TIFFIN, Ohio - The post-season awards continue to roll in for the Urbana University softball team after their championship season. The D-II Ohio Independent champion Blue Knights landed 4 players on the D-II national All-Independent squads today, led by sophomore 3B/C Ashley Skinner (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek HS).
Skinner was named First Team All-ICAA (Independents' Collegiate Athletic Association) just days after earning a First Team All-OIC nod. In her first season as a Blue Knight, Skinner hit a team-best .387 with 8 doubles, 3 triples and 4 home runs. Her .597 slugging percentage and .437 on-base percentage were both top 10 UU single season marks, and her 9 for 9 performance in stolen bases was the 2nd best in school history.
Three Blue Knights made Second Team All-ICAA. Senior Megan Risner (Urbana, Ohio/Graham HS) grabbed the Second Team catcher's spot after being named the ICAA Player of the Year as a junior. Risner hit .325 with 13 doubles, 3 triples and 6 home runs in a senior campaign that capped one of the most successful careers in Blue Knight softball history. She finished 4th all-time in batting average (.350), 3rd in slugging (.567), 4th in OBP (.398), 3rd in runs (92), 3rd in hits (151), 1st in doubles (37), tied for 2nd in home runs (15), 2nd in RBIs (94), and 2nd in total bases (245). She started 135 straight games over her 3-year UU career.
Urbana's sophomore pitching duo Lauren Anderson (Newark, Ohio/Newark HS) and Haley Kolmerten (West Lafayette, Ohio/Ridgewood HS) took 2 of the 3 Second Team spots at the position. Anderson's honor is the first of her career. Kolmerten was a First Team All-ICAA selection as a freshman. The Blue Knights' 1-2 punch pitched the squad to its first post-season championship since the 2007 season. Anderson was 12-13 with a team-best 2.94 ERA. Kolmerten, who fought through a couple different injuries this season, finished with an 11-6 mark and a 2.99 ERA. Each pitcher tallied 2 shutouts. Kolmerten won the strikeout battle with 105 in 107 innings. Anderson ended her year with 103 K's in 150 innings.
ICAA champion Central Oklahoma led the way in the 2012 All-ICAA Softball awards. The Bronchos won 3 of the 4 top individual awards and had 6 All-ICAA First Team selections.
The ICAA is composed of NCAA Division II schools that are not in a conference. Softball members include Central Oklahoma, Lindenwood, Malone, Northeastern State, Notre Dame College, Oakland City, Palm Beach Atlantic, Salem International, Urbana, Ursuline and Washington Adventist.
Coach of the Year went to Genny Stidham of Central Oklahoma. The Bronchos were the ICAA champions and are currently 42-6. COU won the South Central Region II and will face Angelo State in a super regional, May 11-12. Stidham is 420-275-2 in 15 years with the Bronchos.
Player of the Year was Nathalie Timmermans of Central Oklahoma. The catcher had nine doubles and 21 home runs, scored 65 runs, drove in 63 runs, had a .957 slugging percentage and batted .443. Timmermans leads the country in runs and home runs per game and is third in total home runs.
Pitcher of the Year was shared by Mary Pippin of Palm Beach Atlantic and Rachael Steverson of Central Oklahoma. Pippin was 17-11 with 22 complete games and six shutouts, struck out 166 batters for a 2.10 ERA in 183 innings. Steverson was 21-4 with 14 complete games and six shutouts, struck out 94 batters for a 2.71 ERA in 147.3 innings.
Freshman of the Year went to Desi Givens of Malone. The infielder had 15 doubles and four home runs, scored 22 runs, drove in 28 runs, had a 728% slugging percentage and batted .466. Givens is ranked third in doubles per game and seventh in batting average.
2012 ALL-ICAA SOFTBALL AWARDS
Coach of the Year – Genny Stidham – Central Oklahoma
Player of the Year – Nathalie Timmermans – Central Oklahoma
Pitcher of the Year – Mary Pippin – Palm Beach Atlantic & Rachael Steverson – Central Oklahoma
Freshman of the Year – Desi Givens – Malone
2012 ALL-ICAA SOFTBALL
FIRST TEAM
Nathalie Timmermans C Central Oklahoma Sr. Oldenzaal, The Netherlands
Kacie Edwards INF Central Oklahoma Jr. Yukon, Oklahoma
Desi Givens INF Malone Fr. Louisville, Ohio
Ashley Skinner INF Urbana So. Beavercreek, Ohio
Megan Whitmire INF Central Oklahoma Sr. Del City, Oklahoma
Kaylee Brunson OF Central Oklahoma Fr. Tuttle, Oklahoma
Kayce Raines OF Central Oklahoma Sr. Choctaw, Oklahoma
Megan Turner OF Notre Dame College Fr. Defiance, Ohio
Hayley Wilson UTL Salem International Jr. Lake Mary, Florida
Cayce Coleman P Northeastern State Jr. Red Oak, Oklahoma
Mary Pippin P Palm Beach Atlantic Jr. Bonifay, Florida
Rachael Steverson P Central Oklahoma Sr. Yukon, Oklahoma
SECOND TEAM
Megan Risner C Urbana Sr. Urbana, Ohio
Kristen Atzenhoefer INF Malone Sr. Galloway, Ohio
Camille Benito INF Palm Beach Atlantic So. Miami, Florida
Katie Mangold INF Salem International So. Kearneysville, West Virginia
Lisa Santos INF Palm Beach Atlantic Jr. Rochester, New York
Kara Anderson OF Palm Beach Atlantic Jr. Moore Haven, Florida
Megan Lane OF Malone Sr. Hilliard, Ohio
Rachel Powers OF Northeastern State Sr. Caddo Mills, Texas
Sarah Cooley UTL Washington Adventist Jr. Bel Air, Maryland
Samantha Roberts UTL Ursuline Fr. Euclid, Ohio
Lauren Anderson P Urbana So. Newark, Ohio
Lisa Couturier P Salem International Jr. Orleans, Ontario, Canada
Haley Kolmerten P Urbana So. West Lafayette, Ohio