Eastern Michigan Athletics

Academic All-MAC

Eagles Place 12 on Academic All-MAC Team

6/3/2016 12:05:00 PM | Softball

EMU's 12 selections rank first in the conference

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University softball team saw a program record 12 student-athletes recognized for academic excellence, as the dozen earned spots on the Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team. The league office announced the team today, June 3, with EMU's selection the ranking as the most in the conference.

A total of 78 student-athletes were named to the Academic All-MAC Team with Eastern Michigan leading the way with 12 selections. The Green and White were the only team in the conference to place more than nine student-athletes on the team. Kent State ranked second with nine, while Toledo, Ball State,Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan tied for third-most with eight awardwinners each.

Making the Academic All-MAC Team for the Green and White were: Myranda Barnes (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Belleville), Abi Clark (Clinton, Mich.-Clinton), Abby Davidson (Westerville, Ohio-Olentangy Orange), Aoife Duffy (Powell, Ohio-Olentangy Liberty), Haley Hostetler (New Haven, Ind.-Woodlan), Mady Hostetler (New Haven, Ind.-Woodlan), Michelle Kriegshauser (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln Way Central), Abbie Minsker (Howell, Mich.-Hartland), Brandice Olmos (Riverside, Calif-Grand Terrace), Angel Schilke (Saline, Mich.-Saline), Trisha Trujillo (Whittier, Calif.-California), and Elaine Whitbeck (Holland, Mich.-West Ottawa)

The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.

Barnes, a senior chemistry major who carries a 3.75 grade point average, set career-highs in a number of categories in her final season donning the Green and White. The Ypsilanti product finished up her senior season with a career-best .227 batting average, while also setting career-highs in slugging percentage and on-base percentage.

A speech language pathology major with a 3.83 GPA, Clark wrapped up an illustrious EMU career, playing in a career-high 50 games for the Eagles that included 49 starts. Cranking out 45 hits in 141 at bats, Clark held a .319 batting average in her senior season. Ranking second on the team in hits and batting average, Clark tied for the team-lead with 16 walks. The Clinton, Mich. product tied career-highs in doubles (9) and home runs (3), and added 16 RBI's and a career-best 14 runs scored this season. Clark owns a career batting average of .317, the seventh-best career batting average in EMU laurels. 

Davidson, a senior speech language pathology major boasts a 3.91 GPA. The Westerville, Ohio native closed out her EMU career as the first player in program history to finish the season without a strikeout while averaging two at bats per game. Davidson was one of two in NCAA Division I  to finish the season without a strikeout this season. Defensively, Davidson moved from the hot corner to center field in her final go around. The transition fueled Davidson to her best defensive season of her career, as she finished the season with a career-best 1.000 fielding percentage while patrolling the outfield. At the plate, Davidson notched 20-or-more hits for the fourth consecutive season, while totalling double digit RBI's (12) for the third straight year. The senior provided late game heroics, Feb. 19, against UMass-Lowell, delivering an RBI-single in the bottom of the seventh to give EMU a walk-off victory, 4-3.

An All-MAC Second Team selection, Duffy turned in the best season of her career, posting career-highs in nearly every statistical category. An exercise science major, Duffy boasts a 3.41 GPA. Entering the season as a backup catcher, Duffy took full advantage of an early season opportunity and grabbed a hold of the starting job for the remainder of the season. Playing in a career-high 38 games that included 22 starts behind the plate, Duffy served as a leader for a young and inexperienced pitching staff and helped each of the three Eagle pitchers set career-bests in strikeouts as well as earned run average. Defensively, Duffy threw out a career-high eight base runners while holding a career-best fielding percentage of .990. Meanwhile, offensively, Duffy hit .304 at the dish with 24 hits in 79 at bats, all of which were career-highs. Of her 24 hits, six were extra-base knocks as the Powell, Mich. product set career-highs in doubles (4) and home runs (2). One of Duffy's career-high 11 RBI's came in the seventh inning versus Seton Hall, Feb. 26. Stepping to the plate with one out and a runner on third, Duffy ripped a single to left field, lifting EMU to a 12-11 walk-off win.

Garnering academic honors for the first time in her career, Haley Hostetler holds a 3.56 GPA as an elementary education major. The lone shortstop on the Eagles' roster, Haley Hostetler played and started every game for the Green and White. The New Haven, Ind. product hit .229 on the season with 32 hits, including a career-high eight doubles, while driving in a career-best 14 and tying for the team-lead with two triples.

Like Duffy, Mady Hostetler pieced together the best season of her career in her senior campaign. A literature, language, and writing major, Mady Hostetler owns a 3.65 GPA. The senior outfielder set career-highs in batting average (.203), at bats (64), hits (13), doubles (3), RBI's (7), and walks (6). 

Kriegshauser reeled in her third postseason honor of the season, this time being rewarded for her 3.54 GPA as a  speech language pathology major. A First Team All-MAC honoree and NFCA All-Great Lakes Region Second Team selection, Kriegshauser is one of the most decorated players in program history. In her junior season, the New Lenox, Ill. product led the team in batting average (.381), hits (56), doubles (15), on-base percentage (.439), and slugging percentage (.653). Meanwhile, Kriegshauser tied for the lead in RBI's (35), triples (2), home runs (7), and walks (16). Her 15 two-baggers rank second-most all-time in single season EMU history. 

Minsker lands on the Academic All-MAC squad after turning in a sensational junior season in the circle. A chemistry major with a 3.69 GPA, Minsker shattered not only her previous career-bests, but also her career totals in her third season sporting the Green and White. The Howell, Mich. native finished the season with seven wins and a 5.25 ERA in 28 appearances and 15 starts. She tossed 86.2 innings with seven complete games and two shutouts with 43 strikeouts. She set a career-high with seven strikeouts versus Detroit, March 29, in a 4-3 loss. Minsker recorded the first shutout of her career, April 8, versus Kent State, fueling the Eagles to a 6-0 victory over the MAC Regular Season Champions. The junior hurler followed it up with another blanking one week later, this time holding the Cardinals of Ball State scoreless, April 16, as the Green and White claimed a 2-0 win. In addition to her strong pitching, Minsker posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage for the second consecutive season.

A criminology major with a 3.81 GPA, Olmos played in 48 games for the Eagles, starting in 47. Olmos finished the season with a career-best .266 batting average while also setting career-bests in hits (37), runs (8), doubles (8), RBI's (23), slugging percentage (.345), walks (9), and on-base percentage (.311). The Riverside, Calif. native's best performance came against Akron, March 26, where she finished 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBI's in EMU's 11-5 win over the Zips.

Schilke, a chemistry major with a 3.49 GPA, was one of the Eagles' top threats on the base paths this season. The Saline, Mich. product crossed the plate 16 times with nine stolen bases on 10 attempts while appearing in 32 games for EMU.

A psychology major, Trujillo holds a 3.20 GPA. The Whittier, Calif. product played a pivotal role on EMU's three-man pitching staff, making several appearances in relief while also starting 11 games. Trujillo finished the season with three wins and a 5.54 ERA, both of which were career-highs. In 78.1 innings of work, the sophomore fanned a career-best 45 while tossing one complete game. She set a career-high with six strikeouts in EMU's 6-1 loss to Northern Illinois, April 22. 

Whitbeck rounds out EMU's Academic All-MAC selections. An elementary education major hailing from Holland, Mich., Whitbeck boasts a 3.42 GPA. Despite injury limiting her role to pinch runner, Whitbeck made the most of her opportunities. The Holland, Mich. product set career-highs in runs scored, crossing the plate 21 times, and stolen bases. Successful on 12-of-13 attempts, Whitbeck led the team in stolen bases while doubling her total from a season ago. Whitbeck closed out her career with a start in EMU's season finale versus Western Michigan. Starting in right field, Whitbeck used her wheels to reach with an infield single in her final collegiate at bat.

The Eagles' season came to a close just short of the MAC Tournament, as EMU finished the season with a 19-32 overall record that included a 9-14 showing in league play.

2016 Academic All-MAC Team
Cassie Gillespie, Akron, Sophomore, 3.692, Pre-Physical Therapy
Taylor Kirian, Akron, Sophomore, 3.692, Supply Chain Management
Kayla Schlosser, Akron, Sophomore, 3.945, Biology
Erin Seiler, Akron, Senior, 3.594, MBA Business Analytics
Amanda Arnett, Ball State, Junior, 3.537, Speech Language Pathology
Sammi Cowger, Ball State, Senior, 3.803, Sport Administration
Emily Dabkowski, Ball State, Senior, 3.411, Nursing
Rachel Houck, Ball State, Junior, 3.410, Accounting
Elise Sandberg, Ball State, Sophomore, 3.794, Biology
Kelsey Schifferdecker, Ball State, Senior, 3.973, Accounting
India Steward, Ball State, Junior, 3.716, Sport Administration
Carolyn Wilmes, Ball State, Sophomore, 3.571, Legal Studies
Briana Combs, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.000, Sport Management
Kayla Gregory, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.877, Inclusive Early Childhood Education
Katee Hinkle, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.857, Health Science
Chelsea Raker, Bowling Green, Redshirt sophomore, 3.463, Public Health
Haley Schrock, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.971, Accounting
Marisa Shook, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.834, Dietetics
Sarah Edwards, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.215, Sociology
Lauren Gambone, Buffalo, Senior, 3.247, Sociology
Kenzie Koch, Buffalo, Senior, 3.474, Psychology
Maison Kalina, Central Michigan, Sophomore, 3.56,
Taylor Lewallen, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.42,
Carol Ann Sexauer, Central Michigan, Senior, 3.84,
Myranda Barnes, Eastern Michigan Senior, 3.75, Chemistry
Abi Clark, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.83, Speech Language Pathology
Abby Davidson, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.91, Speech Pathology
Aoife Duffy, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.41, Exercise Science
Haley Hostetler, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.56, Elementary Education
Mady Hostetler, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.65, Language, Literature, and Writing
Michelle Kriegshauser, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.54, Speech Language
Abbie Minsker, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.69, Chemistry
Brandice Olmos, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.81, Criminology
Angel Schilke, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.49, Chemistry
Trisha Trujillo, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.20, Psychology
Elaine Whitbeck, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.42, Elementary Education

Emily Dobbin, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.773, Integrated Health Studies
Michele Duffy, Kent State, Senior, 3.638, Biology
Maddy Grimm, Kent State, Junior, 3.513, Exercise Science
Janel Hayes, Kent State, Junior, 3.509, Exercise Science
Allie Luther, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.467, Exercise Science
Arika Roush, Kent State, Senior, 3.331, Integrated Health Studies
Vanessa Scoarste, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.924, Chemistry
Shelbi Tilton, Kent State, Senior, 3.768, Exercise Science
Erika Warren, Kent State, Senior, 3.319, Sports Administration
Tanya Busby, Miami, Senior, 3.31, Graphic Design
Kelsey Fredericks, Miami, Junior., 3.26, Marketing
Kaitlyn Gliha, Miami, Sophomore, 3.47, Mechanical Engineering
Jenna Jones, Miami, Junior, 3.63, Family Studies
Kat Lee, Miami, Sophomore, 3y.43, Kinesiology & Premedical Studies
Amber Logemann, Miami, Sophomore, Senior, 3.37, Biology
Jordyn Bowen, Northern Illinois, Junior, 3.60, Business
Kayti Grable, Northern Illinois, Junior, 3.56, Journalism
Bekah Harnish, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, 3.64, Art & Design Education
Kali Kossakowski, Northern Illinois, Junior, 3.71, Nursing
Emily Naegele, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.90, Pre-Physical Therapy
Tara Thacker, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, 4.0, Nursing
Caitlyn Warren, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.73, Sociology
Alaynie Woollard, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, 3.44, Psychology
Madison Claytor, Ohio, Junior, 3.758, Sport Management, Marketing and Business Administration
Taylor Saxton, Ohio, Redshirt Sophomore, 3.733, Sport Management, Marketing and Business Administration
Savannah Jo Dorsey, Ohio, Redshirt Junior, 3.377, Biological Sciences
Kaitlyn Bergman, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.867, Education
Samantha Emery, Toledo, Senior, 3.301, Exercise Science
Celeste Fidge, Toledo, Junior, 3.333, Marketing and Finance
Marla Gooding, Toledo, Senior, 3.569, Education
Kylie Gross, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.938, Marketing and Sales
Ashley Rausch, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.753, Nursing
Chandler Rice, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.867, Education
Samantha Showalter, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.399, Business
Erin Binkowski, Western Michigan, Junior, 3.36, Sport Management
Kelsea Cichocki, Western Michigan, Junior, 3.71, Physical Education
Geordin Craun, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3.34, Paper Engineering
Allyson Kus, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.26, Early Childhood Education
Melissa Palmer, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.81, Biomedical Sciences
Caity Pixley, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.28, Early Childhood Education
Anissa Sanchez, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3.61, Accountancy
Ivy Schaaf, Western Michigan, Junior, 3.52, Marketing
Thank You, Team 38
Monday, May 07
Overcoming Adversity: A Lauren Holdsworth Feature
Saturday, February 24
Closing Out a Legacy: Michelle Kriegshauser
Thursday, May 18
EMU Softball Signs Alyssa Feiler
Saturday, March 25