Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Five Softball players earn spot on MVC Scholar-Athlete Teams
05/21/2008 | 12:00:00 | Softball
May 21, 2008
By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Five Southern Illinois softball team members earned spots on the 2008 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Teams as announced by the league office on Wednesday. Seniors Lauren Haas, Krystal Stein and Tiffanie Dismore were selected to the 12-member first team, while junior Katie Schmidt and sophomore Katie Wilson were both named honorable mention.
The Salukis were the only team in the conference to have three student-athletes on the first team, and placed at least five on the MVC Scholar-Athlete Teams for the third-straight season.
Haas and Stein were also the only student-athletes to be chosen first team for three straight seasons.
Haas, who was the lone unanimous selection for first team and earned votes from each of the league's 10 softball sports information directors, was also named the MVC Player of the Year, First-Team All-MVC, First-Team All-Region, and garnered CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine All-Academic District V honors this year.
The Bremerton, Wash. native, carried a 3.70 grade point average in marketing, while leading the team with a .388 batting average, .619 slugging percentage, .455 on-base percentage, 13 doubles and 39 runs batted in.
Stein, from Nashville, Ill., who was also named to the first team in 2006 and 2007, had a 4.0 GPA in speech communication, and led the Salukis with 28 runs scored this season. Stein was also named CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine All-Academic District V First Team for the second time in her career, and was chosen one of SIU's 25 Most Distinguished Seniors.
Dismore, from Lafayette, Ind., earned her second-straight MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team selection, and carried a 3.728 GPA in Radio/TV. She hit .273 with five doubles, a triple and five stolen bases during the season, and also moved into seven place all-time for career hits (187), sixth for at bats (601), tied for fourth for runs scored (113) and ninth for stolen bases (33).
Schmidt earned her first MVC Scholar-Athlete award, after having a 3.96 GPA in marketing, and setting multiple season career-highs. Schmidt hit .261, and had a personal season-best 23 hits, six doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI.
The Millstadt, Ill. native also tied her season-best with a .500 slugging percentage, and went a perfect 11-for-11 in stolen bases, which was third in the conference and moved her into eighth place all-time at SIU with 34.
Wilson, from Alton, Ill., also earned her first postseason MVC Scholar-Athlete award with a 3.512 GPA in elementary education, and strong offensive season. She posted a .290 batting average, with seven doubles, a triple, three home runs, 24 RBI and team-high 12 stolen bases. She was also named the MVC Player of the Week on Feb. 18, and recorded the second-most steals in the league.
The Southern Illinois softball team has been committed to excellence on and off the field, and has ranked in the top-15 among NFCA All-Academic Teams in each of the last seven seasons, and set a program record with a second place finish with a 3.56 team GPA in 2007.
MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team
Stephanie Aguero, UNI, Sr., 3.68, Exercise Science
Tiffanie Dismore!, Southern Illinois, Sr., 3.728, Radio/TV
Lauren Haas!^, Southern Illinois, Sr., 3.70, Marketing
Brittany Herald, Evansville, Sr., 3.40, Physical Education
Jen Larsen, UNI, So., 3.60, Biology
Kara Nelson, Illinois State, So., 3.35, Business Administration
Tara Oltman, Creighton, So., 4.00, English/Secondary Education
Tiffany Prager!, Illinois State, Sr., 3.64, Business Administration
Meredith Simpson!, Indiana State, Jr., 3.58, Athletic Training
Susan Slycord, Drake, Sr., 3.72, Biology/Pre-Med
Krystal Stein!^, Southern Illinois, Sr., 4.00, Speech Communication
Jessica Wakasugi, Creighton, Jr., 3.60, Business entrepreneurship
! 2007 First Team Selection; ^ 2006 First Team Selection
MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention
Marilyn Buss, Drake, Sr., 3.55, Secondary Education
TJ Eadus, Creighton, Sr., 3.00, Interpersonal Communication
Lissa Fehlman, Evansville, Jr., 3.80, Interdisciplinary Studies
Kelsey Kahler, Drake, So., 3.85, Elementary Education
Michelle Koch, Creighton, So., 3.45, Nursing
Melissa Porche, Missouri State, Sr., 3.17, Psychology
Stephanie Ramsey!, Bradley, Sr., 3.88, Elementary Education
Katie Schmidt, Southern Illinois, Jr., 3.96, Marketing
Cynthia Verhulst, Wichita State, Sr., 3.341, Spanish
Katie Wilson, Southern Illinois, So., 3.512, Elementary Education
