Feb. 20, 2008
IOWA CITY – This Weekend’s Action ? The University of Iowa softball team travels to Tempe, AZ, this weekend to compete in the Littlewood Classic. Below is Iowa’s schedule at the Classic. Times listed are central.
Friday, Feb. 22
vs. Miami, OH (Noon)
vs. Buffalo (4:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Feb. 23
vs. Illinois State (2 p.m.)
at No. 4 Arizona State (4:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Feb. 24
vs. Radford (10 a.m.)
Hawkeyes on the Web ? Fans can follow the action at hawkeyesports.com, where live stats (Gametracker) will be available. The link can be found along the right side of the softball schedule page.
Last Week’s Action ? Iowa opened the 2008 season with a 4-1 record at the Metrodome Classic last weekend. The Hawkeyes picked up wins over Western Illinois (2-0), Northern Iowa (1-0), Tennessee Tech (1-0, eight innings) and Drake (4-1). Iowa’s lone loss came against Arkansas (5-3).
Hawkeyes in the Polls ? Iowa is one of 21 teams to receive votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA poll.
Opponents in the Polls ? Seven Iowa opponents are ranked in both the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 and ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 polls. Northwestern (2nd/3rd), Arizona State (4th/2nd), Florida (7th/9th), Michigan (12th/11th), DePaul (17th/17th), Ohio State (18th/21st) and Louisiana-Lafayette (20th/16th) are all ranked.
In addition,North Carolina and Illinois are receiving votes in both polls while Purdue and Arkansas are receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Alabama is ranked No. 1 in both polls.
Weil Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week ? Junior Brittany Weil has been named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for her efforts during the Metrodome Classic last weekend. The announcement came Monday from the Big Ten Conference office.
Weil was named to the Metrodome Classic all-tournament team after tossing 24.1 innings without allowing an earned run. The Garden Grove, CA, native struck out 29 batters and walked only five.
Weil started the weekend with a two-hit shutout against Western Illinois. She took a no-hitter into the fourth inning and struck out nine.
In Iowa’s extra-inning win over Tennessee Tech, Weil threw all eight innings and retired the first 12 batters before giving up Tech’s only hit of the game in the fifth inning. She struck out at least one batter in six of the eight innings, including two in the first and three in the third.
Weil picked up her third-straight win against Drake, tossing another complete game two-hitter. She struck out nine and walked only two batters.
This is the second time Weil has received Player of the Week honors. Weil took home the award last season (April 2) after collecting two wins against both Indiana and Purdue, along with a non-conference victory over Northern Illinois.
Carmody Starts Off Hot ? Freshman Chelsey Carmody had an impressive first weekend in Black and Gold at the Metrodome Classic. The St. Louis native batted .563 (9-16) with three doubles, three runs scored, one RBI and one stolen base. She also recorded four putouts and four assists at second base without committing an error.
Pitching Staff Solid ? Junior Brittany Weil and sophomore Amanda Zust did not allow an earned run in 36 innings pitched at the Metrodome Classic. Weil tossed 24.1 innings without allowing an earned run and struck out 29 while Zust threw 11.2 innings and struck out 11.
Clutch Colleen ? Junior Colleen McGlaughlin turned in two clutch hitting performances last Saturday. Against Northern Iowa, McGlaughlin drove in the game’s only run off a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. McGlaughlin also smacked an RBI single in the eighth inning to give Iowa a 1-0, extra-inning win over Tennessee Tech.
No Need to Wait ? Freshman Jenny Schuelke wasted no time in recording her first career home run as a Hawkeye. The Solon, IA, native’s first hit in Black and Gold was a towering, solo home run to left field in Iowa’s 4-1 win over Drake.
Freshmen See Time ? All three freshmen on the roster made significant contributions last weekend.
Chelsey Carmody started all five games at second base and collected nine hits in 16 at bats.
Lindsey Major started two games behind the plate and recorded her first career hit against Arkansas.
Jenny Schuelke played in three games and started as the designated player against Drake, recording a home run in the 4-1 win over the Bulldogs.
Nichols Drafted ? Senior Emily Nichols was selected by the Chicago Bandits in Monday’s National Professional Fastpitch (NPF) Draft. Nichols was the third pick in the second round and the ninth overall selection.
Nichols will join former Hawkeye Stacy May, who was Chicago’s first pick in the 2005 NPF Draft. May was the fourth pick in the second round. She was named the Nokona Rookie of the Year along with all-NPF in 2006. She is also the third Hawkeye to play in the NPF. Former all-American Kristin Johnson is currently a member of the Akron Racers.
Nichols Named to Watch List ? Senior catcher Emily Nichols has been named to the 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List. The Portland, OR, native is one of 50 players to be selected. Nichols is the first Hawkeye player named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List.
The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) sponsors the award, which is considered one of the most prestigious honors in collegiate softball. This is the seventh year the ASA has given the award.
Littlewood Classic Tidbits ? This marks the fourth season in a row that Iowa has traveled to Tempe for the second week of competition. Since 2005, Iowa holds a 5-6 record at the Littlewood Classic, including a 1-4 mark against Arizona State and a 2-1 record against Illinois State.
? This weekend’s Littlewood Classic will feature two future NPF players. Arizona State pitcher Katie Burkhart was the No. 1 pick in the draft while Iowa’s Emily Nichols was the ninth overall pick.
? Radford Head Coach Mickey Dean is also the current head coach of the Chicago Bandits, who selected Emily Nichols in Monday’s NPF Draft.
? The Littlewood Classic will also feature four players on the 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List. Those players include Katie Burkhart and Kaitlin Cochran from Arizona State, Kara Nelson from Illinois State and Emily Nichols from Iowa.
? The Hawkeyes are 3-1 all-time vs. Miami (OH), 30-16 vs. Illinois State and 10-18 vs. Arizona State. Iowa has never faced Buffalo or Radford.
? Miami (OH) head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly served as an assistant coach at Penn State for eight seasons (1998-2006). The Nittany Lions were 9-12 against Iowa during her time as an assistant. ? Iowa’s first game of the Littlewood Classic against Buffalo will serve as the Bulls’ season opener.
? Iowa will face the first of three opponents that reached the Women’s College World Series last season when they play Arizona State Saturday. The Hawkeyes will face DePaul next weekend in the NFCA Leadoff Classic and Northwestern in a Big Ten doubleheader April 13.
Complete Release in PDF Format 
|
|
|
Click HERE for the Big Ten Network home page.