Stritch Wolves softball prepares for 2010 season
Milwaukee, Wis. - The 2010 Cardinal Stritch University is taking steps into the future. After the 2009 season coach Rich Panella stepped down. With new Head Coach Jamie Trudeau entering her first season, and a young team consisting of freshman, sophomores and returning one senior the Wolves have a new look.
The 2009 team was led in most offensive categories by Mandi Schroeder, who graduated after the season. Schroeder led the team in batting average (.333), runs scored (13), hits (27), home runs (2), runs batted in (15), and on-base percentage (.393).
Besides Schroeder who led the offense, Stritch also lost senior pitcher Valorie Stramowski to graduation. Stramowksi led the Wolves pitching staff in ERA (3.19) and strikeouts (55), while pitching 52.2 innings on the year. The loss of Schroeder and Stramowski, coach Trudeau will rely on others to grow as leaders.
Returning eight players from last year and adding six new faces to the program, the Wolves look to improve upon the 6-24 overall record and 5-13 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) record from last year.
“We have a young team at Stritch this year and are looking forward to this season,”
remarks Coach Trudeau. “I think we’re all looking forward to the challenges that are ahead of us as it will be exciting to watch this team grow as the year goes on.”
Here is a position-by-position breakdown:
Catchers
This season, the Wolves return one catcher while adding two new ones to the pack. Coach Trudeau returns last year's starting catcher in Stephanie Douglas (Muskego, Wis.), a sophomore, started 26 games behind the plate last season. While having a strong season in the field by registering a .986 fielding percentage.
Joining the mix will also be sophomore Kelly Gosselin (Batavia, Ill.) and freshman Hillary Trebiatowski (Plover, Wis.).
Gosselin, who joins the Wolves after transferring from Waubonsee Community College, demonstrated a very strong knowledge for the game after being one of the better pitch callers during the fall for Stritch.
Trebiatowski, a first year player for the Wolves, comes to Stritch after a strong high school career with Stevens Point Area High School (SPASH). While playing at SPASH, Trebiatowski was the catcher for a team that won back-to-back state championships. During her final season of play, she garnered second team all-conference honors.
Pitchers
Stritch returns Anna Flock (Norwalk, Wis.) to the mound from last year and adds newcomer Kayla Schlegel (New Berlin, Wis) to build a solid pitching staff for the Wolves.
Flock, who also played in the infield, pitched the second most innings last year with 57.2, and started nine games. Flock looks to improve her strike out numbers where she struck out 29 last season. She looks to build off last year’s experience.
Schlegel, a freshman, joins the Stritch pitching staff after a strong high school career at New Berlin Eisenhower. She led her team to the high school championship title as a junior and was selected as a pitcher on the senior all-star team in 2009. Schlegel looks to continue her strong career at Stritch.
“Schlegel will be looked at both for her pitching skills and offense,” Trudeau added. “Her composure on the mound and work ethic at the plate has quickly made her one of the leaders on the team.”
Infield
Stritch will have to replace their best player, infielder Mandi Schroeder, who led the team in most offensive categories in 2009. Looking to fill the void from last year’s team will be senior infielder Jodi Kruszka, and a duo of sophomores.
Kruszka is the lone senior on this year’s squad. As a junior, she had the second highest batting average of .321. Kruszka led the team in starts as a junior with 28; Kruszka also led the team in putouts with 157. Sophomores Anna Flock and Brooke Jancik (Batavia, Ill) will also have an opportunity to make an impact.
While not on the mound, Flock appeared in the infield at third base. She looks to see more playing time as a pitcher this year after being the only returning pitcher on the staff for the Wolves.
Jancik, who looks to build off her successful freshman campaign appeared in 19 games last season starting 15, where she played 2nd base, shortstop and 3rd base. She batted .244 and compiled an on-base percentage of .320 last season for the Wolves.
Leann Zdrojewski (South Milwaukee, Wis) joins the program after spending one year at Concordia University. At Concordia, Zdrojewski appeared in 14 games and had four hits in four at-bats and drove in four runs. “Leann will add solid defense to our line up with her versatility,” said Trudeau.
Stritch has added two freshmen to the infield mix in Brittany Rader (New Berlin, Wis) and Angie Huntington (Milwaukee, Wis).
Huntington comes to Stritch after spending one semester attending school at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Rader comes from New Berlin Eisenhower High School where she had a successful career. Throughout her four years at Eisenhower Rader was two time first team All-conference, second team All –Conference and All-Conference honorable mention. She also helped her team to the 2008 Division II Wisconsin State Softball Championship.
“Rader comes to us after a successful high school career,” said Trudeau. “She will add speed to our lineup and solidify our defense.”
Outfield
The Wolves position with the most experience is the outfield. Stritch returns four outfielders from last year’s team and two players, Katie Giuffre (Hamilton, Wis) and Liz Neitzel, who both started over 22 games last year. They also have more experience with their other two outfielders on the roster in Megan Weber (Salem, Wis) and Devan Maurer (Kewaskum, Wis). The two appeared in a handful of games and collected valuable experience.
Neitzel looks to build off a solid start to here collegiate career. As a freshman Neitzel started in 22 games, batted .299, which was third on the team, drove in eight runs and had an on-base percentage of .347. Giuffre, returns to the outfield as a sophomore. She started 24 games as a freshman and hit .204 on the year but, led the team in sacrifice bunts with 10.
The other members of the Wolves outfield also received valuable playing time as freshman and look to build off their success this year are Megan Weber and Devan Maurer.
Schedule Preview
The softball season starts down south again. This year the Wolves will make two trips to warm weather states.
The first trip Stritch is making is to Cocoa, Florida where the wolves will be participating in the Cocoa Expo Tournament. They are scheduled for games on February 19 and 20.
The next trip for the Wolves takes them out west to Tucson, Arizona, where the Wolves open against Baldwin-Wallace College and Iowa Wesleyan College on March 11. Stritch continues in the Invitational on March 12 versus Black Hills State University (S.D.) and University of Great Falls (Mont.). Before heading home the Wolves play Maryville University and Jamestown College (N.D.) to end the Tucson Invitational.
Once returning home from the Tucson Invitational, the Wolves jump into conference play with a double header on the road at Trinity International University on March 20.
Stritch will be on the road until April 1st. They are scheduled to take on NCAA Division III University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in a non-conference game. Two days later the Wolves are back on the road for a non-conference game against Lakeland College in Plymouth, Wisconsin.
On April 7th, the Wolves open their home Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) schedule against Judson University. Stritch is back on the road the following day for a conference game against Trinity Christian College. The CCAC schedule continues on April 10 at home against Saint Xavier University. On April 13 the Wolves take to the road for a CCAC game against Olivet Nazarene University. Two days later, Stritch return home to face Robert Morris University in a CCAC game.
The Wolves take to the road for the Robert Morris University Tournament on April 17 and 18. Following the tournament the Wolves stay on the road to face the University of Saint Francis on April 20.
Stritch ends the season on a two-game homestand. They take on Purdue University North Central in a CCAC game on April 24. The Wolves close out the 2010 regular season as they host Ashland University on April 29, which will also be senior day for the team.