UMAC announces 2012 softball postseason awards
ST. PAUL -- All eight Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) softball teams were represented on the league’s first team all-conference list, with UMAC regular season and tournament champions College of St. Scholastica leading the group with four first team selections. In all, 25 players were honored with UMAC All-Conference recognition between the first and honorable mention teams, while nine all-defensive team awards were distributed as well.
Bonnie Kowalczyk, the 2011 UMAC Player of the Year, was one of four Saints named to the All-UMAC First Team. Kowalczyk was tops amongst all NCAA Division III players for RBI per game, averaging 1.58 per contest. The University of Minnesota Morris’ Molly Olson was voted not only the 2012 UMAC Rookie of the Year, but also the 2012 Player of the Year. Olson, a catcher primarily for the Cougars this season, led the conference in individual batting, taking first in batting average, hits, doubles and total bases. The freshman was also named to the UMCA All-Defensive Team.
St. Scholastica head coach Jen Walter received UMAC Coach of the Year honors after leading her team to a nearly flawless 20-1 mark in league play to go with the Saints’ fourth straight conference regular season championship. St. Scholastica, 32-10 overall, received the UMAC’s automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. The Saints will open the NCAA postseason against Luther College on Friday morning in Pella, Iowa.
Northwestern College won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches to best represent sportsmanship throughout the entire season. Each team had one representative on the individual sportsmanship award list. The following participants best exemplified sportsmanship throughout the year:
Rebecca Ludewig, Bethany Lutheran College
Theresa Tauer, College of St. Scholastica
Emily Dallmann, Crown College
Jessica Henning, Martin Luther College
Kristin Zimmer, Northland College
Kelsey Timm, Northwestern College
Stephanie Mastel, Presentation College
Shelby Johnsrud, University of Minnesota Morris
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1st Team All-Conference
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Name
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Institution
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Year
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Position
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Gena Chester
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Bethany Lutheran College
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Sophomore
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Outfield
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Ashley Jensen
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Bethany Lutheran College
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Junior
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Shortstop
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Bonnie Kowalczyk
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College of St. Scholastica
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Junior
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Catcher
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Darcy Roach
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College of St. Scholastica
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Junior
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Pitcher
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Theresa Tauer
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College of St. Scholastica
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Senior
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Third Base
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Merryssa Tiedeman
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College of St. Scholastica
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Senior
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Outfield
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Akina Zucarro
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Crown College
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Freshman
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Pitcher, Outfield
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Sarah Free
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Martin Luther College
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Senior
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Infield
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Kylie Garing
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Northland College
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Senior
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Pitcher, Infield
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Jayna Loy
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Northland College
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Freshman
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Pitcher, Infield
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Briana Rodgers
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Northwestern College
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Junior
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First Base
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Kristin Sigurdsen
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Northwestern College
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Junior
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Shortstop
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Michelle Stratton
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Presentation College
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Junior
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Infield
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*# Molly Olson
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University of Minnesota Morris
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Freshman
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Catcher
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Jordan Iverson
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University of Minnesota Morris
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Sophomore
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Outfield
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Honorable Mention All-Conference
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Name
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Institution
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Year
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Position
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Emily Rauchman
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Bethany Lutheran College
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Junior
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Pitcher
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Amanda Edmison
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Bethany Lutheran College
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Senior
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Pitcher
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Jordan Spiering
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College of St. Scholastica
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Sophomore
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Pitcher, Shortstop
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Molly Jazdewski
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College of St. Scholastica
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Freshman
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Outfield
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Madeline Scott
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Martin Luther College
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Sophomore
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Outfield
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Rebecca Ristau
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Northland College
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Junior
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Catcher
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Ali Witthus
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Northwestern College
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Junior
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Second Base
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Kelsey Timm
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Northwestern College
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Junior
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Pitcher
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Mercedes Klimek
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University of Minnesota Morris
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Freshman
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Shortstop
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Mariah Essig
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University of Minnesota Morris
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Freshman
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Pitcher
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All-Defensive Team
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Name
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Institution
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Year
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Position
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Kelsey Timm
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Northwestern College
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Junior
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Pitcher
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Molly Olson
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University of Minnesota Morris
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Freshman
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Catcher
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Briana Rodgers
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Northwestern College
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Junior
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First Base
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Ally Sweeney
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College of St. Scholastica
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Sophomore
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Second Base
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Theresa Tauer
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College of St. Scholastica
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Senior
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Third Base
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Ashley Jensen
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Bethany Lutheran College
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Junior
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Shortstop
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Merryssa Tiedeman
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College of St. Scholastica
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Senior
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Outfield
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Kelsey Stoltman
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Northwestern College
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Sophomore
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Outfield
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Jordan Iverson
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University of Minnesota Morris
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Sophomore
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Outfield
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* Player of the Year Award – Molly Olson (University of Minnesota Morris)
# Rookie of the Year Award – Molly Olson (University of Minnesota Morris)
Coach of the Year Award – Jen Walter (College of St. Scholastica)
Team Sportsmanship Award – Northwestern College
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1st Team All-Conference
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Name
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Institution
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Year
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Position
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Gena Chester
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Bethany Lutheran College
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Sophomore
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Outfield
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Ashley Jensen
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Bethany Lutheran College
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Junior
|
Shortstop
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|
Bonnie Kowalczyk
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College of St. Scholastica
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Junior
|
Catcher
|
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Darcy Roach
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College of St. Scholastica
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Junior
|
Pitcher
|
|
Theresa Tauer
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College of St. Scholastica
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Senior
|
Third Base
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|
Merryssa Tiedeman
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College of St. Scholastica
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Senior
|
Outfield
|
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Akina Zucarro
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Crown College
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Freshman
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Pitcher, Outfield
|
|
Sarah Free
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Martin Luther College
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Senior
|
Infield
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Kylie Garing
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Northland College
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Senior
|
Pitcher, Infield
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|
Jayna Loy
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Northland College
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Freshman
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Pitcher, Infield
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|
Briana Rodgers
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Northwestern College
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Junior
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First Base
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Kristin Sigurdsen
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Northwestern College
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Junior
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Shortstop
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Michelle Stratton
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Presentation College
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Junior
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Infield
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*# Molly Olson
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University of Minnesota Morris
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Freshman
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Catcher
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Jordan Iverson
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University of Minnesota Morris
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Sophomore
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Outfield
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