Kelly Nilson went 11-3 in conference games and 20-9 overall to earn 1st team All-Conference honors.

LIVONIA, MI. --   Madonna softball coach Al White was honored as the 2004 Coach of the Year, the WHAC Conference announced Thursday afternoon.

White led MU to their first ever WHAC championship and a #1 seed in the upcoming NAIA Region VIII tournament.

In addition to White, three players were honored on the All-Conference first team.

Shortstop Emily Cunningham who led the team in hitting (.365), at-bats (181), runs scored (39), hits (66) and fielding percentage (.960) joined teammates Arin Fowler and Kelly Nilson on the squad.

Fowler, a senior from Romeo, Michigan, was the everyday catcher for the WHAC champions hitting .281 and driving in 25 runs in the process.  Her battery-mate Nilson appeared in 33 games for the Crusaders with a 20-9 overall record and 2.80 ERA.  Her 11-3 mark in conference games was tops for winning percentage among WHAC pitchers.

This is the second selection to the All-Conference team for both Fowler and Cunningham.  Nilson makes her first appearance in her first year at Madonna.

This is also the first time White has taken home the highest coaching honor.  The latest award adds to his historic season in which he became Madonna's all-time winningest softball coach with his 158th victory over Aquinas April 28th.

Junior 3B Kathy Day was also honored by the WHAC Thursday.  She was named to the Honorable-mention All-Conference squad after hitting .265 with 12 RBI's.

The Crusaders also placed four players on the Academic All-Conference list, honoring athletes with a 3.25 or higher cumulative GPA and at least junior status.  Mary Warchuck (3.32 GPA) and Krystal Shina (3.61 GPA) joined Fowler (3.54 GPA) and Day (3.44 GPA) on the list.

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Contact: Matt Fancett, SID (734) 432-5610