ST. EDWARD S UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Transcription

1 SOFTball

2 ST. EDWARD S UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS St. Edward s University competes as a member of NCAA Division II in 11 sports, including baseball, men s and women s basketball, men s and women s golf, men s and women s soccer, softball, men s and women s tennis, and volleyball. After enjoying many successful seasons in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), St. Edward s Athletics made the move to NCAA Division II in As a charter member of the Heartland Conference, the Hilltoppers have won 45 conference championships since joining the NCAA ranks. In fact, 36 of those titles have occurred since the beginning of the academic year. A total of 37 Hilltoppers have earned All- America honors and 30 have been named Academic All-Americans. St. Edward s has sent 56 teams to the NCAA National Tournament. Hilltopper Athletics is coming off another impressive year in The department finished 35th in the annual Learfield Sports Director s Cup, which is its highest finish in school history. Eight teams advanced to the NCAA National Tournament: the men s golf team finished 13th in the nation, and women s golf won the conference title for the sixth-straight year, advancing to regionals for the seventh-straight season; the women s soccer team made its fifth trip in six years to the regional tournament; volleyball won the conference title for the fourth year in a row and advanced to its first regional since 2004; the baseball and softball teams made it back to the NCAA Tournament after a short absence; and both the men and women s tennis teams won the conference title and advanced to regionals. Hilltopper student-athletes have enjoyed success in the classroom, too, earning a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for the past 20 semesters. This past spring, 127 of 178 student-athletes compiled a 3.0 GPA or higher, and 17 individuals earned a 4.0 GPA. Heartland Conference Founded in 1999, the Heartland Conference is an NCAA Division II conference consisting of 10 schools from Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. These schools include founding members St. Edward s University and St. Mary s University as well as expansion members Dallas Baptist University, McMurry University, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, UT Permian Basin, Texas A&M International University, Newman University, University of Arkansas Fort Smith and Oklahoma Christian University. Two additional members, Lubbock Christian University and Rogers State University, will be joining the conference in , bringing the membership to an all-time high of 12 schools. The Heartland Conference is one of the newest NCAA Division II conferences. At the present time, there are 24 conferences in NCAA Division II, totaling approximately 300 institutions in full or provisional status across the nation. info General Information Name: St. Edward s University Website: GoHilltoppers.com Phone: Address: 3001 South Congress Austin, Texas Founded: 1885 Enrollment: 5,330 Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,620 Affiliation: NCAA Division II Conference: Heartland Facility (Capacity): Diane Daniels Field Nickname: Hilltoppers Colors: Blue and Gold President: George E. Martin, PhD Athletics Administration Athletics Director: Debbie Taylor, Associate Athletics Director/Compliance: Melinda Terry, Associate Athletics Director/Operations: Greg Cooper, Administrative Assistant: Monica Baker, Administrative Coordinator: Abby Caswell, Head Athletic Trainer: Lisa Lowe, Media Relations Associate: Logan Lawrence, , (cell) Coaching Staff Head Coach: Lindsay Gardner School Record (Yrs/Pct): (1/.596) Overall Record (Yrs/Pct): Same Assistant Coach: Cat Osterman (Second Season) Office Phone: Follow Athletics twitter.com/topperpride facebook.com/stedwardsathletics youtube.com/user/seusports

3 Season Preview The St. Edward s University softball team returns from an exciting 2012 season. The Hilltoppers experienced their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2009 after sweeping the Heartland Conference Tournament. While at regionals, they knocked out #20 Missouri Western State and Texas Woman s on their way to the championship game before falling to #8 Angelo State. With 12 returners and eight freshmen, the Hilltoppers look to improve on last year s record, playing stellar defense behind a tough pitching staff and incorporating a mix of small ball, speed and power at the plate. THE BATTERY On the mound, sophomores Sarah Debrow and Emily Mayfield will return with a Heartland Conference Tournament Championship and stellar performances at regionals under their belt. That experience is going to play a vital part in their confidence this season. Debrow and Mayfield combined for 21 wins on the season last year, and they had the lowest ERAs on the team. They bring movement and finesse to the pitching staff and I foresee them playing a huge role in our success this season, says Head Coach Lindsay Gardner. Freshman Katelyn Klug will also play a key role on the mound, and brings more speed and movement pitches to the roster. This fall, she has proven herself as a tough competitor on the mound and we are excited to see her perform this spring. Freshman Kyli Herman and sophomore Faith Roberts will spend the majority of their time behind the plate. Both catchers block extremely well and have the potential to throw out runners attempting to steal. Similar to other positions where two or more players are competing for the spot, the position will be earned with the bats. THE OUTFIELD Senior Marissa Thome continues to lead the way in the outfield as she returns from a very successful 2012 season. She led the team in batting average (.406), hits (54), doubles (9), and triples (4), and she was the hardest to strike out. Her drive to improve on last year s season will make her a vital part of the team s offensive success. The remaining outfielder positions will most likely be made up of underclassmen, who will earn their way into the lineup with their bat. Competing for centerfield will be Mayfield, freshmen Cydney Ervin and Olson. Ervin is the fastest player on the team and will be a threat in the outfield and on the bases. Freshmen Julia Haas and Laura Alvarado will compete for the spot in right field. Haas brings consistency and power to the plate, while Alvarado brings speedy, heads-up baserunning. Senior Natasha Marin continues to provide competition in the outfield and will most likely see time as a pinch hitter and runner. THE SCHEDULE Out-of-conference opponents Angelo State, Abilene Christian, Texas Woman s, West Texas A&M and Incarnate Word always have strong programs and are usually ranked high in the region. Beating these teams will be crucial to break into the regional rankings. St. Mary s will be defending its conference championship, and we look forward to the opportunity to re-take the title in 2013, says Gardner. I also expect Texas A&M International and UT Permian Basin to provide tough competition as they both return from a strong conference tournament appearance in AROUND THE BASES Sophomore KP Perch may work into the catching position, but she will most likely see time at first base along with junior Lauren Brode and freshman Samantha Gilmore. Perch and Brode are similar in that they are power hitters and hit well from gap to gap. Gilmore is a lefty slapper with the ability to place the ball well. Freshman Kaci Olson and sophomore Marisa Bogart are both strong defenders at second base. Olson and Bogart both take great angles to ground balls and are able to turn hits in the holes into outs, says Gardner. Both players may also see time in the outfield. At the plate, Olson brings speed while Bogart brings power. Junior Kendall Lucas continues to hold down the fort at shortstop and is a consistent hitter. She brings experience and leadership to the infield. Sophomore Tori Gonzalez is knocking at the door with her bat as she continues to perfect her swing. She experienced her first collegiate homerun this fall and has done a great job of hitting the ball hard on a consistent basis. She will see time at shortstop, second base and in the outfield. At third base, seniors Brianna Bozon and Ally Valdez continue to battle it out, although Valdez will most likely see herself in the lineup in the designated player position if she isn t playing third base. Valdez has stood out as a serious threat at the plate and we expect her to have her best season of her career, says Gardner. Bozon continues with her golden glove status at third and is finding more power in her swing this season. Freshman Memrie Waters will continue to work into the lineup at third base with her bat. When Waters lets the ball get deep, she drives the ball well, gap to gap. Learn more about Hilltopper softball at: GoHilltoppers.com 1 1

4 Softball 2012 Season in Review 2012 Record: Home: 11-9 Away: 10-7 Neutral: 10-5 HC Record (Finish): 10-5 (Second) Home: 5-4 Away: 5-1 Final Ranking: 8-Region Postseason Play: NCAA Regional (Second) SEU Softball History First Year of Softball: 1989 All-Time Record (Yrs/Pct): (24/.569) All-Time DII Record (Yrs/Pct): (13/.548) HC Titles: Four NCAA Tournament Appearances (Last): Five (2012) NCAA Tournament Record: Program Highlights Individual awards since 1989: 1: All-American 38: All-Region Selections 4: Regional All-Tournament Team Selections 1: Regional Tournament Most Valuable Player Selection 105: All-Conference Selections 7: Conference Player of the Year Selections 1: Conference Pitcher of the Year Selection 5: Conference Freshman of the Year Selections 5: Conference Coach of the Year Selections 24: Conference All-Tournament Team Selections 2: Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Selections Academic awards since joining NCAA in 1999: 4: Academic All-America Selections 7: Academic All-District Selections 288: Academic All-Conference Selections 173: Dean s List Honorees 12: Cum Laude Graduates ( ) 6: Magna Cum Laude Graduates ( ) 13: Summa Cum Laude Graduates ( ) Lindsay Gardner Head Coach Second Season Lindsay Gardner begins her second season as head softball coach on the hilltop. In 2012, she led the Hilltoppers to the Heartland Conference Tournament Championship and a spot in the NCAA South Central Regional for the first time since The team also finished as runner-ups in the regional tournament. Gardner is not new to the hilltop: she served as assistant coach in 2007 and 2008, helping the Hilltopper coaching staff earn the honor of National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) South Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year in She played a vital role in the Hilltoppers backto-back appearances in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament, a third-place finish at the 2008 NCAA World Series and a school record for wins with a record in Success is a way of life for Gardner, who brings a palpable passion and a wealth of experience to the program. A native of Katy, Texas, Gardner graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. While at UT, her defensive efforts at second base, as well as her productive offense, played a key role in the success of the Longhorn softball program, which included a third-place finish in the 2003 College World Series, Big 12 Regular Season Champions (2002 and 2003) and Big 12 Tournament Champions (2002 and 2003). Gardner earned a plethora of honors as a Longhorn including NCAA All-American and Easton All-American (2000), NFCA First Team All-Midwest Region (2000 and 2002), NFCA Regional All-Tournament Team (2003), Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2000), Big 12 All- Conference Tournament Team (2000, 2002 and 2003) and Big 12 All-Conference Team (2000, 2002 and 2003). Gardner has the stats to back up her honors. She led the Big 12 in batting average (.519) and set single season records for batting average (.421) and hits (83) in She also finished her career in the top ten of 17 UT offensive categories. Gardner spent two and a half years playing for the USA National Team from 2001 to 2003, where she was in the top five in batting average (.375) while playing second base and left field. After her career with the U.S. team, she played five seasons in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league with the Texas Thunder and the Rockford Thunder from 2004 to Gardner was the first ever NPF Player of the Week, as well as Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, when the Rockford Thunder were regular-season champions. She was named to the NPF All-Star Team three times, and finished her career in 2008 after leading the team in RBI production and holding a.986 fielding percentage at second base. At the 2008 NPF Finals, Gardner won the first ever Battle of the Bats Homerun Derby, sending 30 balls over the fence after three rounds. Gardner resides in Pflugerville, Texas, and when not coaching she enjoys photography and music. Cat Osterman Assistant Coach Second Season Cat Osterman begins her second season as assistant softball coach on the hilltop. She handles the pitching staff and contributes to the team s mental approach. A native of Houston, Texas, Osterman graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. While at UT, Osterman was a three-time National Player of the Year and four-time All-American. The only softball individual to ever win National Player of the Year honors three times, she helped take the Longhorns to three trips to the Women s College World Series (2003, 2005 and 2006) while earning USA Softball s National Player of the Year honor in each of those three seasons. During her redshirt season of 2004, Osterman trained with the USA National Team as the only collegian and youngest member of the Olympic Team that earned a gold medal in Athens. A three-time selection as Big 12 Conference Female Athlete of the Year (2003, 2005 and 2006), she still holds UT career records in victories (136), ERA (0.51), shutouts (85) and no-hitters (20), and she holds the NCAA record for career strikeout ratio per seven innings (14.35). Osterman was a recipient of the NCAA Today s Top VIII Award in 2006, an honor presented to the top eight senior student-athletes in the country. Osterman pitched for the USA National Team from 2001 to 2010, appearing in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Team USA took home the gold in 2004 and finished with the silver medal in In her 10-year career with Team USA, Osterman held a 59-4 record with 0.38 ERA. She struck out an amazing 832 batters in just innings of work. Osterman is in her fifth season in the National Pro Fastpitch (NFP) League. She played for the Rockford Thunder in 2007 and 2009 and the USSSA Pride for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons. Osterman led the Thunder to the league championship in 2009, earning MVP of the championship series. The very next season, she led the Pride to the 2010 championship. Osterman was named to the All-NFP team twice and was recently named Diamond NPF Co-Pitcher of the Year for In her four-year career in the NPF, Osterman has earned a 32-9 record with a 0.83 ERA and also has 466 strikeouts in just innings pitched. Osterman served as a student assistant coach at Texas in 2007 while finishing her undergraduate degree. From there, she moved to DePaul University, where she was assistant coach from 2008 to She helped lead the Lady Blue Demons to three-straight Big East Championships, two NCAA Regional appearances and a record. Osterman resides in Austin, Texas. 2

5 Softball Marissa Thome Sarah Debrow Cat Osterman The 2012 St. Edward s softball team won the Heartland Conference Tournament Championship. The team advanced to the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament and finished runner-up. Lindsay Gardner this is topper oftball 3

6 Facilities Recreation and Convocation Center The Recreation and Convocation Center (RCC), built in 1987, is the main hub for Hilltopper Athletics. The RCC contains all athletic staff offices for the 11 varsity programs, one co-ed team and campus recreation as well as administration. The main gym seats up to 1,300 spectators for volleyball and basketball competitions. Other uses for this space include informal recreation, intramural leagues, dance shows and volleyball tournaments. It has two regulation volleyball and basketball courts. The RCC has two meeting spaces available. The smaller meeting space, known as the Ed Norris Room or Trophy Room, is used for numerous meetings and comfortably holds people. Additionally, on the second floor of the RCC is a large multipurpose classroom that is used for classes, film sessions, team meetings and study hall sessions. The RCC contains a modern fitness center with cardio, free weights and Cybex machines, which is available to all students, faculty and staff, as well as a weight training facility for athletic teams. The RCC has four racquetball courts used for kinesiology classes, informal recreation and intramural leagues, in addition to a 25-meter competition pool with six lanes. The Athletic Training Room is home to the Sports Medicine Department which is dedicated to providing the highest standards of sports medicine care for the 11 Hilltopper intercollegiate athletic teams. Hilltopper student-athletes receive care in the newly renovated athletic training room, located on the lower level of the Recreation and Convocation Center. The 750 sq. ft. facility has been upgraded with new rubber composite flooring, taping stations and cabinetry, along with the latest therapeutic treatment, rehabilitation and recovery equipment to ensure that student-athletes receive the best care possible. Lucian-Hamilton Field Located on the northernmost point of campus, Lucian-Hamilton Field was built in 1968, named for longtime athletic director Brother Lucian Blersch, CSC, and former baseball coach Tom Hamilton. The facility has received recent updates, such as new dugouts in 2007, new infield turf in 2008, a new net backstop to replace the outdated chain link in 2010, and, most notable, a new enclosed hitting and pitching facility completed in This facility houses two full-length batting cages and three regulation pitching mounds. Another unique addition is a four-camera video system added in the spring of The system provides unique game and practice film to the baseball team from four different angles and is also utilized for live streaming of home games. Brother Emmett Strohmeyer Varsity Tennis Courts Built in the late 1960s, the tennis facility is named for Brother Emmett Strohmeyer, CSC, legendary tennis coach at St. Edward s, who amassed 25 consecutive conference championships. The facility is the home of the men s and women s tennis programs. The facility was most recently repaired and resurfaced in the spring of New top-of-the-line windscreens adorned with the famous Hilltopper logo were added in The courts have video streaming capabilities, and the Hilltoppers had numerous matches streamed this past season. At times, the tennis programs compete at the South Austin Tennis Center, located just one mile from campus. The SATC contains 10 courts, including one championship court, and a pro shop. For more information, visit Lewis-Chen Family Field With some of the best views of Austin, the recently renamed Lewis-Chen Family Field sits on the north side of campus overlooking downtown and is used as the competition and practice field for the men s and women s soccer teams. The field was relocated from its original location, where the current residence halls of Dujarié and Moreau sit, in Renamed Lewis-Chen Family Field in the fall of 2011 for the Lewis-Chen families, who generously donated to the university, the facility hosted the 2007 NCAA South Central Regional as well as the 2010 First Round through Elite Eight Round of the NCAA National Tournament. The field is a natural bermuda grass surface with an extra 50x70 yard practice area on the back end. A quarter-mile walking/jogging crushed granite path surrounds the field. Diane Daniels Field Built in 1988, the Diane Daniels Field is the home of Hilltopper softball. Dedicated in April of 1990 in honor of Diane Daniels, a physical education instructor and the first female coach at St. Edward s, the field is 190 feet down the lines and 220 feet to center. Just outside the left field fence is a 2,800 sq. ft. covered batting/pitching facility built in Also added in the winter of 2011 was net backstop, which replaced the outdated chain link. The field contains two enclosed dugouts, as well as a storage and changing area for the home team. The home and visitors bullpens were renovated in spring of 2010 to add pitching lanes to each. Grey Rock Golf Club Originally opened in 1992 as the Golf Club at Circle C, the Grey Rock Golf Club is the home of the top-20 nationally ranked St. Edward s men s and women s golf teams. Located just 15 minutes from campus on 160 acres of flowing hill country, the course offers a classic style layout and is maintained in championship condition. For more information, visit Additional Practice and Recreation Fields Two additional fields are available on the St. Edward s campus. The practice field, as it is known, is located just north of the Brother Strohmeyer Tennis Courts. This field is natural turf and has dimensions of 130x75 yards. It is used by all club sports programs and also as a secondary practice field for the varsity men s and women s soccer programs. The Recreation Field was built in 2010 and is appropriately named. Located just in front of Teresa Hall, the field is 70x40 yards and is used for informal recreation as well as several club sport practices. 4

7 facilities Grey Rock Golf Course Club Recreation and Convocation Center (Pool) Recreation and Convocation Center (Basketball) Brother Emmett Strohmeyer Varsity Tennis Courts Athletic Training Room Lucian-Hamilton Field Recreation and Convocation Center (Volleyball) Diane Daniels Field Lewis-Chen Family Field 5

8 About St. Edward s University St. Edward s offers a challenging and inspiring academic environment that empowers students to make a difference in their world. Throughout its history, the university has provided higher education opportunities to students of all ages and of varied cultural, religious, educational and economic backgrounds. A nationally recognized university, with partner universities in 10 countries, St. Edward s is celebrated for anticipating and responding to our changing world with innovation. Our students gain an internationally focused education that broadens their worldview and builds a foundation for lifelong learning, achievement and personal satisfaction in career and community life. Congregation of Holy Cross Think critically, act ethically, appreciate diversity, strive for social justice and serve the community: These are the values of the Congregation of Holy Cross, which founded St. Edward s more than a century ago. Today, these tenets continue to drive the university s mission to provide a transformative, personalized education that prepares students for the opportunities and challenges of an interconnected world. St. Edward s University at a Glance Tuition: $33,330 Housing and food (estimated): $10,260 Undergraduate Students: 3,636 62% Female, 38% Male Diversity: 31% Hispanic, 5% African American, 2% Asian/Pacific Islander and 6% International; 40 states and 40 countries represented Life in Austin Application Deadlines: Priority Decision: Feb. 1 (for scholarship consideration and the best financial aid packages) Regular Decision: May 1 Spring Application Deadline: Nov. 15 Non-refundable Deposit Deadline: May 1 (or two weeks after notification of admission if you are accepted later than May 1) 4 In the athletics season, St. Edward s won four Heartland Conference Championships, and eight of our 11 teams made NCAA tournament appearances. 14 With a growing campus of more than 5,300 students, St. Edward s maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1 in the traditional undergraduate college. 25 St. Edward s has been named among the top 25 master sgranting institutions in the western region by U.S. News & World Report for nine consecutive years. 100% St. Edward s puts a priority on buildings and technology that enhance learning. In fact, 100% of our classrooms have advanced computer and multimedia technology. Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World and home to the South by Southwest and Austin City Limits music festivals. Economic growth and endless opportunity. Diverse and eclectic cultures. A laid-back lifestyle and hip music scene. It all comes together in Austin, the heart of Central Texas, to create one of America s most vibrant cities one that continually tops lists of best, most wired and coolest cities. Austinites enjoy great year-round weather with an average of 300 days of sunshine. You can hike the Barton Creek Greenbelt, take in an outdoor concert on the shores of Lady Bird Lake or relax in 351-acre Zilker Park. And that s just the beginning. Austin boasts: About 200 parks More than 60 theater companies More than 200 live music venues