24 May 2000
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206 and/or head coach Mandy Neal, (309) 556-3348

Stephen Named "MVP" for Young IWU Softball Team

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. ­ Freshman Stephanie Stephen, who led the Illinois Wesleyan softball team into the Division III playoffs, was chosen as the team's "Most Valuable Player."

Stephen (Martinsville, Casey-Westfield HS), who was the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin "Player of the Year", led Illinois Wesleyan with a .423 batting average, 39 runs batted in, and a school-record eight home runs. She also set IWU single-season records for hits (63) and games played (49) and tied for second with 40.

After just one year, Stephen's home run total places her fourth all-time at IWU, behind record-holder Sara Kummer, who hit 13 from 1996-99.

The Titans finished with a 30-19 overall record, won the CCIW tournament, and won two games in the NCAA regional tourney before bowing out. It was the fourth time an IWU team has won 30 or more games and it was IWU's third national tournament appearance.

Sophomore pitcher Sarah Engelhardt was named the team's "Most Improved Player" and freshman outfielder Julie Smith won the annual "Gwen Meyer Award."

Engelhardt (Yorkville HS) logged a 9-7 pitching record with a 1.49 earned run average, third best in a season at IWU. She also batted .263 with six doubles and 15 runs batted in as a position player.

Smith (Berwyn, Morton West HS) had four hits in eight at bats and scored eight runs. In 15 games, she stole five bases and had three runs batted in.

The "Gwen Meyer Award" is given to the player who gives 100 percent, shows support of the team, and is self-motivated. The award was established in 1986 to honor the memory of Meyer, IWU's most valuable softball player in 1984, who died of cancer.

Chosen as captains for 2001 were juniors Tonya Poindexter (Tuscola HS), Sara Powers (Manhattan, Lincoln-Way HS), and Becky Stenning (Monee, Crete-Monee HS).

After three seasons, Powers is fourth in IWU history with 31 doubles, just five behind Kummer's record of 36. Powers is also No. 14 in career hits (109) and runs batted in (57) and her .335 career average is 11th best in IWU records.

Closing out their careers were seniors Beth Keller, Christie Evitt, and Jackie Kloiber. Keller, a second baseman from Normal (Community HS), finished her career third in stolen bases (48), ninth in hits (121), seventh in doubles (21), 11th in triples (7), 12th in runs batted in (58), and 13th in runs scored (74). Her .324 career average is 16th best in IWU history.

Kloiber (Tinley Park HS) became IWU's career leader in both stolen bases (54) and runs scored (119). She also ended her four years ranked second all-time in triples (18), sixth in hits (154), seventh in runs batted in (65), and 10th in both doubles (17) and career batting average (.336).

Evitt (Naperville, Oak Lawn Community HS), a catcher/third baseman, was fifth all-time in hits (157), runs batted in (82) and batting average (.356), is second in doubles (35) and ninth in career triples (9).

Head coach Mandy Neal now has a 12-year career mark of 305-164-1 for a .650 winning percentage. Neal awarded letters to 15 players, including 12 who will return next year. They are, with hometowns and high schools:

SENIORS - Christie Evitt (Naperville, Oak Lawn Community HS); Beth Keller (Normal Community HS); Jackie Kloiber (Tinley Park HS).

JUNIORS - Tonya Poindexter (Tuscola HS); Sara Powers (Manhattan, Lincoln-Way HS); Becky Stenning (Monee, Crete-Monee HS).

SOPHOMORES - Mandi Cioni (Granville, Putnam County HS); Sarah Engelhardt (Yorkville HS); Laura Jones (Canton HS); Kate Molina (Skokie, Loyola Academy).

FRESHMEN - Ellen Furr (Newark HS); Stephanie Hieser (Minier, Stanford Olympia HS); Megan Pietrucha (Orland Hills, Andrew HS); A.J. Reeley (Danville HS); Stephanie Stephen (Martinsville, Casey-Westfield HS).