Eight Softball Players Earn Academic All-MAC Accolades

CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Mid-American Confernece announced Tuesday, June 2, that eight members of the Eastern Michigan University softball team have been named to the Academic All-MAC team.

The Eagles tied for third with Northern Illinois in the conference with eight selections. Kent State paced the league with 14 selections followed by Ball State with 10. Behind EMU was Bowling Green (7), Ohio (6), Toledo (6), Western Michigan (6), Akron (4), Central Michigan (4), Buffalo (3), and Miami (2).

The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.

The eight Eagles that earned the accolade included: Myranda Barnes, Abi Clark, Abby Davidson, Aoife Duffy, Michelle Kriegshauser, Lindsay Rich, Taylor Wagner, and Elaine Whitbeck.

Barnes saw action in 40 games, starting 23 of them in left field for the Green and White in her junior season. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native notched 13 hits on the season, including five RBI and one double. The junior outfielder scored on 16 occasions for the Green and White, holding a .273 on-base percentage and a .206 slugging percentage in the 2015 season. In conference action, Barnes had three hits, including one double, while touching home eight times for EMU. Furthermore, Barnes nabbed four multi-hit games and one multi-RBI game for the Eagles. Barnes carries a 3.74 grade point average as a chemistry major.

Clark moved into the starting role at first base in the 2015 season after competing as mostly the designated player in 2014. The Clinton, Mich. native appeared in 45 games, starting 44 in the 2015 campaign and ranked second on the team and 15th in the conference with a .362 batting average. Clark nabbed 47 hits, including nine doubles and three home runs, while her 20 RBI ranked third on the team. The junior infielder finished the season with a .500 slugging percentage and a .420 on-base percentage. In conference action, Clark ranked third on the team with a .361 batting average with 22 hits, seven doubles, one home run and nine RBI. Furthermore, she boasted a .525 slugging percentage and a .400 on-base percentage in conference action. Moreover, Clark posted a seven-game hitting streak and a 12-game reached base streak for the Green and White in the 2015 season, while nabbing 12 multi-hit games and five multi-RBI contests. Clark holds a 3.73 as a speech language pathology major.

Davidson was the only Eagle to start all 50 games in the 2015 campaign, playing at the hot corner for the second-straight season. The Westerville, Ohio native posted a .254 batting average with 36 hits, including four doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI. The junior third baseman notched eight multi-hit games in the 2015 season and one multi-RBI game, while carrying a five-game hitting streak and a six-game reached base streak. In conference action, Davidson ranked fourth on the team with a .276 batting average, including 16 hits and four RBI. Davidson has a 3.91 GPA as a speech language pathology major.

Duffy appeared in 32 games for the Green and White, starting 16 behind the plate in the 2015 season. The Powell, Ohio native posted 14 hits on the season and brought in the game winning run for the Eagles against Bowling Green with a slow roller back to the second baseman. The ball allowed two runs to cross the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, keeping the Eagles' playoff hopes alive. The junior catcher also drove in seven runs for EMU and scored on three occasions. In the field, Duffy posted 41 putouts and five assists for a .958 fielding percentage. Duffy is an exercise science major with a 3.43 grade point average.

For the second-straight season, Kriegshauser led the Eagles at the plate with a team-high .397 batting average. The sophomore outfielder appeared in all 50 games, starting 49 in the 2015 season, while leading the Green and White in 10 offensive categories including: batting average (.397), slugging percentage (.692), runs scored (32), hits (62), RBI (32), doubles (12), triples (2), home runs (10), total bases (108) and walks (21). Furthermore, Kriegshauser posted a impressive 20 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI games, while carrying a seven-game hitting streak and a 14-game reached base streak. Kriegshauser started all 19 conference games for the Green and White in right field, carrying a .397 batting average, to lead Eastern Michigan and rank 21st in the Mid-American Conference. The New Lenox, Ill. native posted 18 hits, including five doubles, one triple and four home runs, while driving in eight RBI and scoring on a team-high 13 occasions in conference action. Furthermore, Kriegshauser notched a .698 slugging percentage and a .441 on-base percentage. The sophomore nabbed Mid-American Conference West Player of the Week honors one time this season when she capped off a stellar week for the Eagles, going 7-for-17 at the plate, including seven RBI, for a .412 batting average in five contests. Kriegshauser opened up the weekend, going 2-for-3 against North Dakota, scoring once and driving in an RBI before notching two hits in four at bats against Robert Morris, driving in one run. Kriegshauser is an undecided major with a 3.78 GPA.

In her final season donning the Green and White, Rich appeared in 36 games in the circle, starting 24. The Perrysburg, Ohio native tallied 11 of the Eagles' 18 wins, pitching 162.1 innings with 11 complete games and 83 strikeouts. The senior right-handed pitcher picked up the victory in the circle in each of the Eagles' three wins at the EMU Madeira Beach Spring Invitational, Feb. 20-22. The right-handed hurler tossed 21.2 innings for the Green and White, including 16.2 consecutive shut out innings. In the teams first win of the weekend, Rich went the distance, giving up just five hits and no runs against Columbia University Saturday, Feb. 21 before coming back Sunday, Feb. 22 to defeat UMASS-Lowell, again pitching a complete game and not allowing any runs to score. When not in the circle, Rich carried a .263 batting average, with her best season at the plate, including 30 hits, seven doubles, one triple and four home runs. Finally, the senior had a .455 slugging percentage and a .383 on-base percentage in her final season as an Eagle. Rich will graduate from EMU with a 3.34 grade point average as a communications major.

Wagner appeared in 43 games, starting 41 behind the plate for the Eagles in the 2015 season. The sophomore catcher ranked third on the team with a .303 batting average, including 37 hits with six doubles and two home runs. The Marshalltown, Iowa native drove in 19 RBI for the Green and White and crossed the plate on 14 occasions, while posting a .402 slugging percentage and a .351 on-base percentage. Wagner ranked second in the Eagle lineup in Mid-American Conference play, boasting a .375 batting average with 21 hits and a team-high 12 RBI. The sophomore catcher knocked four doubles on the season and one home run to add to her stat line, while carrying a .500 slugging percentage and a .397 on-base percentage in conference action. Wagner caught 11 runners stealing this season, ranking her first in the conference. Finally, Wagner had a .944 fielding percentage behind the plate with 50 putouts, 18 assists, four errors and allowed just one passed ball in 18 contests. Wagner is an undecided major with a 3.45 GPA.

Whitbeck saw action in 43 games for Eastern Michigan before emerging as the Eagles' starting left fielder for the final games of the year. The junior outfielder started 26 games in the 2015 season, carrying a .224 batting average with 11 hits and scoring 15 times. Whitbeck laid down six sacrifice bunts and tallied three sacrifice hits, while bringing in two runs for the Green and White. In conference action, Whitbeck hit at a .321 clip with six hits, including one double. Whitbeck holds a 3.30 GPA as an elementary education major.

2015 Softball Academic All-MAC
Sara Pearson, Akron, Senior, 3.505, Exercise Science
Kellie Roudabush, Akron Senior, 3.583, Nursing
Erin Seiler, Akron, Junior, 3.586, Marketing Management
Chelsea Wildey, Akron, Senior, 3.808, Nursing
Hanne Stuedemann, Ball State, Senior, 3.786, Medical Preparation
Emily Dabkowski, Ball State, Junior, 3.434, Nursing
Rachel Houck, Ball State, Sophomore, 3.333, Business
Loren Cihlar, Ball State, Senior, 3.907, Health Science
Kelsey Schifferdecker, Ball State, Junior, 3.963, Accounting
Jessica Craft, Ball State, Senior, 3.325, Accounting
Sammi Cowger, Ball State, 3.782, Sport Administration
Taylor Cooley, Ball State, Sophomore, 3.704, Nursing
India Steward, Ball State, Sophomore, 3.750, Sport Administration
Amanda Arnett, Ball State, Sophomore, 3.452, Speech Language Pathology
Amanda Durham, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.530. Sport Management
Chloe Giordano, Bowling Green, Senior, 3.693, Health Science
Emily McClelland, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.00, Human Movement & Sport Leisure Studies
Sami Parave, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.561, Psychology
Haley Schrock, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.949, Accounting
Aspen Searle, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.537, Psychology
Marisa Shook, Bowling Green, Junior, 3.806, Dietetics
Hayley Barrow, Buffalo, Senior, 3.646, Social Sciences
Alexis Curtiss, Buffalo, Senior, 3.6572, Psychology
Kenzie Koch, Buffalo, Junior, 3.405, Psychology
Trista Cox, Central Michigan, Senior, 3.69, Finance
Kristen Goodall, Central Michigan, Sophomore, 3.27, Exercise Science
Karly Hansen, Central Michigan, Senior, 4.000, English
Kristen Kuhlman, Central Michigan, Senior, 3.77, Biology/Biomedical Sciences
Myranda Barnes, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.74, Chemistry
Abi Clark, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.73, Speech Language Pathology
Abby Davidson, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.91, Speech Language Pathology
Aoife Duffy, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.43, Exercise Science
Michelle Kriegshauser, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.78, Undecided
Lindsay Rich, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.34, Communication
Taylor Wagner, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.45 Undecided
Elaine Whitbeck, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.30, Elementary Education
Michele Duffy, Kent State, Junior, 3.578, Biology
Alyssa Frankenfield, Kent State, Junior, 3.803, Public Health
Maddy Grimm, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.524, Exercise Science
Janel Hayes, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.598, Exercise Science
Emma Johnson, Kent State, Senior, 3.664, Finance
Chloe Kesterson, Kent State, Junior, 3.557, Integrated Health Studies
Lauren Kesterson, Kent State, Junior, 3.554, Integrated Health Studies
Kim Kirkpatrick, Kent State, Senior, 3.950, Exercise Science
Paige McCrary, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.216, Exercise Science
Ariele Patterson, Kent State, Senior, 3.267, Human Development/Family Studies
Dani Ramos, Kent State, Senior, 3.528, Communication Studies
Arika Roush, Kent State, Junior, 3.311, Integrated Health Studies
Shelbi Tilton, Kent State, Junior, 3.749, Exercise Science
Erika Warren, Kent State, Junior, 3.397, Sports Administration
Amber Logemann, Miami, Junior, 3.30, Biology
Shanyn McIntyre, Miami, Senior, 3.38, Health Promotion
Kali Kossakowski, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, 3.803, Pre-Nursing
Emily Naegele, Northern Illinois, Junior, 3.944, Health Sciences/Pre-Physical Therapy
Kaitlyn Barrett, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.862, Kinesiology
Kayti Grable, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, 3.501, Journalism
Bryanna Phelan, Northern Illinois Senior, 3.433, Kinesiology
Jessica Sturm, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.271, Organizational/Corporate Communications
Allyson Hecht, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.245, Kinesiology
Kristyn Barrett, Northern Illinois, Senior, 4.000, Kinesiology
Kaylin Clarke, Ohio, Senior, 3.219, Sports Management/Business Administration
Madison Claytor, Ohio, Sophomore, 3.765, Pre-Sports Management
Adrienne Gebele, Ohio, Senior, 3.753, Applied Nutrition
Raven King, Ohio, Senior, 3.683, Civil Engineering/Mathematics
Dakota Pyles, Ohio, Senior, 3.412, Integrated Mathematics
Timmie Rappe, Ohio, Senior, 3.209, Communication Studies/Journalism
Emily Anderson, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.256, Nursing
Celeste Fidge, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.256, Marketing
Marla Gooding, Toledo, Junior, 3.506, Early Childhood Education
Chandler Rice, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.684, Human Resource Management
Mareshah Scott, Toledo, Senior, 3.439, Interdisciplinary Studies
Alyssa Smith, Toledo, Senior, 3.768, Finance and Information Systems
Marlee Wilson, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3.91, Graphic Design
Melissa Palmer, Western Michigan, Junior, 3.73, Biomedical Sciences
Jenny Rohn, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.68, Elementary Education
Kelsea Cichocki, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3.65, Physical Education
Erin Binkowski, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3.56, Criminal Justice
Ivy Schaaf, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3.46, Business

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Players Mentioned

Myranda Barnes

Abi Clark

Abby Davidson

Aoife Duffy

Michelle Kriegshauser

Lindsay Rich

Taylor Wagner

Elaine Whitbeck

Related Videos