Four Earn Softball Team Awards

May 13, 2008

Four Falcons earned softball team award announced on Monday.

Third baseman Emily Howlett (Sr., Eagan, Minn.), right-handed pitcher Ashley Bertrand (Sr., St. Paul, Minn. Como Park HS), second baseman Cassie Peterson (Jr., New Richmond, Wis.) and catcher Ashley James (Sr., Mankato, Minn. Loyola HS) all earned team awards.

Howlett was named the team's Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. Bertrand won the team's Spirit award. James won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Peterson was named the team's Most Improved and Most Dedicated.

Howlett, who was named to the first All-WIAC teams in 2006, 2007 and 2008, led the Falcons in hitting with a .500 average. She was 69-138 at the plate. She led the Falcons in hits, runs (47), doubles (17), triples (2) and RBI (52). She also hit eight homers and had a .826 slugging percentage. She finished with a .972 fielding percentage. She set single season records in six categories including batting average, RBI, doubles, hits, runs scored and slugging percentage. Howlett holds career records for doubles (52) and batting average (.439). Her .500 average ties for the best average in a single season in the WIAC. Howlett led the WIAC in batting average, total bases, slugging percentage, doubles, RBI and hits. She played and started all 42 games for the Falcons. She was also named the WIAC Position Player of the Year and was named to the first NFCA All-Great Lakes Region team.

Bertrand, who earned honorable mention to the 2008 All-WIAC team, had an 18-6 record with a 2.53 ERA. In 155 innings she struck out a season-high record 217 batters. She walked only 60. She appeared in 32 games and started 28 times. She had 14 complete games and six shutouts. The 18 wins and six shutouts are single season records. Opponents hit .214 against her. She holds school career records for games started (112), runs per game (1.84), strikeouts (572) and wins (56). Bertrand led the WIAC in innings pitched, strike outs, appearances, game started and she was second in wins. She was named to the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region third team this year.

Peterson hit .214 and played in 35 games, starting 29. The slap hitter had four RBI and scored nine runs. She finished the season with a .941 fielding percentage. The All-Sportsmanship team is for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. The team included one member from each school as selected by that school. Peterson was named to the WIAC All-Sportsmanship team this year.

James committed just one error in 324 chances and led the team in fielding percentage (.997). She led the WIAC in runners picked off (5). She hit .241 with one double and eight RBI. She stole one base and scored 13 runs. She threw out 22-33 base stealers. James hit .229 in her career with nine doubles, one triple and one home run. She knocked in 46 runs. She is second all-time with 957 put outs and has a .981 career fielding percentage.

The Falcons finished 29-13 overall and won a school-record 15 straight games. They finished 8-8 in WIAC play and finished second in the conference tournament. UWRF is the only team to beat the No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 seeds in WIAC tournament play. The Falcons entered the tourney as the No. 5 seed.

2008 Falcon Schedule
2008 Falcon Statistics
Team Award Archive