LIVONIA, Mich. - - The NAIA Region VIII office announced that two Madonna University softball student-athletes have been selected to the all-region team. WHAC Pitcher of the Year Jess Irwin was joined on the team by sophomore first baseman Cat Sidor as the awards were announced following the region tournament in Lakeview, Ind.

Irwin (Monroe, Mich.) rewrote the single season pitching record book in just her first season as a Crusader. Her 1.03 earned run average is the lowest single-season mark in program history. That mark goes along with single season records for saves (3), strike outs per game (9.74), opponent batting average (.162) and shutouts (12). Irwin’s 275 strike outs surpassed the old mark of 182 set by Erin Brockert (2006) and puts her just 51 punch outs away from taking over first place in the career strike out record book.

Irwin’s 24 wins is good for second on the single-season charts and 10^th in the all-time wins category. Her three saves also set the MU career record, passing Janell Leschinger (1996-99) for the top spot.

Sidor (Livonia, Mich.) led Madonna with a .378 batting average. She led MU with 14 doubles, six triples and was second on the team in home runs, while leading the royal and gold with 46 RBIs.

The Crusaders’ every day first baseman the last two seasons, she posted a .976 fielding percentage this season. Her 2008 marks in slugging percentage (.584), hits (65), doubles (14), triples (6), runs batted in (46), total bases (97) and sacrifice flies (4) all rank in the top-10 for a single season in MU history. For her career, Sidor has been part of turning 31 doubles plays, tops in the Madonna record books.

The Crusaders finished the 2008 season at 37-14-1 and were crowned the WHAC regular season and tournament champions.