Ahnen, Croak and Von Glahn Named to 2009 All-WIAC First Team; Three Other Players Honored

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 6, 2009

La Crosse, Wis. – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse sophomore shortstop Jenna Ahnen of Sparta (H.S.), junior outfielder Rachel Croak of Greendale (H.S.) and senior right-hander Kaylyn Von Glahn of De Soto (H.S.) have been named to the 2009 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Softball First Team in a vote by league coaches. It is Croak’s second career honor after being named to the 2008 All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team.

Sophomore catcher Katie Pietrowiak of Germantown (H.S.) and sophomore right-hander Heather Schultz of Annandale, Minn. (H.S.) were selected to the 2009 All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team.

It is the first all-league honor for Ahnen, Von Glahn, Pietrowiak and Schultz.

UW-L senior outfielder Bergen Schaller of Onalaska (Holmen) was named to the All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team.

Ahnen has started all 44 games this season for the Eagles, setting single-season school records in hits (63) and runs (48). She is also first in UW-L history in single-season batting average (.488) and tied for first in doubles (12). Ahnen is second in the WIAC in hits and batting average this season while ranking third in runs scored and fifth in total bases (88). A two-year letter winner at UW-L, Ahnen is tied for the team lead in stolen bases (11) and triples (2) this season while being tied for second in RBI (33) and home runs (3). She has at least one hit in 35 contests in 2009, including 23 multi-hit games.

Ahnen currently ranks first in career batting average (.430) at UW-L while being tied for fifth in stolen bases (26) and 15th in runs (73).

Croak is second on the squad in hitting (.398) this year with 39 starts in 40 games played. She is tied for the team lead in stolen bases (11) and walks (16) while ranking second in runs (44) and third in hits (47). Her 44 runs scored ranks second in single-season school history while her 47 hits are tied for 13th.

A three-year letter winner for the Eagles, Croak is second in career stolen bases (38), fourth in batting average (.370) and runs scored (100) while being 13th in hits (128). She has 16 multi-hit games in 2009.

Von Glahn is 13-2 on the season with a 1.69 earned run average. She leads the team in ERA and saves (4) while being tied for first in appearances (31). Opponents are hitting .214 against Von Glahn in 2009. She is third in the conference in earned run average.

Her 31 appearances are tied for first in single-season school history while her 13 victories rank fifth and 71 strikeouts 10th. A four-year letter winner at UW-L, Von Glahn is 23-11 in 82 career appearances. She is second in school history in appearances (82), sixth in strikeouts (164), tied for seventh in wins (23) and 10th in innings pitched (245.0).

Pietrowiak has played in 38 games this season with 36 starts. She is hitting .287 overall and has set career-highs in at-bats (101), runs (13), hits (29), doubles (6), home runs (4) and RBI (26). Pietrowiak, a two-year letter winner, leads the squad in home runs while being fifth in RBI.

She has eight multi-hit games in 2009.

Schultz is 16-7 this year with a 2.17 earned run average. She leads the team in wins (16), starts (23), complete-games (9), shutouts (5), innings (139.0) and strikeouts (144). Schultz, a two-year letter winner, is also tied with Von Glahn for the team lead with 31 appearances, which is tied for first in single-season school history. Schultz is second in the WIAC this year in strikeouts and fifth in innings pitched.

Her 16 wins this year is a school record while her 144 strikeouts is third and 139.0 innings pitched is fourth. Schultz is 23-15 in her two-year career with 16 complete-games and six shutouts. She ranks third in UW-L history with 228 strikeouts.

Schaller has appeared in 15 games in 2009 while hitting .385. She is five-of-13 at the plate with three runs scored and two doubles. Schaller is a four-year letter winner for the Eagles.

UW-L, 34-10 on the season, earned its first WIAC championship in school history May 3 with a 2-0 victory over UW-Superior in the league’s tournament championship game. With the tournament title, the Eagles earned the conference’s automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament. UW-L will face Wartburg College (Iowa) in the first round of the national tournament Thursday, May 7 at 2 p.m. in Indianola, Iowa.

The Eagles have set single-school team records in wins (34), hits (401), runs (275), RBI (237), doubles (64), pitching strikeouts (237) and saves (7). UW-L also has thrown 12 shutouts in 2009, second-most in school history.