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2002 Softball All-Conference Team

Columbia College Takes Postseason Softball Tournament Title

New Baden, Ill. – Despite losing the first championship contest of the AMC Postseason Tournament to top-seeded McKendree College, the Columbia Cougar softball team was able to hang on to take the second championship contest by a score of 6-1 in the double-elimination tournament to claim the postseason crown. As the top finisher in the regular season McKendree automatically advances to the NAIA Region V Tournament, which is scheduled for May 6-7 in Springfield, Mo. As the tournament champion, the Columbia College Cougars will receive the AMC’s second automatic bid to the tournament.

In a vote by league coaches, Angie Niemeyer, a junior outfielder for the McKendree College Bearcats, has been named the American Midwest Conference Player of the Year. The Fairview Heights, Ill. native appeared in 53 games for the Bearcats, tallying a .360 batting average during the regular-season with 62 hits in 172 appearances at the plate. In addition, Niemeyer recorded nine doubles, one triple, three home runs and 44 runs batted in. She struck out just 11 times and committed only one fielding error.

Jayne Miller, a junior pitcher for the Columbia Cougars, is the 2002 AMC Pitcher of the Year. The Palmyra, Mo. native appeared in 22 games for the Cougars during the regular season, totaling 147.2 innings on the mound. She notched a 16-4 record, recording a league-best earned run average of 0.52. She gave up just 11 earned runs and 46 walks, while striking out 159 opposing batters.

Amy Maurer, a freshman pitcher and first baseman for the Bearcats, is the league rookie of the year. She tallied a 1.28 earned run average, recorded a 14-6 record on the mound in her rookie campaign. She gave up 21 earned runs in 115 innings pitched, while fanning 145 batters and walking just 35. At the plate, the Florissant, Ill. native totaled 40 hits in 119 at-bats for a .336 batting average. She knocked five doubles, five home runs and 36 RBIs.

The AMC Newcomer of the Year honor is presented to the top transfer student-athlete in the AMC. Lyndsey Bieber, a junior centerfielder for McKendree, is the 2002 recipient of this award. Bieber, who hails from O’Fallon, Ill., notched a .364 batting average during the regular season with 60 hits. She struck out just 21 times in 165 at-bats, while recording 21 RBIs, five doubles, one triple and six home runs. In addition, she committed just two field errors and stole nine bases.

The 2002 AMC Coach of the Year for women's softball is Evelyn Bean from McKendree College. Bean is receiving the award for the second consecutive season. She is in her fifth season as head coach at McKendree. This season, the head coach of the Bearcats led her squad to the AMC regular season title, totaling an overall regular season record of 38-15 and a conference record of 8-2.

A complete list of the 18-member AMC All-Conference team, the honorable mention squad and the academic all-conference team, is included below. Members of the academic all-conference team have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

 

2002 AMC All-Conference Softball Team

Player of the Year

Pitcher of the Year

Angie Niemeyer (JR) – OF, McKendree College

Jayne Miller (JR), Columbia College

Freshman of the Year

Newcomer of the Year

Amy Maurer - P/1B, McKendree College

Lyndsey Bieber (JR) – CF, McKendree College

 

Coach of the Year

Evelyn Bean, McKendree College

First Team All-Conference

Player/Position

Year

School

Kristina Jones – Shortstop

JR

Columbia College

Megan Kuntze – Third base

SO

Columbia College

Jayne Miller – Pitcher

JR

Columbia College

Monica Mueller – Pitcher

FR

Columbia College

Amy Seipp – Catcher

SO

Columbia College

Krista Viefhaus – Centerfield

SO

Columbia College

Lyndsey Bieber – Outfield

JR

McKendree College

Angie Conley – Shortstop

SR

McKendree College

Amy Cooper – Infield

SO

McKendree College

Mindy Jameson – Pitcher

SR

McKendree College

Amy Mauer – Pitcher

FR

McKendree College

Angie Niemeyer – Outfield

JR

McKendree College

Tara Fiene – Outfield

SO

William Woods University

Jessica Hruby – Catcher/First Base

JR

William Woods University

Michelle Schaper – Second Base

FR

William Woods University

Stacey Smarr – Shortstop

JR

William Woods University

Kandace Goforth – Shortstop

SO

Williams Baptist College

Karen Riley – Pitcher/Outfield

SR

Williams Baptist College

Honorable Mention All-Conference

Player/Position

Year

School

Amanda Rhorer – Outfield/Catcher

SO

Columbia College

Renea Vest – Pitcher

JR

Columbia College

Erin Bridgman – Leftfield

SR

Hannibal-LaGrange College

Hannah Grant – Centerfield

SR

Hannibal-LaGrange College

Sarah Hunter – Second Base

JR

Hannibal-LaGrange College

Kristen Smyser – Pitcher

JR

Hannibal-LaGrange College

Amanda Haas – First Base

SR

McKendree College

Darci Louden – Pitcher

JR

McKendree College

Danielle Drexl – Catcher

JR

Missouri Baptist College

Randi Null – Pitcher/First Base

SO

Missouri Baptist College

Carrie Preston – Outfield/First Base

JR

Missouri Baptist College

Amber Scharf – Third Base

SR

Missouri Baptist College

Andrea Smith – Pitcher

SR

Missouri Baptist College

Amanda Williams – Outfield

JR

Missouri Baptist College

Lynn Otto – Pitcher

SR

William Woods University

Nicole Peters – Pitcher

SO

William Woods University

Andrea Smithee – Pitcher

SO

William Woods University

Shelley Wekenborg – Centerfield

JR

William Woods University

Angie Beck – Outfield/Pticher

SR

Williams Baptist College

Susan Griffith – Second Base

SR

Williams Baptist College

Lauren Thomas – Second Base/Outfield

SR

Williams Baptist College

2002 American Midwest Conference
Academic All-Conference Team

Columbia College
Kristina Jones, Megan Kuntze, Heather Lang, Megan Nikolenko, Destiny Perry, Amanda Rhorer, Amy Seipp, Anna Seipp, Renea Vest, Krista Viefhaus

Hannibal-LaGrange College
Lettie Avery, Erin Bridgman, Cecelia Cayce, Sarah Dorsey, Jenny Glover, Hannah Grant, Ashley Pettis, Christy Phillips, Kristen Smyser, Kathleen Stoner, Jenny Tanner, Sara Verdeyen

McKendree College
Stacy Baer, Lindsay Barttelbort, Yumi Blackburn, Krysten Camden, Kathy Colyer, Angie Conley, Sarah Cunningham, Whitney Ehinger, Nikki Goodwin, Amanda Haas, Sarah Hollaway, Renee Huber, Mindy Jameson, Darci Louden, Amy Maurer, Sara McKenzie, Angie Niemeyer, Jodi Pfefferkorn, Amanda Schumer, Angie Witte  

Missouri Baptist College
Amanda Bollinger, Megan Maskus, Randi Null, Carrie Preston, Julie Preston, Jenny Prewitt, Amber Scharf, Amanda Williams  

William Woods University
Tracey Anderson, Lacy Cansler, Tara Fiene, Jessica Hruby, Jessica Mrazek, Melissa Mrazek, Amy O’Brien, Lynn Otto, Stacy Smarr, Andrea Smithee, Ashley Smithee, Kacie Tietgen, Tara Turner, Shelley Wekenborg  

Williams Baptist College
Angie Beck, Amber Clinkingbeard, Susan Griffith, Amanda Price, Karen Riley, Katrina Winters
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