Titans' Koepsel Receives All-WIAC Honors

UW-Oshkosh catcher Katie Koepsel (Fr. • Oak Creek) was named to the All-WIAC Softball Team after leading the league in slugging percentage. She is the first Titan freshman to make the squad in seven years.

Koepsel topped UW-Oshkosh with nine home runs and a .370 batting average. She posted a .739 slugging percentage on the strength of 68 total bases in 92 at-bats. Starting 31 of her 39 games, Koepsel also totaled five doubles, 16 walks, 16 runs scored and 21 runs batted in.

Koepsel's nine homers ranked second in the WIAC. She launched a round-tripper in four consecutive games at Platteville and Eau Claire from April 25-28. During a victory over St. Olaf College (Minn.), Koepsel went 4-for-4 and drove home three runs. She also tallied four hits and three runs scored in a win against UW-Superior on April 29.

UW-Oshkosh also had utility player Julie Sweeney (Fr. • Arlington Heights, Ill.), outfielder Hillary Trebiatowski (Jr. • Plover) and pitcher Courtney Wautier (Jr. • Brussels) receive All-WIAC honorable mention. Sweeney appeared in 28 games with seven home runs, 21 RBI and a .342 batting average. As a pitcher, Sweeney totaled 86 strikeouts and a 2.93 earned run average in 107.2 innings.

Trebiatowski hit .333 at the plate while starting 33 contests. She added eight doubles, 19 runs scored and 16 RBI. Wautier listed second in the league with 128 strikeouts and a .234 opponents batting average. Her 138 innings featured an 11-7 record, 10 complete games and 2.13 ERA.

The All-WIAC Team consisted of 20 players, including five from both UW-Eau Claire and UW-Whitewater. The Blugolds chosen were Nikki Bromelkamp, Amanda Fischer, Ashley Meinen, Emily Muller and Taylor Pierce. UW-Whitewater had Katie Boyle, Laura Eichenold, Emily Epifanio, Paige Evangelista and Amanda Mertes.

UW-River Falls placed four women on the squad with Hayley Buchanan, Ashley Goettl, Patty Olson and Rose Tusa. The remaining members were Lauren Beres and Katie Keyes of UW-La Crosse, Alison Gray of UW-Stout, Chantal McReynolds of UW-Platteville and Taylor VanDamme of UW-Superior.

Tusa, who led the conference with 23 wins, 225 strikeouts and a 1.62 ERA, received Pitcher of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Epifanio was named the top position player thanks to her eight home runs and .388 batting average. UW-Eau Claire's Leslie Huntington earned WIAC Coach of the Year.