BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Seniors Sara Kummer [at right] and Jenny Hayes [left] are the co-winners of the Illinois Wesleyan University softball team's "Most Valuable Player" award.
 A centerfielder from Normal (U High), Kummer batted .351 with a team-high 38 runs batted in and six home runs this season for the Titans, who finished 27-12-1 overall and 9-5 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play.
 Kummer finished her career as IWU's all-time leader in doubles (36) and home runs (13), second in runs scored (108) and runs batted in (116), fourth in hits (163) and triples (14), and 13th with a career .332 average.
 Hayes, a right-handed pitcher from Joliet (West HS), set a school single-season record for wins with her 18-4 pitching mark this spring. She had a 1.17 earned run average, striking out 82 and allowing only 89 hits in 144 innings.
 She ended her career as IWU's all-time wins leader (34), with a school record 1.92 ERA, and with the best winning percentage (.708) among Titan pitchers with more than 45 decisions.
 Beth Keller, a junior second baseman from Normal (Community HS), was named the Titans' "Most Improved Player" as she hit .345 with eight doubles and three triples while leading the team in steals for the second straight season with 20. After three seasons Keller is No. 11 all-time at IWU in doubles (13), triples (6), and No. 18 in hits (86), while her career .343 average is eighth best in school records.
 Keller and junior catcher Christie Evitt (Naperville, Oak Lawn Community HS) were chosen to serve as co-captains for the 2000 team. Evitt was second on this year's team with a .364 batting mark, cracking three home runs with four doubles.
 Tonya Poindexter, a sophomore infielder from Tuscola (HS) won the squad's annual "Gwen Meyer Award," which 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.
 Senior first baseman Amy Pollitz (Wheaton, North HS) batted .306 this spring and capped her career as one of IWU's all-time leaders in a number of offensive categories. Pollitz finished third in hits (167) and runs batted in (106), seventh in doubles (19), eighth in triples (10), 10th in runs scored (84), and 11th with a lifetime .341 batting mark.
 The Titans got another solid season from junior shortstop Jackie Kloiber (Tinley Park HS), who led the team in hitting for the second straight year with her .365 mark and scored a team-high 30 runs. After three seasons, Kloiber ranks No. 10 in hits (113), No. 5 in triples (13), No. 8 in runs scored (85), and No. 7 in batting average (.349) among IWU career leaders.
 Head coach Mandy Neal awarded letters to 15 players, 11 of whom return for next season. The letterwinners are, with hometowns and high schools:
SENIORS - Debbie Duden (Fithian, Oakwood HS), Jenny Hayes (Joliet, West HS), Sara Kummer (Normal, U High), Amy Pollitz (Wheaton, North HS).
JUNIORS - Christie Evitt (Oak Lawn, Community HS), Beth Keller (Normal, Community HS), Jackie Kloiber (Oak Forest, Tinley Park HS).
SOPHOMORES - Sara Powers (Manhattan, Lincoln-Way HS), Chez Rumpf (New Lenox, Lincoln-Way HS), Becky Stenning (Monee, Crete-Monee HS), Mandy Watson (Normal, Community HS), Kristi Witherow (Normal, U High).
FRESHMEN - Mandi Cioni (Granville, Putnam County HS), Sarah Engelhardt (Yorkville HS), Laura Jones (Canton HS).