Titans’ Engel, Ward Named CCIW Players of Year

May 5, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan sophomores Christy Engel (left) and Allison Ward were chosen as the “Pitcher of the Year” and “Player of the Year”, respectively, for softball in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin in voting done by league coaches.

They were joined on the first team of the all-CCIW squads by senior catcher Kelly Nelson and junior outfielder Monica Urban while junior pitcher Val Hackett, junior outfielder Natalie Chase and senior second baseman Ashley Deck were chosen to the second team.

Urban is a repeater on the first team while Hackett and Deck were on the first team last year and Nelson was a second team selection.

Engel (St. Charles, Ill., North HS) is the second straight Titan to win the pitching award, following Lauren Hyland. Kelly Murray won the honor in 2002 and 2004. Engel was 7-1 in CCIW games and led the league in strikeouts (58), innings pitched (60 2/3) and was third with a 1.73 earned run average.

Ward (Bloomington, Normal Community HS) is the sixth IWU position player to be honored and the first since Brynn Hasse in 2004. This spring she led the conference with a .500 batting mark and also paced the CCIW in hits (21) and doubles (six).

Nelson (Palos Heights, Ill., Stagg HS) batted .324 with three doubles and four runs batted in against the league.

Urban (Wheaton, Ill., North HS) was 11th in the CCIW with a .382 average and was second with eight stolen bases.

Chosen as a pitcher, Hackett (New Lenox, Lincoln-Way HS) was 5-1 with a 2.16 earned run average in the CCIW, striking out 41 in 32 1/3 innings. She also batted .325 with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBI.

Chase (Libertyville, Ill. HS) finished third in the CCIW with a .429 average and had two doubles with 10 RBI.

Deck (Bolingbrook, Ill., HS) led the league with 49 at bats and hit .306 with two doubles, two homers and 11 runs batted in.

The 23rd-ranked Titans (29-9 and regular season champions of the CCIW) were been chosen to play in the NCAA Division III regional in Eau Claire, Wis., and will open against Simpson (28-10) at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 8. It is the second straight year and the eighth time overall for IWU to be in the national tournament.

CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206