May 7, 2008

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Six members of the Wright State softball team were honored as the All-Horizon League teams were announced Wednesday in Chicago.

Senior outfielder Jherica Williams was selected as the League's Player of the Year while sophomore shortstop Kristen Bradshaw and sophomore outfielder Jamie Perkins join Williams as First Team All-League selections. Sophomore pitcher Sharon Palma and freshman second baseman Justine Shilt were each named to both the Second Team and the Newcomer Team while freshman third baseman Louie Haney was also chosen to the All-Newcomer Team.

Williams (Piqua, OH/Piqua) put together an incredible regular season for the Raiders as she hit .472 with 17 home runs and 71 RBI along with posting a .950 slugging percentage and a .562 on-base percentage. She ranks first or is tied for the League lead in 10 offensive categories (batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits, RBI, doubles, triples, home runs and total bases) and is second in walks and being hit by a pitch.

The 2007 League Newcomer of the Year, Williams is the reigning Horizon League Player of the Week, a honor that she has received three times this season. In just two seasons, she is Wright State's career leader in home runs (20), batting average (.405), slugging percentage (.734), on-base percentage (.493) and hit by pitch (17) and ranks third in doubles, runs scored and total bases, fourth in RBI and triples, fifth in stolen bases and 10th in hits and walks,

Williams is the first Raider to be selected as the League Player of the Year and joins Angie Lala (1996, 1998), Kristin Bultinck (2000, 2003) and Kim Sycks (2000, 2001) as the only WSU players twice chosen First Team All-League.

Bradshaw (Portsmouth, OH/Northwest) also compiled an impressive offensive campaign in 2008 as she hit .368 with 10 home runs and 60 RBI along with 14 stolen bases, 10 doubles and 35 runs scored.

A Second Team All-Horizon League honoree in 2007, Bradshaw is tied with Williams for the League lead in triples and is ranked second in hits and RBI, third in total bases and slugging percentage, fifth in home runs and runs scored, sixth in stolen bases, seventh in batting average and on-base percentage and ninth in walks. She also leads the League in fielding assists with 123.

Perkins (Convoy, OH/Crestview) shined in the lead off spot for Wright State this season, hitting .389 with seven home runs and 26 RBI. She also added 13 doubles, 53 runs scored and walked 30 times.

The Horizon League Tournament MVP and part of the All-Newcomer Team last season, Perkins ranks second in the League in runs scored and walks, third in batting average and on-base percentage, fourth in hits, doubles and total bases and sixth in home runs. She also leads the League in relief appearances and second in saves with four, including two last weekend to help the Raiders sweep UIC.

The three First Team selections are the most for Wright State since five Raiders were tabbed in 2000 and it's the first time that WSU has had multiple honors since 2001.

Palma (Grand Rapids, MI/Northview), a transfer from Bowling Green, had a solid first season in the circle for the Raiders, going 14-9 with a 2.93 earned run average and 102 strikeouts. The lefthander is second in the League in starts, third in wins, fourth in appearances, fifth in strikeouts and innings pitched and seventh in ERA.

Shilt (Greenville, OH/Greenville) came on strong during League play, hitting .345 in such games with two home runs and 17 RBI. In League games only, Shilt was second in triples, fourth in RBI, eighth in total bases, ninth in slugging percentage and 10th in batting average.

Palma and Shilt mark the first time Wright State has had two or more players named to the Second Team since 2005.

Haney (Springfield, IL/Chatham-Glenwood) hit. 349 with 36 runs scored and seven doubles from the second spot in the Raider order this season. She ranks fourth in the League in runs scored and hits, seventh in total bases and ninth in the League in batting average. Haney also flashed the leather from the third base position, committing just six errors in 48 games with 99 assists.

Wright State (29-24 overall, 13-7 Horizon) opens Horizon League Tournament play on Thursday, May 8, as the #3 seeded Raiders take on the winner of #4 Loyola and #9 Detroit at 9 p.m. Eastern at the Loyola Softball Park in Chicago. The double-elimination tournament continues through Saturday, May 10, with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The following are the 2008 All-Horizon League Softball Teams:

First Team All-Horizon League

Pos.	Name	Yr.	School
P	Amanda Macenko	So.	Cleveland State
P	Amy Solava	So.	Loyola
P	Andrea Zappia	Sr.	Valparaiso
1B	Amy Hyerczyk	Sr.	Butler
SS	Kristen Bradshaw	So.	Wright State
SS	Christa Coppus	Jr.	Cleveland State
SS	Brooke Frydendall	So.	UIC
OF	Sarah Clynes	Jr.	UIC
OF	Tracy Korth	Sr.	Valparaiso
OF	Jamie Perkins	So.	Wright State
OF	Jherica Williams	Sr.	Wright State
UTL	McKenzie Bedra	Sr.	Youngstown State

Second Team All-Horizon League

Pos.	Name	Yr.	School
P	Sharon Palma	So.	Wright State
C	Courtney Gill	So.	Detroit
C	Shannon Robinson	Sr.	Valparaiso
2B	Justine Shilt	Fr.	Wright State
3B	Angie Funston	So.	Loyola
OF	Ashlee Ackerman	Sr.	UIC
OF	Ellen Kresl	So.	Loyola
OF	Melissa Marinacci	Jr.	UIC
OF	Jacqueline Nortman	Jr.	Detroit
OF	Nora Schober	Sr.	Loyola
OF	Whitney Willard	Sr.	Cleveland State
OF	Danielle Young	Jr.	Cleveland State

Horizon League All-Newcomer Team

Pos.	Name	Yr.	School
P	Sharon Palma	So.	Wright State
C	Samantha Howe	Fr.	Green Bay
C	Amy Powell	Fr.	Cleveland State
C	Breanna Sesoko	Fr.	Detroit
1B	Alicia Abbott	Fr.	UIC
1B	Katelyn Ciminelli	Fr.	Cleveland State
2B	Justine Shilt	Fr.	Wright State
3B	Louie Haney	Fr.	Wright State
SS	Haley Ambrosch	Fr.	Loyola
OF	Rochelle Vanyi	Fr.	Youngstown State

Player of the Year: Jherica Williams, Sr., OF, Wright State
Pitcher of the Year: Amanda Macenko, So., Cleveland State
Newcomer of the Year: Alicia Abbott, Fr., 1B, UIC
Co-Coaches of the Year: Angie Nicholson, Cleveland State & Randy Schneider, Valparaiso