2008 Woodie Awards
Have gloves, will travel
By: Rachel Lebo
Issue date: 3/8/07 Section: Sports
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At the beginning of each season the team travels somewhere for a tournament against other Division III teams.
This year the first game of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff Classic will be played March 9 through 11 in Panama City, Fl. The first game of the conference for the Gorloks is against the University of Rutgers-Camden in Kissimmee, Fla. The Rutgers softball team won the NCAA Division III championship last year.
Next, the team will travel March 13 through 16 to Orlando, Fla., to play in the Rebel Springs Games. Opponents are to be determined.
The softball team will wrap up their traveling March 24 through 25 with the Coe College Tournament, at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Afterward, all Webster home games will be held at Blackburn Park. 10 of the 16 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games for Webster will be played at Blackburn.
“We always travel early on in the season to play in a warmer place against teams in our division that we wouldn’t normally play,” said senior Jennifer McSheehy, co-captain and infielder.
Head Coach Brett Swip also wants to instill in the team an ability to look past playing only SLIAC members.
“Concentrating on winning the SLIAC is good,” Swip said.
“Looking at the big picture is just as important if you want to succeed in the NCAA. By playing regional teams early we can see how we stand against the regional competition.”
The 2006 season was Swip’s first year as softball head coach at Webster. The softball team won third place in the SLIAC conference.
“Last year we set a goal and went farther then expected,” Swip said. “The team was in a transitional period and did well. This year we’ve set our goals higher and are hoping to participate in the NCAA.”
Returning players for the 2007 season include senior co-captains Jennifer McSheehy and Kelli Dean, along with junior co-captains Maria Hibbard and Gail Vogt, senior Jenn Brandenburger, junior Amanda Miller and sophomore Dana Vahey.
Vahey, Vogt, Brandenburger and Dean were selected for second team all-conference for the SLIAC in 2006.
Juniors Nancy LaRose, Elizabeth Eisele, Christina Engel, Kelsey Washam and Krystina Gomez are new to the team. Freshmen Lexie Moore, Stefanie Larson, Samantha Dittmann and Autumn Sensing along with sophomores Allie Park and Mandy Van Velkinburgh will be playing their first season on the Webster softball team.
The team has been practicing together since early February, McSheehy said, and everyone is getting along.
“Everyone on the team respects each other,” Swip said. “From there, everyone has the common goal to do well, and we can all move in the same direction: the NCAA.”
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