Van Wychen Named WIAC Softball Player of the Year; Guckenberger Honored

     UW-Stevens Point�s all-time career leaders in batting average and earned run average have both been honored on the All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball squad as senior centerfielder Jill Van Wychen was the conference�s Position Player of the Year and senior pitcher Karen Guckenberger earned her fourth career all-conference award.

     Van Wychen, a Kaukauna native who attended Freedom High School, set an NCAA Division III record with a 36-game hitting streak, reaching safely in the team�s first 36 games of the season. She hit .467 for the season, marking the second-highest single-season average in school history and leading the WIAC in hitting for the second straight year. Van Wychen concluded her career with a school record .399 batting average.

     Van Wychen also led the conference with 63 hits and 39 runs scored. Her six triples ranked second in the league. The 63 hits were one short of the single-season school record. She finished her career with hits in 113 of her 130 career games, including 82 of her last 90 games.

     It is the second straight first-team all-conference award for Van Wychen, who is the third Pointer player to receive a Player of the Year honor in the last four years. Kelly Rutta was the East Division Player of the Year in 2000 and 2001.

     Guckenberger, a South Milwaukee native, holds nearly every pitching record in school history. She is the conference�s all-time strikeout leader with 504 for her career and also holds the Division III career record for saves with 16. Guckenberger holds school career records with 58 wins, 573.1 innings pitched, 115 appearances, 69 complete games and a 1.05 ERA. She also holds school records for fewest hits per seven innings at 4.49 and fewest walks per seven innings at 1.38 for her career.

     This season, Guckenberger led the WIAC with a 1.41 ERA. She also led the league with eight shutouts and ranked second with 122 strikeouts and 149.1 innings pitched. Her 32 appearances was a school record.

     Guckenberger joins outfielder Kelli Harms (1994-97) and pitcher Sue Murphy (1981-84) as the only four-time all-conference performers in school history.

     Also, freshman outfielder Meagan Strmsek, an Oak Creek native, was named honorable mention all-WIAC. Strmsek ranked ninth in the conference in hitting with a .368 average. She also led the league with 14 doubles, ranked fourth with 46 hits and fourth with 30 RBI�s while striking out just four times in 131 plate appearances.