Stampfli Named WIAC Pitcher Of The Year,
Three Other Titans Honored

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's Ronessa Stampfli was voted the Pitcher of the Year and UW-Superior's Sarah Tarasewicz was selected the Position Player of the Year to top the 20 individuals voted to the 2005 all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Softball Team by the league coaches.

Stampfli helped UW-Oshkosh to a 24-15-1 overall record and 10-6 mark in league action. The Titans registered the most overall wins since 1987 when they had 31 victories and completed the regular season in second place for their best finish since 1999 when they also placed second.

Stampfli leads the conference with 17 victories, 186 strikeouts and a .186 opponent batting average, while ranking second with a 1.01 earned run average and third with 138.0 innings pitched and 28 appearances. Her 186 strikeouts established a conference single-season record.

She had seven games with 10 or more strikeouts, including a season-high 15 against Delaware Valley (Pa.) on March 15. Stampfli also fired a one-hitter against UW-Superior on April 17.

Stampfli is joined on the first team by teammates Anne Stanislawski and Whitney Tyriver. Stanislawski led the Titans with 23 RBIs, seven doubles and four home runs, while ranking second with 124 at-bats and 43 hits. She was a honorable mention selection in 2004.

Tyriver places third in the WIAC with a .431 on-base percentage, fifth with 47 hits, sixth with a .376 batting average and 25 runs scored and eighth with eight stolen bases.

Sarah Tarasewicz helped UW-Superior to a 23-16 record, marking the third time in the last four seasons the team has registered 20 or more victories. She leads the conference with a .454 batting average, a .992 slugging percentage, a .536 on-base percentage, 41 runs scored, 14 home runs and seven triples, while ranking second with 54 hits and 18 walks and third with 31 RBIs. Her 14 home runs and .992 slugging percentage rank second on the league's single-season list.

Tarasewicz started all 39 games for the Yellowjackets and hit safely in 34 contests, including 15 multi-hit games.
Tarasewicz holds the conference career record with 38 home runs and a 1.080 slugging percentage, while ranking second with a .434 batting average and 21 triples. She was a honorable mention choice last season after receiving first team accolades in 2003 and 2002.

Jamie Bang, Kathleen Duffy and Erin Kegley joined Tarasewicz on the first team. Bang claimed first team status for the second straight year after ranking second in the conference with a .434 batting average and a .462 on-base percentage, third with 53 hits and 28 runs scored, sixth with 27 RBIs and seventh with a .566 slugging percentage.

Duffy places second in the WIAC with 14 stolen bases, fifth with a .393 batting average and a .423 on-base percentage, sixth with 25 runs scored and eighth with 46 hits. She was a honorable mention selection in 2004.

Kegley captured first team honors for the second consecutive season. She leads the league with 36 RBIs and 13 doubles, while ranking second with three triples, fifth with 26 runs scored and sixth with a .568 slugging percentage.

UW-Eau Claire's Mallory McKinney, Jill Janke and Casey Leisgang secured first team status after helping the Blugolds to their second straight conference championship. McKinney claimed first team laurels for the second straight year after ranking second in the league with 16 wins, 134 strikeouts, 158.2 innings pitched and a .192 opponent batting average, third with 28 appearances and fifth with a 1.15 earned run average. She also places fifth in the WIAC with 14 walks, sixth with 147 plate appearances and 27 RBIs and seventh with nine doubles.

Janke leads the conference with 36 RBIs, while ranking fourth in the conference with 150 plate appearances and 48 hits, fifth with a .575 slugging percentage, 11 doubles and six home runs, sixth with 134 at-bats, eighth with a .358 batting average and 12 walks and 10th with a .412 on-base percentage.

Leisgang leads the WIAC with 19 walks, while placing third with eight home runs and sixth with a .422 on-base percentage.

UW-Stevens Point's Stephanie Anderson, Rebekah Bauer and Kelly Jablonski helped the Pointers to a 26-15 overall record, which are the most wins for the program since 2000 when they had 27 victories.

Anderson ranks second in the conference with 12 doubles, third with a .605 slugging percentage and eighth with five home runs. She also was productive in the pitching circle, placing third in the WIAC with a 1.05 earned run average, fourth with 99 strikeouts and a .196 opponent batting average and ninth with nine wins. Anderson earned honorable mention accolades in 2004.

Bauer secured first team status for the second straight season after placing second in the conference with 12 doubles, eighth with 46 hits, ninth with 130 at-bats and 10th with a .354 batting average.

Jablonski leads the league with a 0.59 earned run average, while ranking third with a .195 opponent batting average, fifth with 13 wins, sixth with 130.0 innings pitched and 10th with 81 strikeouts. Her 0.59 earned run average places second on the league's single-season chart. Jablonski fired a perfect game against Lakeland on April 24 and registered a no-hitter against Milwaukee School of Engineering on April 3.

UW-River Falls had two individuals secure first team honors. Emily Evans ranks fifth in the WIAC with 47 hits and seventh with a .364 batting average. She also added 19 RBIs, eight doubles and six runs scored. Evans was a honorable mention choice last year.

Amanda Wojnowiak places second in the conference with 12 doubles, third with a .420 batting average, fourth with a .425 on-base percentage, fifth with 47 hits, sixth with nine stolen bases and eighth with a .563 slugging percentage.

UW-Stout's Kaela Wold and Erin O'Connell were recognized for their efforts during the 2005 campaign. Wold became the 21st player in the conference history to earn first team honors four consecutive seasons. She places fourth in the WIAC with 27 runs scored, fifth with six home runs, sixth with 134 at-bats and 10 doubles and ninth with a .545 slugging percentage. Wold holds the school career record with 115 RBIs and 52 doubles, while ranking second with 22 career home runs. Her 52 doubles are also second on the conference's all-time list.

O'Connell earned first team honors for the third straight year. She ranks third in the league with 31 RBIs, fourth with seven home runs, eighth with 131 at-bats, ninth with 24 runs scored and 10th with a .542 slugging percentage and 144 plate appearances. O'Connell holds the school record with 31 career home runs and is second with 112 career RBIs. Her 31 home runs place her second on the league's all-time chart.

UW-La Crosse's Carley Anderson secured first team honors after being a honorable mention selection in 2004. She ranks sixth in the WIAC with 13 walks and eighth with a .421 on-base percentage, while leading the Eagles with 37 hits, 17 RBIs, five doubles and two home runs.

UW-Platteville's Ashley Strnad led the team with a .346 batting average, a .449 slugging percentage, a .388 on-base percentage, 37 hits, 17 runs scored and six doubles.

UW-Whitewater's Colleen Boilini earned first team status for the second straight season. She leads the league with 162 plate appearances, 148 at-bats, 59 hits and 21 stolen bases, while placing fourth with a .399 batting average, sixth with 25 runs scored and seventh with a .422 on-base percentage. Boilini finished her career fifth on the conference's all-time list with 72 stolen bases.

Named to the honorable mention team were: UW-Eau Claire's Shannon Barone and Andrea Neuville, UW-La Crosse's Barb Evers, Michelle Lange and Jenny Wirtz, UW-Oshkosh's Lyndsey Allen, UW-Platteville's Wendi Siedschlag, UW-River Falls' Brittany Rathbun, UW-Stevens Point's Jenny Feidt and Laura Zierler, UW-Stout's Heather Novalany, UW-Superior's Jamie Lovstad and UW-Whitewater's Kyley Shramek.

UW-Eau Claire head coach Leslie Huntington was voted the Coach of the Year for the second straight season after leading the Blugolds to their second consecutive conference title and a 33-11 overall record. She is the second coach in league history to win the honor in back-to-back years, joining UW-Whitewater's Brenda Volk (1999-2000). Huntington is in her fourth season at UW-Eau Claire and has compiled a 94-65 overall mark (.591 winning percentage).

UW-Oshkosh To Host WIAC Cluster Tournament

UW-Oshkosh will host the WIAC Women’s Softball Cluster Tournament this weekend at the Oshkosh Sports Complex and Oshkosh West High School.

The tournament features participation from all nine WIAC schools, with games beginning on Saturday (April 16) at 9 a.m. and Sunday (April 17) at 8:30 a.m. UW-Oshkosh takes to the field for five tournament games, all at the Oshkosh Sports Complex.

The Titans (13-8-1) will play Saturday at 9 a.m. against UW-Stout (8-11), 11 a.m. against defending WIAC champion UW-Eau Claire (19-4) and 3 p.m. against UW-River Falls (10-16). UW-Oshkosh will also play Sunday at 10:30 a.m. against UW-Superior (13-4) and 4:30 p.m. against UW-La Crosse (10-7).

Another WIAC Cluster Tournament will be held April 30 and May 1 in River Falls.

Titans Predicted To Finish Sixth In WIAC Race

The UW-Oshkosh women's softball team is picked to finish sixth in this year's WIAC standings, according to the league's sports information directors.

Defending champion UW-Eau Claire is favored to win the 2005 WIAC title after posting a 12-4 league record a year ago. The Blugolds are expected to be followed in the nine-team derby by second-place UW-Stout, third-place UW-Whitewater and fourth-place UW-Superior. UW-Stout collected four first-place votes in the preseason poll, while UW-Eau Claire received three and UW-Whitewater and UW-Superior one each.

The predicted order of finish was completed by fifth-place UW-La Crosse, sixth-place UW-Oshkosh, seventh-place UW-Stevens Point and eighth-place UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls.

UW-Oshkosh returns eight letter winners, including four position starters and one starting pitcher, from last year's team that posted a 20-19 record and finished fifth in the WIAC with a 9-7 mark. The Titans were pegged to finish ninth in last year's WIAC race.

UW-Oshkosh, under the leadership of first-year head coach Cindy Suess, opens its 2005 WIAC schedule on April 6 against UW-Whitewater.

2005 Season Preview

A new era begins for the UW-Oshkosh women's softball program in 2005 as Cindy Suess takes over the reins as head coach of the Titans.

Suess comes to UW-Oshkosh from Verona High School, where she guided the Wildcats to a 228-49 record, five WIAA Division I State Tournaments and eight Badger Conference championships the past 12 seasons. The former NCAA Division III All-America selection from Wartburg College (Iowa) is the 11th head coach in the 32-year history of the UW-Oshkosh women's softball program.

Suess inherits eight letter winners, including four position starters and one starting pitcher, from last year's team that posted a 20-19 record and finished fifth in the WIAC with a 9-7 mark. The Titans lost six of their last seven games, including decisions of 2-1 to UW-Whitewater and 3-0 to regular season champion UW-Eau Claire in the WIAC Tournament.

Leading the list of returning players for the Titans are 2004 All-WIAC honorable mention selections Cassie Goodweiler (Sr. • Stoughton) and Anne Stanislawski (Sr. • Amherst).

Goodweiler pitched in 23 games last season and posted an 11-7 record. Her 113.2 innings on the mound featured 73 strikeouts and a 2.77 earned run average. In 2003, Goodweiler compiled a 1-4 record and an 8.48 earned run average in 33 innings pitched. Goodweiler's two seasons at UW-Oshkosh include 23 starting assignments.

Stanislawski, a third baseman, hit .306 with one home run, five doubles, 15 runs batted in and 12 runs scored last season. In 2003, she hit .300 with six doubles, 12 runs batted in and seven runs scored. In 2002, Stanislawski hit .316 with six doubles, 11 runs batted in and six runs scored. Stanislawski has started every one of the 94 games that she has played in for the Titans.

UW-Oshkosh also welcomes back shortstop Lyndsey Allen (So. • Amherst), outfielder Deanna Hartzell (Jr. • Shawano) and second baseman Lisa Torn (Sr. • Hubertus) as starters.

Allen hit .187 with two doubles, 15 runs scored and seven runs batted in last season, while Hartzell hit .262 with one home run, 15 runs batted in and eight runs scored and Torn .223 with 16 runs scored and six runs batted in. In 2003, Hartzell hit .179 with seven runs batted in and three runs scored, while Torn hit .158 with five runs scored.

Other letter winners returning for the Titans are outfielders Liz Hegler (Jr. • Muskego) and Crystal Kafka (Jr. • Wausaukee) and catcher Katie Monefeldt (So. • Sturtevant).

Among the freshmen being counted on to contribute this spring are catcher Dani Olsen (Verona), pitcher Ronessa Stampfli (Brodhead), infielders Carlyn Cooley (Poynette) and Whitney Tyriver (Oshkosh) and outfielders Tina Prahl (Wausau) and Ashley Rasmussen (Waupun).

Suess Named Titans'
New Head Women's Softball Coach

Cindy Suess, who guided Verona High School to five state tournament appearances the past six seasons, has been named the new head women's softball coach at UW-Oshkosh. Suess becomes the 11th head coach in the 32-year history of the UW-Oshkosh women's softball program, replacing interim tutor Amy Smith.

Suess has served as head girls' softball coach and physical education teacher at Verona High School since 1993. Over the past 12 seasons, she has directed the Wildcats to a 228-49 record, five WIAA Division 1 State Tournaments and eight Badger Conference championships. Verona advanced to the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, posting second-place finishes in 2001 and 2002. The Wildcats have won the Badger Conference title every year since 1997.

"Cindy's credentials and accomplishments reflect great success as a coach," said UW-Oshkosh Director of Athletics Allen Ackerman. "She will ignite our women's softball program with a level of energy, intensity and commitment that will take it in an exciting new direction."

This past year, with four sophomores and a freshman in her starting lineup, Suess led Verona to an 18-5 record and a semifinal round appearance in the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament. In 2003, Suess coached the Wildcats to a 22-3 record and another visit to the semifinal round of the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament.

"I'm excited about becoming a member of the UW-Oshkosh coaching staff," said Suess. "Several of the UW-Oshkosh athletics programs have been very successful at the conference and national level and my goals are for the softball program to do the same. UW-Oshkosh is a great university and the upcoming renovations to the softball facility will help make the school one of the finest places to play."

During her tenure at Verona, Suess coached 12 all-state first team selections and seven scholarship performers, including a pair of all-state first team picks this past season. The Luxemburg-Casco High School graduate also directed numerous camps, clinics and fundraisers to enhance and promote the Verona softball program. Suess has been a member of the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association since 1993, serving as president since 2003. She also is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

"My 12 years of coaching softball at Verona were very enjoyable," said Suess. "I had the opportunity to coach some outstanding softball players and develop great relationships in the community. Winning eight straight conference titles and making five trips to the state tournament were direct results of the hard work, great attitudes and team chemistry of the softball program at Verona."

Prior to her appointment at Verona, Suess coached girls' basketball and taught physical education classes at McFarland High School from 1989 to 1992. She also taught physical education classes and coached at Avondale High School in Auckland, New Zealand, from 1987 to 1988 and Marian Central High School in Woodstock, Ill., from 1985 to 1987. While in Auckland, Suess was a member of the Metro Softball Club that captured the 1987 New Zealand national championship.

Suess was a standout softball player at Wartburg College (Iowa), receiving NCAA Division III All-America first team honors for the Knights in 1985. She also gained All-Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) first team honors in 1984 and 1985 and all-league second team mention in 1983. Suess compiled a .350 batting average during her three years at Wartburg College, the second-highest career mark in school history. She graduated with a bachelor's degree from the school in 1985.

Assisting Suess at UW-Oshkosh will be her husband, Graeme Robertson. Robertson, a former player on New Zealand's National Fastpitch Softball Team, will coach the pitchers and the catchers. In addition to her coaching duties, Suess will also work in the UW-Oshkosh athletics department as a member of the strength and conditioning staff.

UW-Oshkosh concluded the 2004 season with a 20-19 record, including a fifth-place mark of 9-7 in the WIAC.