Blackburn's Markel, Fontbonne's VonBehren Grab Top Softball Honors; 37 Named All-Conference
ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) has announced the 2012 All-Conference Softball Team and special award winners.
Blackburn College's Brianna Markel, a junior outfielder, received one of the top softball honors this season as she was named 2012 SLIAC Player of the Year. Markel recorded a .439 batting average with 18 hits, including three doubles, four triples, three home runs and eight RBI in 14 conference games played. She was also 11-of-11 in stolen base attempts and posted a .923 fielding percentage with 21 putouts and three assists. Markel also ranked in the top five in nine of the 10 offensive categories, including topping the conferenc in stolen bases (11) and triples (4), while finishing second in slugging percentage (.927) and runs scored (20).
Fontbonne University's Kourtney VonBehren, a junior, also received one of the top softball honors this season as she was named 2012 SLIAC Pitcher of the Year. VonBehren posted a 7-0 record with a 1.17 earned run average in seven appearances in conference play, leading the SLIAC in both wins and ERA. She held opponents to a .193 batting average to rank fourth in the conference and struck out 41 batters in 42 innings, which ranked fifth.
Fontbonne University's Danni Glixman, a freshman third baseman, earned SLIAC Newcomer of the Year honors. Glixman ranked in the top five of each major offensive category, leading all SLIAC players in hits (24), RBI (22), slugging percentage (1.000) and total bases (46), while finishing second in batting average (.522), on-base percentage (.549), doubles (7) and triples (3).
Fontbonne University's Bill Rosner was named the 2012 SLIAC Softball Coach of the Year. Rosner led the Griffins to a conference record 28 wins over the past two seasons, including a 13-1 mark this season, the first back-to-back outright conference championship since 2001-2002. This marks Rosner's first Coach of the Year honor in his fourth season at the helm of Fontbonne's softball program.
Eureka College received the Sportsmanship Award for the second time in three years. The team Sportsmanship Award is given to the team whose players, coaches and fans best exhibit the principles of good sportsmanship. The SLIAC also recognizes one individual from each team, selected by her coach and teammates, who throughout the season best displays the ideals of sportsmanship. The 2012 All-Sportsmanship Team includes Mary Chamberlain (Blackburn), Taylor Newby (Eureka), Jessie Pratt (Fontbonne), Darci Sample (Greenville), Beth Boyer (MacMurray), Bekah Charlston (Principia), Liz Schooler (Spalding), Julie Hartung (Webster) and Emily Kesel (Westminster).
The 2012 All-SLIAC Teams are as follows:
FIRST TEAM
P - Kourtney Von Behren, Fontbonne
P - Rena Philpot, Spalding
C - Taylor Martin, Blackburn
1B - Cassi Glixman, Fontbonne
2B - Kelli Dunne, Eureka
3B - Danni Glixman, Fontbonne
SS - Bryana Garcia, Blackburn
OF - Brianna Markel, Blackburn
OF - Shannon Fitzpatrick, Fontbonne
OF - Julie Hartung, Webster
UT - Tia McIntosh, Spalding
AL - Sarah Cerutti, Fontbonne
SECOND TEAM
P - Rachel McCarthy, Fontbonne
P - Ashley Meagher, Webster
C - Samantha Rosner, Fontbonne
1B - Randi Martin, Blackburn
2B - Angie Doherty, Greenville
3B - Tabatha Bahre, Webster
SS - Katie Phillips, Spalding
OF - Brya Irvin, Greenville
OF - Beth Boyer, MacMurray
OF - Danielle LaVenture, Webster
UT - Brittany Lee, Westminster (Mo.)
AL - Trisha Thompson, Webster
HONORABLE MENTION
AL - Jess Eichholz, Blackburn
AL - Alyssa Akers, Fontbonne
AL - Marissa Simon, Fontbonne
AL - Mattie Fairchild, Greenville
AL - Katy Flanagan, Spalding
AL - Hannah Stucker, Spalding
AL - Kaytlin Burczak, Webster
AL - Taylor Gibbs, Webster
AL - Kristie Konersmann, Webster
AL - Sam Powers, Webster
AL - Kenna Cornelson, Westminster (Mo.)
AL - Emily Kesel, Westminster (Mo.)
AL - Talisha Washington, Westminster (Mo.)
