Four players earn WIAC honors

MADISON, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team had four different players recognized by the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) for their individual efforts.

Senior Rachel Martin and sophomore Ashton Hoeppner were both named to the 2019 All-WIAC Softball Team. Sophomore Abby Burns and freshman Rachel Plautz were given Honorable Mention while Burns was also named to the All-Sportsmanship Team.

Martin, a senior from Naperville, Ill., receives her first All-WIAC selection after being named Honorable Mentioned in 2018. Martin led the Pioneers offensively in several categories during her final season including: games played (38), batting average (.357), hits (41), doubles (11), and RBI (27).

Martin hit safely in 32 of her 38 games played and finished the season on a 12-game hitting streak. Martin's best performance of the season came on April 26th when she went 3-of-4 with five RBI including a walk-off 3-run homerun to clinch the 6-5 victory over UW-River Falls.

Hoeppner, a sophomore from Winona, Minn., is making her second appearance on the All-WIAC team. Hoeppner led the Pioneers with 21 starts and 26 pitching appearances. Hoeppner pitched 113.2 innings and finished with a record of 8-11 with two saves and an ERA of 3.08.

Hoeppner had 93 strikeouts which averaged to be 5.73/7-innings. Hoeppner's best performance of the season came on April 19th in a 1-0 win against UW-Oshkosh when she threw seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts and only allowing three hits.

Burns, a sophomore from Morris, Ill., earned Honorable Mention recognition after going 7-7 on the season. Burns started 13 games and had 21 total pitching appearances with 89.2 innings pitched and finished with an ERA of 2.89 to lead the Pioneer pitching staff. Burns was also recognized as the Pioneers' All-Sportsmanship award winner.

Plautz, a freshman from Wausau, Wis., was named Honorable Mention for her contributions as a freshman. Among regular starters, Plautz had the second highest batting average (.314) trailing only Martin. Plautz had six doubles, a homerun, ten RBI and three stolen bases.

2019 All-WIAC Softball Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Julia Camardo, Whitewater, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Arlington Heights, Ill. (Buffalo Grove)
Meg Cohrs, Whitewater, Junior, Thirdbase, Elburn, Ill. (Kaneland)
Kyncaide Diedrich, Stout, Senior, Shortstop, Athens, Wis.
Caitlyn Hughes, La Crosse, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Stewartville, Minn.
Ashton Hoeppner, Platteville, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Winona, Minn. (Senior)
Mary Iliopoulos, Stout, Junior, Centerfield, Morton Grove, Ill. (Maine East)
Cheyenne Johnson, Eau Claire, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Poplar, Wis. (Northwestern)
Kendra Leis, La Crosse, Freshman, Firstbase, Holmen, Wis.
Lauren Luedtke, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Shortstop, Lomira, Wis.
Rachel Martin, Platteville, Senior, Firstbase, Naperville, Ill. (North)
Bella Matthias, Whitewater, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Greenfield, Wis.
Mikayla McEnery, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Centerfield, Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake)
Sarah Peka, Eau Claire, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Chanhassen, Minn. (Minnetonka)
Claire Petrus, Oshkosh, Junior, Designated Player, Hawthorn Woods, Ill. (Carmel Catholic)
Abbey Place, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Catcher, Naperville, Ill. (Central)
Mia Schmidtke, La Crosse, Sophomore, Leftfield, Stacy, Minn. (Forest Lake)
Kayla Seymour, Whitewater, Senior, Leftfield/Designated Player, New Lenox, Ill. (Lincoln-Way West)
Sydne Shattuck, La Crosse, Sophomore, Designated Player, Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton Warrenville South)
Bailey Smaney, Oshkosh, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Howard, Wis. (Bay Port)
Acacia Tupa, Oshkosh, Junior, Outfield, Jacksonport, Wis. (Southern Door)
 
Honorable Mention
Sammy Buerger, Stevens Point, Freshman, Catcher, Oshkosh, Wis. (North)
Abby Burns, Platteville, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Morris, Ill.
Maddie Candre, Stevens Point, Freshman, Centerfield, St. Charles, Ill. (East)
Caitlin Catino, Whitewater, Senior, Centerfield, Arlington Heights, Ill. (Buffalo Grove)
Tessa Dachel, Eau Claire, Junior, Firstbase, Chippewa Falls, Wis. (Chi-Hi)
Jessica Daley, Stout, Junior, Secondbase, Streamwood, Ill.
Kaia Dorn, River Falls, Senior, Infield, Waterloo, Wis.
Natalie Dudek, Oshkosh, Junior, Shortstop, Burbank, Ill. (Reavis)
Lexi Dupee, River Falls, Junior, Thirdbase, Marshfield, Wis.
Meghan Kelly, Stout, Sophomore, Firstbase, Lockport, Ill. (Township)
Emma Lehman, Eau Claire, Senior, Thirdbase, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Champlin Park)
Amanda McIlhany, Oshkosh, Junior, Secondbase, Alsip, Ill. (Marist)
Abby Menting, Oshkosh, Senior, Catcher, Kimberly, Wis.
Rachel Plautz, Platteville, Freshman, Catcher, Wausau, Wis. (D.C. Everest)
Emily Rux, Whitewater, Senior, Shortstop, Chicago, Ill. (Mother McAuley)
Sabrina Scardamaglia, La Crosse, Sophomore, Catcher/Designated Player, Naperville, Ill. (Waubonsie Valley)
Hannah Theobald, River Falls, Freshman, Firstbase, Elburn, Ill. (Kaneland)

All-Sportsmanship Team
Abby Burns, Platteville, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Morris, Ill.
Brianna Calder, Eau Claire, Senior, Infield/Outfield, Corcoran, Minn. (Rockford)
Jordan Manthei, Oshkosh, Senior, Catcher/Firstbase, Green Bay, Wis. (Notre Dame Academy)
Erin Schmitt, Stevens Point, Freshman, Firstbase, Waupun, Wis.
Katelyn Schobert, Stout, Senior, Outfield/Catcher, Belmont, Wis.
Kayla Seymour, Whitewater, Senior, Leftfield/Designated Player, New Lenox, Ill. (Lincoln-Way West)
Payton Speckel, River Falls, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Buffalo, Minn.
Kathryn Vander Schaaf, La Crosse, Senior, Catcher, Baraboo, Wis.
 
Position Player of the Year:  Lauren Luedtke of Stevens Point
Pitcher of the Year:  Bella Matthias of Whitewater
Coaching Staff of the Year:  La Crosse
Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete:  Julia Camardo of Whitewater