Weekly Release #13
5/16/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
at Ann Arbor, Mich. -- All Times Eastern Daylight Time
Thursday, May 18
Game 1 -- Stanford (1) vs. Central Michigan (6), 10 a.m.
Game 2 -- Notre Dame (3) vs. Illinois-Chicago (4), 12:30 p.m.
Game 3 -- Michigan (2) vs. DePaul (5), 3 p.m.
Friday, May 19
Game 4 -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 10 a.m.
Game 5 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3, 12:30 p.m.
Game 6 -- Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3, 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 20
Games 7, 8, 9 -- 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m.
Sunday, May 21
Games 10, 11 (if needed) -- 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. (if needed)
NCAA Region 8 Information
Radio -- WTKA-AM 1050 Ann Arbor will broadcast all Michigan games. Check the Internet broadcast link at the MGoBlue.com softball front page.
Tickets -- Tickets for the 2000 NCAA Region 8 Championship will be available the day of the game at the entrances to Alumni Field. A full tournament pass is $20 for adults and $12 for students/children. Single day passes are $6 for adults and $4 for students/children.
Tournament Results -- Pre-tournament information and game results can be accessed via the Internet at www.ncaasoftball.com. Game stories, notes, boxscores and statistics from the Region 8 site will be available at MGoBlue.com, with links to the websites of each participating team.
At Stake -- The winner of the Region 8 championship will advance to the May 25-29 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., to face the winner of the Region 1 championship.
Michigan Aims for Fifth Regional Tournament Championship
The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan softball team makes its eighth trip to the NCAA postseason softball party, looking for its fifth regional title and a fifth trip to the NCAA Women's College World Series. The Wolverines (43-14-1, 13-4 Big Ten) advanced to the 48-team national tournament field by winning the Big Ten Conference Tournament with a 2-0 shutout of Iowa in the title game on May 13.
Wolverines Making 10th Postseason Championship Trip
The 2000 NCAA Regional Championship marks Michigan's 10th season of postseason tournament play. The Wolverines have participated in three different national postseason championships: Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW, 1982), the National Invitational Championship (NIC, 1987) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, 1992-93, '95-99, 2000).
Michigan in Postseason Tournaments
| 1982 | AIAW Regional Champs |
| | AIAW World Series (3rd) |
| 1987 | Hardee's/NIC Champions |
| 1992 | NCAA Regional (2nd) |
| 1993 | NCAA Regional (2nd) |
| 1995 | NCAA Regional Champs |
| | World Series (7th tie) |
| 1996 | NCAA Regional Champs |
| | World Series (7th tie) |
| 1997 | NCAA Regional Champs |
| | World Series (5th tie) |
| 1998 | NCAA Regional Champs |
| | World Series (5th tie) |
| 1999 | NCAA Regional (5th tie) |
| 2000 | NCAA Regional |
Familiar Faces Compete for Region 8 Title in Ann Arbor
Five of the six teams competing for the NCAA Region 8 championship take their first step toward the Women's College World Series with a return stop in Ann Arbor. Hosting for the seventh time, No. 2 regional seed Michigan is joined by No. 1 seed Stanford University, No. 3 University of Notre Dame, No. 4 University of Illinois-Chicago, No. 5 DePaul University and No. 6 Central Michigan University.
Four-time regional champion Michigan has battled Notre Dame (1995), Central Michigan (1997) and DePaul (1998) in the regional championship game. Illinois-Chicago finished third in the 1998 Ann Arbor regional.
Stanford (45-16) earned an at-large entry to the national tournament after a fourth-place finish in the Pacific-10 Conference. The Cardinal, a third-time regional participant, rank No. 9 in the final regular-season USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll.
Michigan (43-14-1) won the Big Ten Tournament for an automatic berth in the national tournament. The Wolverines make their eighth trip to the regionals and look to wrap up a fifth trip to the Women's College World Series and first since 1998. U-M ranks No. 14 in the final regular-season USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll.
Notre Dame (46-12) won both the Big East Conference season and tournament championships to earn the league's automatic NCAA berth. The Irish, the top team in the NCAA Northeast region and ranked No. 17 in the final regular-season USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll, makes its fifth postseason trip.
Illinois-Chicago (51-23) snagged the Midwestern Collegiate Conference season and tournament championships to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Ranked No. 23 in the final regular-season USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll, UIC is making a fifth regional appearance looking to advance to the Women's College World Series for the first time since 1994.
DePaul (36-20) earned an at-large tournament berth after finishing second in the Conference USA standings. A sixth-time regional participant, DePaul finished as a semifinalist in the 1999 Women's College World Series.
Central Michigan (31-11) won the Mid-American Conference Tournament to earn an automatic berth into the national tournament. CMU is making its 11th regional appearance, looking to advance to the WCWS for the first time since 1985.
Alumni Field Readies for Region 8 Championship
Michigan's Alumni Field will serve as an NCAA softball regional host site for the seventh time. U-M hosted the 1993 regional, then began its current six-regional streak with the 1995 championship. The Wolverines have won four NCAA regional titles on their home field -- 1995, '96, '97 and '98 -- to advance to the Women's College World Series.
Alumni Field & NCAA Regional Championships
| Season | Champion | Runnerup | Score |
| 1993 | Louisiana-Lafayette | Michigan | 2-1 |
| 1995 | Michigan | Notre Dame | 15-6 (5) |
| 1996 | Michigan | South Carolina | 10-1 |
| 1997 | Michigan | Central Michigan | 4-0 |
| 1998 | Michigan | DePaul | 3-0 |
| 1999 | Arizona State | Nebraska | 4-2 |
Regional Hosting Good to Michigan Wolverines
Since hosting the 1982 AIAW Regional Tournament at Elbel and Mitchell Fields, the University of Michigan has enjoyed success at hosting postseason national events on campus. The present-day Michigan softball home field -- Alumni Field -- has been the site for the 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 NCAA Regional Championships. Michigan carries a 14-6 record in regional tournament play in Ann Arbor (AIAW 4-1, NCAA 10-5).
Regional Championships at Ann Arbor, Mich.
| Season | Affili. | Champion | Runnerup | Score |
| 1982 | AIAW | Michigan | Central Michigan | 4-0 |
| 1993 | NCAA | Louisiana-Lafayette | Michigan | 2-1 |
| 1995 | NCAA | Michigan | Notre Dame | 15-6 (5) |
| 1996 | NCAA | Michigan | South Carolina | 10-1 |
| 1997 | NCAA | Michigan | Central Michigan | 4-0 |
| 1998 | NCAA | Michigan | DePaul | 3-0 |
| 1999 | NCAA | Arizona State | Nebraska | 4-2 |
| 2000 | NCAA | TBD | TBD |
Hutchins is First in Michigan Coaching Wins
When the Wolverines beat Indiana 1-0 in the first game of the Big Ten season March 31, Carol Hutchins, 16th-year U-M head coach, tallied her 638th win as a Michigan coach. The victory moved Hutchins past legendary U-M baseball coach Ray Fisher on the University's all-time coaching wins list. Fisher who had 637 wins as Wolverine baseball head coach from 1921-58. Hutchins begins NCAA Region 8 action with 659 Wolverine victories to her credit (659-279-3, .702)
All-Time Wins by a U-M Coach (through 5/14/00)
| 1. 656 | CAROL HUTCHINS | Softball | 1985-present |
| 2. 637 | Ray Fisher | Baseball | 1921-58 |
| 3. 465 | Bud Middaugh | Baseball | 1980-89 |
| 4. 433 | Brian Eisner | Men's Tennis | 1970-99 |
| 5. 421 | Red Berenson | Ice Hockey | 1984-present |
Big Ten Tournament Dominance
Michigan claimed its fifth Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in six tries, upending top-seeded Iowa 2-0 in the title game (May 13). A two-run home run to right centerfield by Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Salem HS) provided the offense, while Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) pitched a 10-strikeout, two-hit game from the circle to help the Wolverines to the title. U-M won the first four conference tournaments (1995, '96, '97, '98) before finishing runnerup in 1999 and retaking the trophy in 2000. Over the six Big Ten Tournaments, Michigan has compiled an 18-4 record.
Final 2000 Big Ten Regular-Season Standings
Big Ten Overall 1. Iowa+ 14-4 .778 44-13 2. MICHIGAN+# 13-4 .765 43-14-1 3. Penn State+ 12-5 .706 37-17 4. Northwestern+ 12-6 .667 28-24 5. Wisconsin+ 9-6 .600 34-25 6. Purdue+ 6-10 .375 33-28 7. Michigan State 5-10 .333 30-23 8. Indiana 5-13 .278 15-32 9. Minnesota 4-13 .235 31-28 Ohio State 4-13 .235 28-26 + Big Ten Tournament qualifier # Big Ten Tournament champion
U-M Sweeps MSU to Nail Down No. 2 Big Ten Tournament Seed
Michigan solidified a runner-up Big Ten season finish and No. 2 conference tournament seeding with a two-game series sweep of cross-state rival Michigan State in East Lansing (May 6-7). The Wolverines jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the May 6 game, then halted a seventh-inning Spartan rally to post a 3-1 victory. A home run by Stefanie Volpe was all the offense Michigan needed in its 1-0 win May 7.
Four Michigan Players Tabbed All-Great Lakes Region
Michigan placed four players on the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region first team. Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South HS) was selected in the pitching slot while Marissa Young was slated as the utility player. Pam Kosanke (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central HS) was the region's third baseman while Stefanie Volpe was the designated player on the first team. Barda repeats on the first team while Volpe was a second team selection a year ago.
Five Wolverines Earn All-Big Ten Accolades
Five Michigan players nabbed All-Big Ten Conference honors, led by the second-year selection of Marie Barda to the all-conference first team. Third baseman Pam Kosanke, pitcher Marissa Young and designated player Stefanie Volpe each earned All-Big Ten second team honors, while rightfielder Melissa Taylor (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield HS) was an All-Big Ten third team pick.
Kosanke Selected to GTE District Academic Team
Pam Kosanke is not only a top player on the field, but is also a top student in the classroom as she was named to the GTE Academic All-District IV first team for the second consecutive year. Selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), she advances to the national GTE Academic All-America ballot. A business administration graduate in the University's Business School, Kosanke has three times been honored with selection to the District IV academic team (first 1999, 2000; second 1998) and the Academic All-Big Ten team. Kosanke has made application for a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
Wolverines Honor Five with Team Awards
Five members of the 2000 Wolverine team became a part of the tradition-rich Michigan softball history as award recipients at the team's banquet May 15. Senior co-captain Pam Kosanke was named Most Outstanding Player after leading the team throughout the season behind her career-high .360 batting average. The Most Outstanding Pitcher award was presented for the second straight season to junior Marie Barda, who carried a team-low 0.55 ERA and 17-6 record.
Courtney Murdock (Barrington, Ill./Barrington HS) was recipient of the Edna and Leo Drewett Award for Academic Excellence. A biology major, the junior first baseman recorded her first Michigan hit and RBI during the season. Michigan Rookie of the Year honors were presented to Marissa Young who played at pitcher and first base, batting .287 and posting a 16-3 record (0.88 ERA) in the circle in her first collegiate season. Sophomore outfielder Mary Conner (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) was presented the Maize & Blue Coaches Award. Conner batted .212 and put down 11 sacrifice hits, including a pair of key sacrifices in the Big Ten Tournament.
Michigan Athletic Academic Achievement Accolades for Eight
Eight softball players were among the recipients of the 2000 Michigan Athletic Academic Achievement awards on April 10. Award winners include Kate Eiland (Fresno, Calif./Clovis West HS), Liz Elsner (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Canton HS), Jamie Gillies (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS), Pam Kosanke, Karmen Lappo (Muskegon, Mich./North Muskegon HS), Lisa Mack (Saline, Mich./Saline HS), Courtney Murdock and Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore./Jesuit HS). The U-M Athletic Academic Achievement Award is presented to student-athletes who have an overall 3.00 grade point average and/or record consecutive semesters with a 3.00 grade point average.
Gillies Saves Michigan from Spartan, Nittany Lion Comebacks
Within one week, Jamie Gillies twice pitched the biggest two-thirds of an inning of the Wolverines' season. On May 6 at Michigan State, Gillies entered in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out on the scoreboard, two MSU runners on base and U-M clinging to a 3-1 lead. The senior calmly forced a groundout and a pop foul flyout to post her second save of the season and the fourth of her career. Five days later in the Big Ten Tournament opener vs. Penn State (May 11), Gillies entered in the seventh with one out, two runners on and the winning run at the plate. She retired the final two batters in order to collect season save No. 3 and advance U-M to the Big Ten quarterfinals.
Gillies carries a 49-17 career record into the NCAA Region 8 Championship. She became one of nine Michigan pitchers to record 150 or more strikeouts when she sat down four batters via the "K" during the April 19 Bowling Green game.
Volpe Cycles for Second Big Ten Player of the Week Award
Sophomore Stefanie Volpe hit for the cycle, collecting four singles and a double, triple and home run over the Wolverines' six games of the final week of regular-season play (May 2-7). Volpe batted .389 over the stretch with six RBI. In the conference-closing series at Michigan State (May 6-7), she led U-M at the plate by going 5-for-7 (.714). She provided two of Michigan's three runs on May 6 with an RBI double in the first inning and a run-scoring single in the seventh. Her solo home run -- her fourth of the season -- gave the Wolverines the 1-0 victory on May 7 and the season sweep of the Spartans. Volpe led the Michigan offense with a hot .556 batting average (10-for-18) over the Wolverines' six-game week (April 12-16), to land her first Big Ten Player of the Week award of the season (April 17). She has three conference weekly awards in her career.
Volpe heads into the NCAA Region 8 Championship as Michigan's leading hitter (.374) and second-leading RBI producer (35). She has drawn a team-high 32 walks this season to tie the school's single-season walks record (32 by Kari Kunnen in 1993).
Red-Hot Senior Season for Kosanke
A four-year starter in the Michigan infield, senior Pam Kosanke has seen her bat catch up to her defense this season. The starting shortstop as a freshman, Kosanke moved to third base for her last three seasons. She has also moved up the Michigan batting order, spending time at leadoff, cleanup, fifth and sixth in her final season. The U-M co-captain has responded by leading the team offense throughout the year behind a career-high .360 batting average, 14 doubles and 33 RBI. Kosanke is having her best defensive season as well, with a .955 fielding average, including a career-low nine errors. Kosanke is eighth in the Big Ten overall season batting average statistics.
Taylor Hunting Down Season Stolen Base Record
Junior Melissa Taylor has shown off her speed on the basepaths this season, collecting a team-high 20 stolen bases in 24 attempts. The rightfielder's 20 stolen bases puts her in a tie with Traci Conrad (20, 1997) for second place on the Michigan single-season thefts list. The Wolverines' season stolen base record is 24 compiled by Diane Hatch in 1982 ... Michigan's second-year rightfielder (started at second base as a freshman), Taylor is hitting .324. She put together a seven-game hit streak April 14-22, before being held hitless at Northwestern April 23. Taylor hit .458 (11-for-24) over the streak, including a team-best .357 in the five-game Bowling Green-Iowa-Northwestern stretch.
"K" Time for Young
Freshman Marissa Young warmed up for her first Big Ten Tournament by collecting 16 strikeouts over 17 innings in three appearances during the final week of the regular season (May 2-7). That warmup led to an impressive final-day performance at the conference tournament. Young opened May 13 with an eight-strikeout one-hitter in a 2-0 win vs. Penn State, then came back to collect 10 strikeouts in a two-hit, 2-0 victory over Iowa to win the Big Ten Tournament. Young leads the U-M pitching staff with 147 strikeouts -- sixth on the Michigan single-season record list -- and carries a 0.88 ERA and 16-3 record for the year.
Young heads into the NCAA Region 8 Championship having thrown 21 consecutive scoreless innings in three complete-game shutouts (dates to May 7 Michigan State win). Over those innings of work, Young has allowed just five hits and sent 24 batters to the dugout with a K.
Young ranks in a pair of NCAA national pitching stats (May 17). She is No. 20 in ERA (0.88) and ranks No. 19 in strikeouts per seven innings (8.1).
Both a pitcher and first baseman for the Wolverines, Young enters her first NCAA postseason with a .287 batting average and team-high 37 RBI. She became the first Michigan player to hit two career grand slams when she smacked her pair during the first month of the season.
Barda Collects 200th Career K, Leads Big Ten ERA Stats
Marie Barda became the eighth pitcher in Michigan history to record 200 strikeouts, reaching the milestone during a 10-strikeout performance against Wisconsin (April 7). Barda has 232 strikeouts as a Wolverine, ranking seventh on the U-M career K list. The junior leads both Michigan and Big Ten overall season ERA statistics (0.55 ERA), and heads into the NCAA Region 8 Championship sporting a 17-6 record. She has been listed among the top pitchers in the NCAA Division I ERA statistics throughout the season, ranking No. 3 in the May 17 listing.
Barda tossed her fifth career one-hitter with a complete game 3-1 win vs. Iowa State (March 17).
Moulden Claims March 27 co-Big Ten Player of the Week Honors
Named Most Valuable Player of the Boilermaker Invitational, Michigan freshman Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) put together a solid hitting four-game performance at the weekend tournament (March 25-26), earning her co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors for March 27. Moulden shares the award with Penn State's Megan Humphrey. Moulden's 3-for-3 plate performance vs. No. 22 Notre Dame included a three-run home run that keyed a four-run Michigan fifth-inning outburst and led to the 5-1 victory over the Irish. Moulden had hits in all four tournament games, going 6-for-12 (.500) with eight RBI.
Moulden enjoyed success against Big Ten pitching. The freshman, who plays both left field and first base, hit .288 against the conference, 38 points better than her .250 regular-season average. Moulden heads into the NCAA Region 8 Championship carrying a .247 batting average. She smacked a pair of singles in the Big Ten Tournament.
Mack Makes Impressive Career-First Start
Freshman Lisa Mack made the most of her first Wolverine starting assignment (right field), hitting 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored against Kent (March 26) in the Boilermaker Invitational. Mack made her first postseason appearance as a pinch runner vs. Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals (May 12).
Kollen Nabs Big Ten Player of the Week Honors
Sophomore Kelsey Kollen claimed the first Big Ten Conference Player of the Week award for the 2000 season behind a strong six games at the March 17-19 Tallahassee Democrat Florida State Invitational. The second baseman collected 11 hits in 21 at bats (.524) to lead the Wolverines. Among the leadoff batter's hits were a pair of doubles. On the basepaths, Kollen stole four bases and scored six runs. Her performance earned her a spot on the all-tournament team. It is Kollen's career-first conference Player of the Week award.
Kollen heads into NCAA Region 8 Championship play with a .296 batting average behind 55 hits -- third-best among the Wolverines. A threat when she gets on base, Michigan's leadoff hitter has 17 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
Elsner Perfect in First Two Big Ten Plate Appearances
Freshman Liz Elsner proved valuable in her first two pinch-hitter jobs vs. the Big Ten. In her first conference at bat in the first game of the April 14 Ohio State doubleheader, Elsner responded with a leftfield single. Her next at bat, vs. Penn State (April 16), was even more successful, resulting in the game-winning RBI single to centerfield in the fifth inning.
Murdock Earns First U-M and Big Ten Starting Assignments
Courtney Murdock earned her first Michigan and Big Ten starting assignments playing at first base in both games of the Penn State series (April 15-16). The junior picked up a sacrifice in the 3-0 Wolverine victory over the Nittany Lions (April 16).
Wolverines Notch 250th Alumni Field Victory
Michigan softball recorded its 250th win on its home field -- Alumni Field -- with its 4-1 win vs. Minnesota on April 9. U-M began play on the present-day Alumni Field site May 3, 1982, vs. Western Michigan. Since that day's split doubleheader, the Wolverines have gone on to post a 259-94 (.734) record at Alumni Field.
The largest crowd in Alumni Field history is 1,452 on hand for the May 15, 1998, NCAA Regional championship game between the Wolverines and DePaul.
Milestone Victories for Coach Hutchins
Wolverine head coach Carol Hutchins recorded her 650th Michigan coaching victory with the 5-0 win vs. Iowa on April 21. Hutchins is 650-276-3 over her 16 seasons with U-M. She notched her all-time 675th career win with the Wolverines' 6-2 win vs. Indiana State (April 27). Hutchins, who has coached 975 games at the collegiate level, takes a 682-290-3 (.701) career record and 659-279-3 (.702) U-M mark into the NCAA Region 8 Championship.
2000 Squad Posts 800th Michigan Softball Victory
March 26 was milestone day for Michigan softball. The 20-1 win vs. Kent in the fourth game of the weekend Boilermaker Invitational is the 800th win in the 23-year history of the Wolverine softball program. Michigan begins NCAA Tournament action sporting an 822-385-3 (.681) all-time varsity record.
Wolverines Record School's 300th Big Ten Victory
Michigan's 3-2 victory over Purdue on April 1 marked the 300th Big Ten Conference win in Wolverine softball history. In 18 seasons of league competition, Michigan has compiled a 310-136 (.695) record, winning the Big Ten season championship six times and the conference tournament five times.
Michigan and the 2000 Olympic Softball Team
The Michigan coaching staff is represented on the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team by assistant coach Jennifer Brundage, who is a member of the Olympic squad. Brundage has been busy this spring, splitting time coaching the U-M pitchers and practicing/playing for the Olympic team. She spent most of the month of April competing with the U.S. Team in tournament play in Italy, and will be a part of the Olympic squad's summer Central Park-to-Sydney tour.
NCAA Regionals Draw Big Alumni Field Crowds
The four of the five largest crowds in Alumni Field history have been during NCAA Regional Championships hosted by Michigan. The Alumni Field record is 1,452 set on May 16, 1998, when the Wolverines beat DePaul, 3-0, for the NCAA Regional 3 Championship. The largest Alumni Field crowd for the 1999 season was 1,265 for the May 15 Big Ten Tournament title game between U-M and Minnesota. That crowd was also the second-largest in Alumni Field history.
Top Five Alumni Field Crowds
1,452 May 16, 1998 -- Michigan vs. DePaul*
1,265 May 15, 1999 -- Michigan vs. Minnesota+
1,117 May 18, 1997 -- Michigan vs. Central Michigan*
1,100 May 22, 1993 -- Michigan vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Bowling Green*
1,003 May 16, 1997 -- Michigan vs. Cleveland State*
* NCAA Regional Championship
+ Big Ten Tournament
Maize & Blue Diamond Gems
The Wolverines are ranked among the nation's top 20 teams in three NCAA statistical categories (May 17): pitching, No. 8 (1.07 ERA); fielding, No. 20 (.968); and winning percentage, No. 17 (.750).
The Michigan softball class of 2000 won the 200th game of their careers May 2 with the opening-game 4-0 victory over Eastern Michigan, then played the 250th game of their careers with the EMU nightcap game.
The 20 runs scored against Kent on March 26 rank fourth in runs scored and largest margin of victory in Michigan softball history. The record for both runs and margin of victory is 25 set in a five-inning, 25-0 win vs. Morehead State in the 1996 season.
Contact: Amy Carlton (734) 763-4423
