Softball Award Winners Named

May 25, 2007

Six members of the 2007 Falcon softball team have earned team awards.

Third baseman Emily Howlett (Jr., Eagan, Minn.) was named the Most Valuable Player and Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Shortstop Mindy Rudiger (So., Menomonie, Wis.) was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year. First baseman Keri Feller (So., Austin, Minn.) was named the Defensive Player of the Year and outfielder Rachel Mathias (So., Ripon, Wis.) was named the Most Improved Player. Catcher Margo Taylor (Sr., Forest Lake, Minn.) was voted the team's Most Dedicated and pitcher Ashley Bertrand (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) was named the Most Inspirational/Sprit award winner.

Howlett, who was named to the first All-WIAC teams in 2006 and 2007, led the Falcons in hitting with a .478 average. She also led the team in hits (66), doubles (15), slugging percentage (.746) and on-base percentage (.490). She was second in RBI (33) and tied for the team lead in triples (2). She struck out only four times in 147 plate appearances. Howlett had three sacrifice flies, stole one base and had a .945 fielding percentage. She played and started 42 games and batted third in the lineup. Her 15 doubles set a school single season record. Howlett was second in hits, doubles and total bases in the WIAC. She had a game high six at bats and four hits in an 11-7 win over Stevens Point on May 4. She scored two runs in a game nine times and a game high four RBI in an 11-2 win over Hamline on April 6. Howlett had 10 multiple RBI games and led the Falcons with 22 multiple hit games. She had a 10-game hitting streak and was named the team's Player of the Week on March 5 and March 19. In the four games at the WIAC Tournament, she was 12-17 at the plate for a .706 average. She scored three runs, hit one home run and had four RBI. Howlett set a school record for hits (66) and batting average (.478) this year. Her six homers is second and her 33 RBI is third in a season at UWRF.

Rudiger, who was named to the first All-WIAC team in 2007 and earned honorable mention in 2006, was the team's lead off batter the entire season. She played and started all 44 games. She was second in hitting with a .384 average. She led the team in at bats (146), runs (46), home runs (12) and RBI (37). Rudiger finished with a .705 slugging percentage and a .461 on-base percentage. She stole six bases and had a .891 fielding percentage. She was second on the team in doubles (12) and hits (56). Rudiger finished in a tie for first in home runs and second in runs scored in the WIAC. She set a UWRF record with 12 homers. She led the Falcons with 11 multiple RBI games and had 17 multiple hit games. Rudiger was named the team's Player of the Week on March 12, March 26, April 9 and April 23. She had a game high six at bats and four hits in an 11-7 win over Stevens Point on April 6. She scored four runs in a game twice and had five RBI in a game twice. Rudiger had a four game hitting streak during the season. In the four games at the WIAC Tournament, she was 8-16 at the plate for a .500 average. She scored five runs, had one double and two homers. She had five RBI.

Feller hit in the cleanup spot throughout the season. She recorded 293 putouts and 13 assists and made just four errors. She finished the year with a .987 fielding percentage; the best of all starters. She played and started all 44 games at first base and hit .321, third on the team. She had eight doubles, three homers and 29 RBI, third on the team. She scored eight times and led the Falcons with five sacrifice flies. Feller had a six-game hitting streak during the season. She had seven multiple RBI games and 12 multiple hit games.

Mathias earned the team's Most Improved Player award for the second straight year. She played and started all 44 games in center field. She hit .252 and scored 19 runs. She had three doubles, tied for the team lead with two triples, one homer and 12 RBI. She stole six bases. Mathias had two multiple RBI games and seven multiple hit games. She had a four-game hitting streak during the season.

Taylor won the team's Most Dedicated award for the third straight season. She played in 17 games and started seven times. She hit .111 in 27 at bats. She had three RBI. She handled five chances in the field without an error.

Bertrand earned the team's Most Inspirational/Spirit award for the second straight year. A right hander, finished 14-5 with one save. She appeared in 31 games and started 28 times. Bertrand led the team in innings pitched (148.2) and finished the year with a 2.21 ERA. She threw seven complete games and opponents hit .228 against her. She led the team with 148 strike outs and walked 39. Bertrand set a career record for strike outs with 355. She led the WIAC in starts and was second in appearances, fourth in wins and fourth strike outs. She had a game high 10 strike outs in a 3-1 win over Lake Forest on March 13. She twice allowed just one hit in two games - in a 3-1 win over Lake Forest on March 13 and in a 2-0 win over Platteville on April 14. Bertrand was named the team's Pitcher of the Week on March 5, March 19, April 2 and April 23. She was named the WIAC Pitcher of the Week on March 19 after the team's spring break trip to Florida where she appeared in eight games and started six times. She threw two complete games and had a 3-1 record and one save. She pitched 36.2 innings and allowed 20 hits. She walked only five and struck out 50. Opponents hit .153 against her and she had a 0.57 ERA.

The Falcons finished 32-12 overall and 11-5 and in third place in the WIAC. The 32 wins is a school record for a single season.

Go to the 2007 Falcon Statistics