SB places 10 on All-Division Team; Kripner, Kahlig and Blomquist win individual awards

05/06/08

   (Left to right): Kacie Kripner is ASC West Division Player of the Year, Daphne Kahlig is ASC West Division Pitcher of the Year and Kasey Blomquist is ASC West Division Co-Coach of the Year

Belton, TX - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team placed ten players on the American Southwest Conference All-West Division Teams released today. The Cru also took three West Division individual awards with catcher Kacie Kripner claiming West Division Player of the Year honors, pitcher Daphne Kahlig being voted West Division Pitcher of the Year and Kasey Blomquist's selection as West Division Co-Coach of the Year.

Kasey Blomquist shared Coach of the Year honors with the Concordia Texas duo of Stan Warren and Kathy Pittman. This is the third consecutive West Division Coach of the Year honor for Blomquist. She guided the Cru to a 32-9 overall record and a 24-0 mark in West Division play. UMHB became the first ASC team to go 24-0 in divisional play and the Cru won the West Division for the second straight year. Blomquist has also guided UMHB to the NCAA Division III National Championships for the first time in the program's history.

Kacie Kripner was voted West Division Player of the Year and also earned a spot on the All-West Division First Team at catcher. Kripner, a senior from San Antonio MacArthur High School, batted .387 and led the Cru with six home runs and 49 RBI. She also became the ASC career leader in doubles this year and has 14 doubles and three triples on the year.

Daphne Kahlig was named West Division Pitcher of the Year and also claimed a spot on the All-West Division First Team at pitcher. Kahlig, a senior from Rosebud-Lott High School, has a 12-5 record and a 2.44 ERA on the season. She has eight complete games, three shutouts and 55 strikeouts on the season.

Kripner and Kahlig are joined by five teammates on the All-West Division First Team. Kelsey Greeson, a sophomore from Belton High School, also earned First Team honors as a pitcher. Greeson tied the UMHB single season record with 16 victories on the year and she has a 16-2 mark to go with a 2.47 ERA. Greeson also has a team-best 114 strikeouts on the year and added a .358 batting average, two home runs and 19 RBI at the plate. Erica Salazar, a sophomore from San Antonio Churchill High School, is the First Team second baseman. Salazar is batting .309 with two home runs and 15 RBI on the season. Katina Penter, a senior from Bishop High School, is the First Team shortstop. Penter leads the Cru with a .405 batting average and has four home runs and 28 RBI. Jessica Oliver, a sophomore from Belton High School, is a First Team selection at outfielder. Oliver is hitting .372 with one home run and 25 RBI. Megan Bohne, a freshman from A&M Consolidated High School, is the First Team Designated Player. Bohne is batting .376 and is second on the team with 36 RBI and she also has three home runs on the year.

Charlsie Cope and Becca Ribera were both named to the All-West Division Second Team. Cope, a senior from New Caney High School, is the Second Team first baseman. Cope is batting .342 with 23 RBI on the season. Ribera, a senior from Marble Falls High School, is a Second Team outfielder. Ribera is batting .305 with 13 RBI and a team-best 11 stolen bases on the season.

Sara Roman was named Honorable Mention All-West Division as an outfielder. Roman, a freshman from St. Joseph's High School in Bryan, set an ASC single-season record with 31 walks this season. She is batting .238 with 19 RBI on the year.

This is the fourth All-West Division selection for Kahlig and Kripner. Cope, Oliver, Penter, Ribera and Salazar are all two-time All-West Division picks. Bohne, Greeson and Roman are all first-time All-West Division selections. The honors stop at the divisional level in softball, the ASC does not select an All-Conference Team for softball.