GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - - The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference office released the 2008 softball awards late Tuesday night on the eve of the WHAC softball tournament and eight different Crusaders took home hardware, led by Pitcher of the Year Jess Irwin and Coach of the Year Al White. The awards were voted upon by the league’s coaches.

MU saw four student-athletes named to the all-conference first team, led by Irwin (Monroe, Mich.). Joining the freshman righty on the top team were infielders Cat Sidor (Livonia, Mich.) and Tedi Johnston (New Boston, Mich.) along with catcher Danielle Richardson (Flint, Mich.). Sophomore infielder Brittney Scero (Canton, Mich.) was tabbed to the WHAC’s honorable mention squad while Liz Ballinger (St. Johns, Mich.), Christina Finch (Albion, Mich.), Mary Kate Setta (Grass Lake, Mich.) and Johnston were named to the all-academic team. Rounding out the MU awards was Sidor, who was selected to the Champion of Character team.

Irwin has rewritten the MU single season pitching records, setting the new standard in strike outs with 213 entering tomorrow’s WHAC summit. The Monroe, Michigan, native has also saved three games, good for both the single season and career mark. She has also notched a pair of no-hitters. Currently Irwin leads the circuit in wins (19), saves (3), strike outs (213), earned run average (1.20) and innings pitched (151.1).

Johnston, Scero and Sidor form three quarters of what many consider the top infield in the WHAC, while Richardson has mentored two of the top young pitchers in the conference this season. The four have started all 45 Crusader contests this spring at shortstop, second, first and catcher respectively.

Sidor leads the MU attack with a .404 average. She has posted 61 hits including 12 doubles, six triples and two home runs, while driving in 39. Sidor is currently in the midst of a 29-game hitting streak heading into the post season. She was tabbed to the Champion of Character team after being singled out amongst the Crusaders for best displaying the NAIA’s five core values in the C of C program.

Johnston has been a steady force in the middle of the diamond, hitting .338, good for third on the squad. The junior shortstop has recorded 48 hits, 14 doubles, two triples and a home run, driving in 28 along the way.

Richardson has caught every inning behind the plate this season for Madonna, helping lead the Crusaders to the WHAC’s lowest team ERA at 1.87.The junior backstop has thrown out 50-percent of the runners attempting to steal on her, while fielding at a 1.000 clip to lead the WHAC. At the plate, Richardson has posted a .368 average, good for second on the team. She has notched 49 hits, including 10 doubles and a home run.

Rounding out the selections for on the field performances was Scero, the MU every day second baseman the last two seasons.  The sophomore second sacker posted a .336 average in 149 at-bats from the lead off spot in White’s line-up. She has 50 hits, good for second on the team and has scored 37 times. Quick to flash the leather, Scero has a .950 fielding percentage.

Four different Crusaders were selected for work in the classroom as Ballinger, Finch, Johnston and Setta were all tabbed to the WHAC all-academic team. To be selected, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25 and be a junior or senior.

White was selected as the conference’s top skipper for the fourth time in his career. His 2008 squad posted a 20-4 league mark, the most WHAC wins in school history, winning the program’s sixth league title along the way. MU holds the number two ranking in the NAIA Region VIII poll and is the top seed in the WHAC tournament. 

MU hosts the league summit starting on Wednesday as the home standing Crusaders open the tournament with a 10am game against fourth seed UM-Dearborn.

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