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 |  |  |  | Softball All-Conference awards announced
Monday, May 05, 2008St. Paul, Minn. – After claiming their first Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season title since 1995, Northwestern College had five individuals selected to the league’s All-Conference first team. Junior Kelsey Hanson received the most All-Conference votes, earning UMAC Player of the Year honors. Hanson was a perfect 12-0 in conference contests, showcasing a 1.71 ERA to go with 85 strikeouts in 13 appearances. Hanson’s teammate and fellow pitching partner Amanda Rodgers also received first team All-Conference honors, going 7-2 from the rubber while preserving a .485 batting average.
After the Eagles finished 8-6 in conference play last season, Northwestern turned things around in 2008, improving to 19-2 to earn head coach Tracy Cromer the league’s Coach of the Year accolade.
Northland College and the College of St. Scholastica, who finished second and third within the conference’s regular season ranks, each boasted three individual All-Conference selections. The LumberJills from Northland, who went 17-4 in conference play, were led by sophomore Karen Harnisch, who built an impressive .531 batting average and .875 slugging percentage in league play.
First team All-Conference winners Kayla Kahilainen and Michaela Carlson paced St. Scholastica, winners of the last 10 conference championships. Kahilainen batted .382 with four home runs in conference games this season, while Carlson maintained a .421 batting average to go with a team-high 26 runs batted in.
Bethany Lutheran College, the University of Minnesota-Morris and Crown College each added one individual to the All-Conference list. Martin Luther College, Minnesota-Morris, Northland and Bethany Lutheran had two more individuals receive All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades.
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| | | | Bethany men’s golf battles the MIAC
Wednesday, April 23, 2008Le Sueur, Minn.—The biggest tourney of the Vikings spring occurred on Monday and Tuesday with the Third Annual Bobby Krig Invitational. Bethany faced 15 other collegiate teams at the event. On Monday, the 16 teams played 36 holes at Le Sueur Country Club, and on Tuesday they traveled to Jordan, MN for 18 at the Ridges at Sand Creek.
The Bethany men placed 13th behind a tough field. The Vikings shot a total of 981 (321, 325, 335). Each individual took turns leading the way. Mitchell Koepp and Joe Baer both shot 77 in the first 18, while Jason Nelson and Ethan Wessel both holed out 79s on Monday’s second 18. At the Ridges on Tuesday, Baer led the way again with a 79. Full Story | | | | |
| | | | Bethany golf tops UMAC competitors at North Links
Thursday, April 17, 2008North Mankato, Minn. - The Bethany men’s golf team snuck by close competition to a spring victory on Wednesday. The meet was hosted by Martin Luther who invited four other UMAC schools to North Links Golf Course, just three miles north of North Mankato.
The men finished with a total of 327, led by a team low 77 from sophomore Mitchell Koepp. The team total was good enough for a one stroke victory over Martin Luther, who finished with a 328. Northwestern College finished two behind in third with a 329. Minnesota Morris (381) and Crown College (387) were also present for the meet. Individual medalist for the meet was shared by Isaac Crass (Martin Luther) and Nick Olson (Northwestern), who both finished with a 76.
Outside of Koepp’s 77, the Bethany men recorded four other rounds in the eighties including Ethan Wessel’s 81, Joe Baer’s 84, Paul Webber’s 85, and Jason Nelson’s 86.
The Schlicker sisters finished a Bethany sweep by medaling amongst the UMAC women golfers. Katy Schlicker finished her round with an impressive 87 and Kelsey Schlicker came in second with a 99. Full Story | | | | |
| | | | Kristin Scislow selected as UMAC Scholar-Athlete
Wednesday, April 16, 2008ST. PAUL (Apr. 16, 2008) – As the 2007-08 academic year is coming to a close, the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) has instituted the Scholar-Athlete award, which is generally given to one male and one female from a UMAC member-institution. UMAC Scholar-Athletes are graduating seniors who demonstrate a healthy balance by achieving excellence in academics, leadership, and service, while participating in intercollegiate athletics. The first class of UMAC Scholar-Athletes includes Kristin Scislow from Bethany Lutheran College, Nathan Nass from Martin Luther College and Christopher Rubesch from the College of St. Scholastica.
The NCAA Division III athlete is unique among intercollegiate athletes because, at Division III institutions, student-athletes receive no financial aid for athletic participation. These institutions emphasize the overall quality of the educational experience and successful completion of the student’s academic program; athletic participation is an important part of that educational experience. The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to students who embody what it means to be an NCAA Division III athlete. Through this award the UMAC recognizes the role athletics plays in developing leaders by rewarding athletes' excellence in the classroom as well as service to the community. The league’s Faculty Athletic Representatives (FAR) nominate and vote on this honor.
Scislow is a three-year soccer player who is majoring in Biology at Bethany Lutheran. A Dean’s list recipient in every semester of her college career, she is a two-time UMAC Academic All-Conference athlete who currently boasts a 3.99 cumulative grade point average (GPA). Scislow is the head coach of the Prior Lake U-17 girl’s soccer team and has taught Sunday school for the past four years.
“Kristin is giving, compassionate and joyful in all she does,” said Matt Kuster, Bethany Lutheran’s Faculty Athletic Representative. “She truly embodies everything a student-athlete strives to be.” Full Story | | | | |
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