UMAC All-Conference Release

ST. PAUL, Minn. – St. Scholastica junior second baseman #Kristin Swartz# (Fr.-Hermantown, Minn.) was named the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Softball Player of the Year and CSS Head Coach Jen Walter was named Coach of the Year; it was announced today by UMAC Sports Information Director Greg Johnson.

Along with Swartz, #Theresa Tauer# (Fr.-Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata), #Brynn Wollak# (Fr.-Hugo, Minn./Stillwater), #Jenn Falk# (So.-Altona, Man.), and #Kayla Jenkins# (So.-Esko, Minn.) were named first team All-UMAC. #Michaela Carlson# (Jr.-Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson) and #Chelsey Weiss# (Sr.-Brainerd, Minn.) were honorable mention selections and Swartz also made the UMAC All-Defensive Team for the third consecutive year.

It is the seventh time in program history that a Saint has won UMAC Player of the Year honors. The last to do it was Rilee Dawson in 2007. Walter is named UMAC Coach of the Year for a fifth time as she last received the honor in 2004. Walter guided the Saints to a 31-12 record and a 21-0 conference mark. The Saints won their 12th regular season championship and 13th UMAC Tournament championship. The Saints also defeated NCAA Tournament teams Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Gustavus Adolphus, and Concordia-(Wis.) this season.

This is the first time Swartz has been named to a UMAC All-Conference team. This season she batted .383, finished second in the conference with seven triples, and was second on the team with six home runs and 37 RBIs. In conference play, she posted a .525 batting average and had 32 hits. Swartz also made just five errors in 114 chances at second base. She played in and started all 43 games for the Saints.

Freshmen Theresa Tauer (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS) and Brynn Wollak (Hugo, Minn./Stillwater Area) also earned first team accolades. Tauer led the league with a .487 batting average, 47 RBIs, nine home runs, and 100 total bases. Her .870 slugging percentage is the fourth-highest and her 47 RBIs are the third-most in a season in CSS history.

Wollak tied with Swartz for second in the conference with six home runs. Wollak was second on the team with a .461 batting average and led the conference with a .895 slugging percentage, which is the second-highest in program history. She also had a .534 on-base percentage to lead the team and was a perfect 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts.

Sophomore pitchers Jenn Falk and Kayla Jenkins (Esko, Minn/Esko HS) also were named to the all-conference first team. Falk went 15-3 this season, including pitching the third perfect game in St. Scholastica history against Northwestern College. Falk led the UMAC with a 2.20 earned run average, a .183 opposing batting average, and was second in the conference with 136 strikeouts. At one point this season, Falk did not allow a run 32.1 consecutive innings.

Jenkins was 14-7 this past season. She finished second in the conference with a 2.25 ERA and .275 opposing batting average. She was second in the UMAC with 109 innings pitched and 20 starts this season. Jenkins was a first team All-UMAC selection last season.

Michaela Carlson (Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson Senior HS) and Chelsey Weiss (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd HS) were honorable mention choices. Carlson was a first team all-conference selection last season. This year, she was third on the team with a .433 batting average and was second on the squad with 36 runs scored. She was second in the conference with four sacrifice flies.

Weiss was named honorable mention all-conference for the third straight season. She finished second in the league with 18 stolen bases and was third with 37 runs scored.

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