Lady Coyotes land six on All-KCAC Softball Teams
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

LINDSBORG – Six Kansas Wesleyan softball players have been named to the All-KCAC Softball teams for the 2007 season.

Kansas Wesleyan shared the KCAC Championship with Friends and Ottawa, as the Lady Coyotes captured their first regular season championship since the 1998 season.

Ashley Coker was named the KCAC Pitcher of the Year. The senior from Hays finished the KCAC regular season with a KCAC best 1.11 ERA in seven games. All seven starts were complete games with three shutouts. Her batting average against was a KCAC betst .077. She struck out 88 batters in KCAC play, best in the KCAC at 12.57 per game, 37 more than all of KWU’s opponents struck out against KWU in KCAC play. She also had two consecutive no-hitters in a one week period, the second coming almost simultaneously with her younger sister Katie. The sister act garnered the pair national media exposure. With the bat, Coker was excellent in KCAC play. She batted .553, 31 points better than second place. She was fourth in slugging percentage, second in on base percentage. She led the KCAC in hits per game during conference play.

Megan Duchene was also named First Team All-KCAC at outfield. The sophomore from Bourbonnais, Ill., was ranked sixth in the KCAC in slugging percentage in conference play, seventh in the conference in hits per game, led the KCAC in RBIs per game and was third in the conference in homeruns.

Jamie Peat was named First Team All-KCAC at pitcher. The junior from Trail, British Columbia, was eighth in the KCAC in ERA at 2.51. She was second in the KCAC behind teammate Ashley Coker in batting average allowed at .192. She led the KCAC in innings pitcher per game at 6.38. She was 6-1 in her seven appearances, all complete games with three shutouts.

Gabby White was named First Team All-KCAC. The senior from Waco, Texas, was sixth in the KCAC in doubles per game with .36, fourth in the KCAC per game in hit by pitch per game. An excellent fielder, White made many game saving plays in the infield.

Michelle Webster was named Second Team All-KCAC. The junior catcher from Vernon, British Columbia, batted .302 for the Lady Coyotes in her first season. She had 13 hits, including two homeruns during KCAC play. She was a consistent force behind the plate for the Lady Coyotes.

Marissa Lewis was named Honorable Mention All-KCAC. The senior second baseman from Topeka was a consistent force in the field for the Lady Coyotes. Her defensive play was outstanding, and she made many plays that kept the Lady Coyotes in the game. Her range was excellent.

In addition to the six players, Kansas Wesleyan coach Matt Williams was named as one of the KCAC Tri-Coaches of the Year. He shared the honor with Tony Segovia of Friends and Jay Kahnt of Ottawa as all three teams shared the KCAC Championship.

KWU finished the season with a 22-16 overall record after the KCAC Tournament, 15 games better than last year’s 7-29-1 record.

-- KWU SI --