the 2016 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.
The 2016 Player of the Year honor was awarded to Miami’s Taylor Shuey. During conference play, the senior outfielder hit an incredible .439 with six home runs, 18 runs scored, 21 RBI, seven doubles and 15 walks, giving her an on-base percentage of .554 and a slugging percentage of .818 which were both tops in the league. Overall, Shuey is batting .399 with eight home runs, 34 runs scored and 41 RBIs on the 2016 campaign. Her batting average currently ranks as the second-best in school history and earlier in the year she became the RedHawks’ all-time leader in RBIs as she now has 109 for her career. She was also named MAC East Player of the Week on April 14 after having an incredible week that led the RedHawks to a 3-1 record against Bowling Green and Kent State.
Savannah Jo Dorsey has been the ace of the Ohio Bobcats pitching staff all season long and her efforts earned her 2016 Pitcher of the Year. She has led Ohio to a 33-win season, the second most all-time in program history, and an 18-win improvement from the 2015 season. Dorsey has also earned the MAC East Pitcher of the week five times this season, a career-high for the redshirt junior. Dorsey has put together an incredible season, compiling a 1.66 ERA, a 21-11 record with 18 complete games and six shutouts in 204.2 innings while leading the nation in strikeouts at 294 batters. In Mid-American Conference play, the redshirt junior has posted a 1.56 ERA and a 9-4 record in 90 innings of action, while striking out 121 MAC batters.
For 2016 Freshman of the Year, Northern Illinois’ Alex Frenz established herself as the ace of the Huskies pitching staff in her first season of collegiate softball and earned the honors. Her 1.91 earned run average over 84.1 innings of work in MAC play ranks third in the conference, helping NIU to a 2.29 team ERA, which ranks second in the league. In Frenz’ 20 appearances against league foes ranks second among MAC pitchers and are the most by a freshman pitcher in the conference. The Oakville, Mo. native has a 6-4 record with two saves and six complete games, along with two shutouts. Frenz was also named MAC West Pitcher of the Week on March 28.
Akron’s Erin Seiler was then selected as the recipient of the 2016 Nan Harvey Award. Aside from being an outstanding student and athlete, Seiler has represented the University of Akron well in the community. Some of the places she has volunteered her time include Akron’s Children’s Hospital, Zips Big Sisters Club and and North Royalton Schools Career Day. Seiler has carried the weight of her team, along with all of the pressure that it brings, for four solid years. Seiler has worked through injuries and illness each season, finally preparing herself to lead our team on the field to another MAC Championship berth this season, as well as in the classroom. She has immersed herself in campus life while remaining active in various on-campus groups, particularly those related to marketing and sales where she is one of our top students in Akron’s College of Business. On the field, she excelled for the Zips as well. Seiler was a three-time MAC Pitcher of the Week and posted a 25-win season in 2016. In a Mid-American Conference high 250 innings of work, Seiler recorded an impressive 1.76 ERA (second best in the MAC), and held the opposition to a .210 batting average (third in the MAC) while striking out 211 batters. Seiler was also voted in as a 2016 Second Team All-MAC selection.
Kent State’s head coach Eric Oakley was named the 2016 Coach of the Year for the first time in his career. Taking over as Interim Head Coach of the Golden Flashes this season, Oakley led his team to its second straight MAC Regular Season Title with a 35-20 (16-7 MAC) record.
The All-MAC First Team was made up of Buffalo’s Savanna Norcio, Central Michigan’s Allison Curtis, Eastern Michigan’s Michelle Kriegshauser and Kent State’s Maddy Grimm and Ronnie Ladines. Three RedHawks, Miami’s Amber Logemann, Michaela Schlattman and player of the year Shuey earned first team honors as well as the Huskies Emily Naegele and Kayti Grable, the Bobcats pitcher of the year Savannah Jo Dorsey, the Rockets Chandler Rice and rounded out by three Broncos in Sabrina Gamboa, Allyson Kus and Melissa Palmer.
The All-MAC Second team consisted of Akron’s Alyssa Nicholas and Nan Harvey selection Seiler, Central Michigan Maison Kalina and CarolAnn Sexauer, Eastern Michigan’s Aoife Duffy, Kent State’s Holly Speers, Miami’s Lauren Anderson and Johniann Wahl, Northern Illinois’ Alex Frenz, Kali Kossakowski and Caitlyn Warren, Ohio’s Morgan Geno, Taylor Saxton, Danielle Stiene and Jamie Wren, Toledo’s Jessica Lemieux and Western Michigan’s Kelsea Cichocki.
Closing-out the regular season awards was the naming of the 2016 MAC All-Freshman Team recognizing the best of the up-and-coming following their first season at the collegiate softball level. Along with the Freshman of the Year Alex Frenz of NIU, the team included Akron’s Lilli Piper, Buffalo’s Katie Weimer, Ball State’s Madison Lee, Central Michigan’s Allison Curtis, Eastern Michigan’s Amanda Akles, Miami’s Michaela Schlattman and Johniann Wahl and Ohio’s Morgan Geno and Jamie Wren.
The 2016 MAC Softball Championship begins Wednesday at 10:30 AM ET at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. Check out the MAC Softball Championship Central HERE.
2016 Player of the Year
Taylor Shuey / Miami / Senior
2016 Pitcher of the Year
Savannah Jo Dorsey / Ohio / R-Junior
2016 Freshman of the Year
Alex Frenz / Northern Illinois
2016 Coach of the Year
Eric Oakley, Kent State
2016 Nan Harvey Award Winner
Erin Seiler / Akron / Senior
2016 All-MAC First Team
Savanna Norcio / Buffalo / Junior / UTL
Allison Curtis / Central Michigan / Freshman / OF
Michelle Kriegshauser / Eastern Michigan / Senior / OF
Maddy Grimm / Kent State / Junior / 3B
Ronnie Ladines / Kent State / Junior / P
Amber Logemann / Miami / Senior / P
Michaela Schlattman / Miami / Freshman / SS
Taylor Shuey / Miami / Senior / OF
Emily Naegele / Northern Illinois / Senior / C
Kayti Grable / Northern Illinois / Senior / 1B
Savannah Jo Dorsey / Ohio / Senior / P
Chandler Rice / Toledo / Junior / 2B
Sabrina Gamboa / Western Michigan / Senior / SS
Allyson Kus / Western Michigan / Senior / P
Melissa Palmer / Western Michigan / Senior / 2B
2016 All-MAC Second Team
Alyssa Nicholas / Akron / Junior / C
Erin Seiler / Akron / Senior / P
Maison Kalina / Central Michigan / Sophomore / C
CarolAnn Sexauer / Central Michigan / R-Senior / SS
Aoife Duffy / Eastern Michigan / Senior / C
Holly Speers / Kent State / Sophomore / SS
Lauren Anderson / Miami / R-Junior / UTL
Johniann Wahl / Miami / Freshman / 1B
Alex Frenz / Northern Illinois / Freshman / P
Kali Kossakowski / Northern Illinois / Junior / SS
Caitlyn Warren / Northern Illinois / Senior / OF
Morgan Geno / Ohio / Freshman / UTL
Taylor Saxton / Ohio / R-Sophomore / 2B
Danielle Stiene / Ohio / Sophomore / P
Jamie Wren / Ohio / Freshman / OF
Jessica Lemieux / Toledo / Senior / OF
Kelsea Cichocki / Western Michigan / Junior / 3B
2016 All-Freshman Team
Lilli Piper / Akron / UTL
Katie Weimer / Buffalo / C
Madison Lee / Ball State / UTL
Allison Curtis / Central Michigan / OF
Amanda Akles / Eastern Michigan / 3B
Michaela Schlattman / Miami / SS
Johniann Wahl / Miami / 1B
Alex Frenz / Northern Illinois / P
Morgan Geno / Ohio / UTL
Jamie Wren / Ohio / UTL
