Softball Well Represented on All-MAC Teams

5/9/2001

Nicole Corrigan

Mount Pleasant, MI -Marshall University softball players Nichole Corrigan, Sierra Davenport and Sara Gulla were awarded Mid-American Conference First-Team at the 2001 MAC Tournament Awards Banquet Wednesday.


"This is a great honor for those three girls," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "All three had tremendous seasons. Three players on the all-conference first-team is quite an accomplishment for our program."


Corrigan (Jr./Corona, CA) was selected at second base. A second team All-MAC selection last season, Corrigan batted .352 with 16 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 21 RBI. The leadoff hitter led Marshall in batting average, runs scored (35), doubles, total bases (97), at-bats (193), slugging percentage (.503), hits (68), triples and on-base percentage (.399). The co-captain was also named MAC East Division Player of the Week.


Davenport (Fr./Tucson, AZ) earned the honor as the league's top utility player. The right-handed hitter and hurler made quite a statement in her first season with the Herd. Davenport batted .305 overall with 23 stolen bases and went 14-10 with a 1.85 earned run average. The first basemen ranked fourth in the MAC with a .403 batting average and seventh with a 1.13 ERA in league games. On the mound, Davenport also ranked eighth in opponent batting average (.211). The rookie's highlight was her 10 and 1/3 innings of shutout work versus regular season MAC Champion Central Michigan. Davenport limited the Chippewas to just a pair of singles.


Gulla (Sr./Garden Grove, CA) was an at-large selection. The left-handed hurler finished her Marshall four-year career as the school all-time leader in strikeouts (727), shutouts (22), complete games (73) earned run average (1.82) and ranks second in wins (48). Gulla also holds the following single-season records for strikeouts (270), ERA (1.01), shutouts (8) complete games (27) and second with 21 wins. The two-time All-MAC first-team selection eclipsed numerous Mid-American Conference records as well. Gulla moved past Bernie Coffman into second-place all-time for career strikeouts. In all, Gulla recorded 24 double-digit strikeout performances. Gulla also tossed her first career no-hitter earlier this season in a 2-0 victory over Southern Utah in the semi-finals of the St. Mary's Tournament.


The Herd missed a MAC Tournament berth by just a single victory. With a league record of 15-9, the Herd became the first school in MAC history to post a winning percentage above .600 and not make the postseason tournament.


First Team

Pos. Player, School
1B Nikki Rouhana, Bowling Green
2B Nichole Corrigan, Marshall
SS Marci Ridenbaugh, Kent State
3B Hope Robertshaw, Central Michigan
C Samantha Knoll, Northern Illinois
OF Ali Orel, Ball State
OF Ruth Hjelmeland, Ball State
OF Jen Domschot, Bowling Green
P Marcy Mobley, Ball State
P Amber Puchalski, Central Michigan
DP Tiffany McCoy, Akron
UT Sierra Davenport, Marshall
AL Renee Rosemeier, Bowling Green*
AL Becky Manson, Central Michigan*
AL McKenna Houle, Bowling Green*
AL Sara Gulla, Marshall*


Second Team

Pos. Player, School
1B Angie Gerber, Miami 2B Tiffany Bolton, Ohio
SS Katie Shea, Ball State
3B Kelli Bankert, Ohio
C Michelle Brander, Central Michigan
OF Jennifer Skuta, Central Michigan
OF Keri Brisnehan, Miami
OF Erin Chapman, Ohio
P Kate Leary, Kent State
P Val Wood, Ohio
DP Stephanie Stapleton, Ohio
UT Britni Clark, Ball State
AL Kim Burke, Central Michigan*
AL Angie Domschot, Bowling Green*



*at-large selections


Player of the Year: Nikki Rouhana, Bowling Green
Coach of the Year: Leigh Ross-Shaw, Bowling Green
Pitcher of the Year: Amber Puchalski, Central Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Amber Puchalski, Central Michigan


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