Softball

UW-Oshkosh Selected To Win Softball Championship

MADISON, Wis.--Defending conference champion University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has been selected to win the 2022 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) softball title, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
The Titans claimed the fourth regular-season championship and second tournament title in program history last season. UW-Oshkosh won the Eau Claire Regional and advanced to the NCAA Division III World Series for the first time – finishing fifth. The Titans’ 29 wins were the third-most in eight seasons under head coach Scott Beyer.
 
UW-Whitewater shared last year’s championship with UW-Oshkosh – the fourth straight and 14th overall title for the program. The Warhawks are slotted for second in this year’s conference predictions and followed by: UW-Stevens Point; UW-Eau Claire; UW-La Crosse; UW-Platteville; UW-River Falls; and UW-Stout.
 
The WIAC schedule begins on April 2. Each team will complete 14 games against conference adversaries. The top-five teams in the standings will advance to the WIAC Tournament to be held May 6-8, at the site of the No. 1 seed. The winner of the conference tournament secures an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship.
 
2022 Preseason Predictions (Voted on by WIAC head coaches and sports information directors)
 
2021 Record
1. UW-Oshkosh (29-13 overall, 10-4 WIAC)
2. UW-Whitewater (29-10, 10-4)
3. UW-Stevens Point (23-16, 8-6)
4. UW-Eau Claire (22-17, 8-6)
5. UW-La Crosse (14-14, 8-6)
6. UW-Platteville (17-17, 7-7)
7. UW-River Falls (11-18, 5-9)
8. UW-Stout (6-26, 0-14)
 
 
Team Capsules (Entering the 2022 season)
 
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Leslie Huntington; 21st season at UWEC; 521-280-2
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  15/10
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  4/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  3/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Sadie Erickson, Jr., INF (2021-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Maria Back, Sr., INF; Ellie Decker, Sr., C/OF; Megan Maruna, Jr., INF/OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Abbey Cook, Jr., RHP; Lauren Gamme, So., RHP; Madie Zerr, Jr., LHP
 
 
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach:  Chris Helixon; 21st season (17th at UWL); 417-337-1 (overall) / 365-243 (UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  9/14
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  3/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  1/3 
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  1/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Kendra Leis, Sr., 1B/3B (2019-First, 2021-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Emily Knight, Sr., 2B; Jordyn McCormack, So., INF; Megan Scheidt, Jr., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Elise Weinzierl, So., RHP
 
 
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Scott Beyer; 9th season at UWO; 195-94
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  10/11
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  2/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Maddie Fink, Jr., RHP (2021-First/Pitcher of the Year); Hannah Ritter, Jr., 1B/OF (2021-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Emily Cliver, Jr., OF/1B; Ana Iliopoulos, Jr., INF; Morgan Rau, So., INF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Mia Crotty, So., LHP; Ana Iliopoulos, Jr., RHP
 
 
UW-Platteville
Head Coach:  Becca Runde; 3rd season at UWP; 19-19
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/8
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  7/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  1/2
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  0/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Claire Bakkestuen, Jr., 1B/RHP (2021-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Haili Cota, Sr., OF; Angela Laabs, Sr., UTIL; Rachel Plautz, Sr., C/OF

Notable Returning Pitchers:  None
 
 
UW-River Falls
Head Coach:  Amber Dohlman; 10th season (7th at UWRF); 118-165-1 (overall) / 65-109-1 (UWRF)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  13/9
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  3/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  None
Returning All-WIAC:  Johanna Breyen, So., OF (2021-First/Newcomer of the Year); Juliana Reynolds, Jr., RHP (2021-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Keegan Piton, So., INF 
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Corinne Roe, Sr., RHP
 
 
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Ryan Konitzer; 6th season (5th at UWSP); 73-90-1 (overall) / 60-65-1 (UWSP)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/10
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  4/5
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  3/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Maddie Candre, Sr., OF (2019-Honorable, 2021-First/Position Player of the Year): Becca Geiyer, Jr., INF (2021-First); Makenna Tkach, Jr., RHP (2021-First); Sara Traxel, Jr., UTIL (2021-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Meg Lawrence, Jr., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  MacKenzie Honish, So., RHP
 
 
UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Chris Iliopoulos; 1st season
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  17/6
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  8/1
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  2/2
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  1/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Shannon Jones, Sr., SS (2021-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Kelly Beck, Sr., OF; Kate Funk, Jr., DP/1B ; Korin Hall, Sr., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Maddie Kleinschmidt, Sr., RHP; Mackensie Wolterstorff, Jr., RHP
 
 
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach:  Brenda Volk; 24th season at UWW; 680-274-5
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  15/9
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  4/0
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  3/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Kate Cleveland, So., RHP (2021-Honorable); Rhiann Dick, So., LHP (2021-Honorable); Meghan Dunning, So., SS (2021-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Delaney Becker, So., 2B; Kennedy Cox, Sr., C; Krista Sbarra, Jr., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Mallory Hollatz, Jr., RHP; Kathryn Kinsella, Jr., RHP; Annie Morelli, Sr., RHP
 
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