UW-Whitewater senior Amy Gahl was named Co-Scholar Athlete, sophomore Jessica Stang was named Pitcher of the Year, and Brenda Volk earned the Coach of the Year Award on the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team for 2009.
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team for 2009.
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete
Gahl and Stang are joined by UW-W teammates Suzanne Gersich, Lauren Cruz, Amanda LeBeau, and Liz Yucius on the WIAC First Team. Nicole Bothun was named UW-Whitewater's representative on the All-Sportsmanship Team.
Gahl is the tenth UW-W player to earn the Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete Award for softball, more than any of school. The most recent UW-W honoree was pitcher Dana Jakoubek in 2005. Gahl has a 3.65 (out of 4.0) cumulative grade point with a major in psychology and minor in human services. She was also a ESPN The Magazine First Team All-District Academic choice this year, a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association Scholar Athlete, and a three-time WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll recipient. She has been on UW-W's Academic Achievement Award and earned Chancellor's Scholar Athlete designation recently.
Gahl also stood out on the field. She broke the WIAC record for career hits (228) and UW-Whitewater career runs record (184). She was among the top ten in the WIAC in almost every offensive category including runs (51, first), hits (first, 65), batting average (fourth, .465), slugging percentage (fifth, .686), on base percentage (fifth, .497), doubles (tied second, 13), stolen bases (tied tenth, 9) and triples (tied third, 3). 2009 is the third consecutive year that Gahl was earned First Team All-WIAC honors.
Stang, a lefty, went 19-1 with a 0.64 earned run average and five saves this season. She led the league in wins, ERA, batting average allowed (.165), strikeouts (172), and saves (5). She struck the 172 batters in 131.1 innings, with just 23 walks. She was also first team all-conference as a freshman, and shared the Most Valuable Pitcher honors in 2008. UW-W has had six players named WIAC Position Player of the Year (the most recent, Gahl in 2007), plus Stang's two awards as Pitcher of the Year.
Gersich joined Gahl in putting her name among the WIAC leaders in most of the WIAC offensive categories. She led the WIAC in batting (.500). She was also among the top ten in home runs (tied fourth, 9), triples (second, 5), doubles (tied second, 13), runs batted in (sixth, 36), slugging percentage (second,.843), on base percentage (third, .558), runs (eighth, 43) and hits (fourth, 59). She is the WIAC career record holder for runs batted in (166) and home runs (42). Gersich has earned first team all-conference honors three times (also 2006, 2007) and was an honorable mention selection last year.
Cruz repeated the first team honors she earned in 2008. Cruz led UW-Whitewater, and was third in the WIAC with nine home runs and 46 runs batted in. She also batted .319, and repeated first team All-WIAC honors from 2008.
LeBeau batted .389 with five home runs and 32 runs batted in. She was tenth in the league in RBI's, and a first team all-conference pick in 2008.
Yucius batted .277 with ten homers and 31 RBI's. She had just three errors and four passed balls, and a .989 fielding percentage, while forming a formidable battery with Stang.
Volk was selected WIAC Softball Coach of the Year for the fourth time (1999, 2000, 2008) and sixth time a UW-W coach has earned the award.
The WIAC instituted the Sportsmanship Team this year for each conference sponsored sport. Each team selects the athlete it wishes to have recognized.
UW-W went 16-0 to win the WIAC title.
For additional information: Brenda Volk, UW-W coach