Horizon League Announces Softball Post-Season Awards

May 11, 2005

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Indianapolis, Ind.-- The Horizon League announced the softball post-season awards at the pre-championship banquet held on May 11. Voting was conducted by the League's head coaches. The 2005 Horizon League Softball Championship will be held May 12-14 at the Ashwaubenon Sports Complex in Green Bay, Wis.

Thirteen members from the 2004 First and Second All-League Teams return, while nine new faces make their All-Horizon League debut. All eight schools were represented between the two teams.

UIC senior designated-player Cameron Astiazaran claimed Player of the Year honors in her final season as a Flame. Astiazaran currently leads the League and is fifth in the country in overall batting average with a .477 (95-199), including a League-high 16 home runs. She also tops the League in hits (95), doubles (26), runs batted in (51), total bases (177), on-base percentage (.555) and slugging percentage (.889).

Cleveland State junior Grace Luginbuhl earned Pitcher of the Year honors after posting a 7-4 League record and leading the Horizon League with a 1.72 ERA in conference games this season. In League competition, Luginbuhl fanned 50 batters, as she averaged 5.05 strike-outs in 13 appearances this year.

Youngstown State freshman Sarah Berry garnered Newcomer of the Year accolades after placing seventh in the League in batting average (.393), while recording 22 hits and seven RBI in League competition.

In her first season at UW-Green Bay, Jean Rivett was named Horizon League Coach of the Year after leading the Phoenix to a 13-5 League record and a second-place regular-season finish. The Phoenix were picked to finish last in the preseason poll which was released in February. Rivett manufactured an amazing one-year turnaround as the Phoenix have won 20 games this season, compared to just eight total victories from a year ago.

The first team All-League is led by three honorees from UIC. Cleveland State, Detroit and Loyola each placed two individuals on the first team, while Butler and Wright State placed one selection on the squad.

UIC's Cameron Astiazaran (2004, 1st; 2003, 2nd), Sarah Hernandez (2003, 1st; 2002, 2nd) and Joyce Cathey (2004, 1st; 2003, 2nd) and UW-Green Bay's Kristin Kosobucki (2004, 2nd; 2003, 2nd) are making their third appearance to the all-league team, while Detroit's Kristin Martin (2004, 1st) and Anna Ollgaard (2003, 2nd), Cleveland State's Grace Luginbuhl (2004, 2nd), Loyola's Allison Scanlin (2004, 1st) and Wright State's Amanda Cody (2004, 2nd) return for the second time in their careers.

The second team All-League is led by three selections from Detroit. UW-Green Bay and Wright State each placed two individuals on the second team, while Butler, Cleveland State and Youngstown State each placed one selection on the squad.

The team is highlighted by four three-time All-League selections in Detroit's Lindsay Roy (2004, 2nd; 2003, 2nd) and Katrina Klemp (2004, 2nd; 2003, 2nd), Wright State's Stephanie Salas (2003, 2nd; 2002, 2nd) and Youngstown State's Tiffany Patteson (2004, 1st; 2003, 1st). Butler's Melissa Lemrick (2004, 1st) and Loyola's Mia Pangere (2004, 2nd) return to the All-League squad again this season.

The All-Newcomer team features individuals from five different schools. Butler (Jenny Jacobs and Nikki Naffziger), Cleveland State (Amber Lowe and Whitney Willard), UIC (Brittany Dixon and Nicole Robinson) and Youngstown State (Sarah Berry and McKenzie Bedra) each placed two selections on the nine-person squad. Wright State's Mary Jane D'Arcy fills out the rest of the All-Newcomer team.