May 8, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS - Juniors Melissa Preish and Coryn Schmit and senior Melinda Macias earned Horizon League honors. Preish tabbed first-team honors, while Schmit and Macias earned second-team accolades. It was announced by the conference office Tuesday morning.
"Melissa, Melinda and Coryn are all very deserving of these honors" head softball coach Michelle Venturellasaid. "It's great that they have been recognized for their accomplishments throughout the season. Everyone at UIC is very proud of them."
Preish has played and started in 49 games at her post in center field. She is currently batting .399. In 148 at-bats on the season she has 31 runs, 59 hits, six doubles, a triple, five home runs and 17 RBI. She has a slugging percentage of .554, including an on-base percentage of .483. Additionally, she was recently named the team's "Offensive Player of the Year", which is voted on by the UIC coaching staff.
On April 30, Preish was named the Horizon League Player of the Week after her performance in the Green Bay and Youngstown State series. In four games she compiled a .538 batting average, a 1.0777 slugging percentage with a .538 on-base percentage. In 13 at-bats, she had seven hits, six runs, one double, two home runs and two RBI.
Schmit earns second-team honors after being selected to the Horizon League pre-season team. The first baseman has started and played in 50 games this season. She currently has a .311 batting average; in 167 at-bats she has 29 runs, 52 hits and eight doubles. She leads the team in home runs and RBI with nine and 39, respectively.
With a .981 fielding percentage, Schmit was selected as the team's "Defensive Player of the Year". Schmit also recently earned two academic accolades. Schmit was selected as one of the Flames' Female Student-Athlete of the Year, and is a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
Macias, who was also a second-team selection, holds a .320 batting average. In 175 at-bats, she has 34 runs, 56 hits, 10 doubles, one home run and 14 RBI. With just one error in right field, Macias has a .978 fielding percentage. She recently was selected as UIC's "Most Valuable Player".
During the series against Butler on April 6-7, Macias posted a .667 batting average, including an .889 slugging percentage and .750 on-base percentage. During her nine at-bats, she had six hits, two runs, two doubles and two RBI.
2012 Horizon League Softball Awards
Player of the Year: Haley Thomas, Youngstown State
Newcomer of the Year: Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso
Pitcher of the Year: Brittany Gardner, Loyola
Coach of the Year: Brian Campbell, Youngstown State
All-League First Team
Haley Thomas, Youngstown State
Jordan Rutkowski, Valparaiso
Jordan Ingalls, Youngstown State
Dara Toman, Cleveland State
Melissa Preish, UIC
Joylyn Ichiyama-Drewry, Valparaiso
Lauren McNulty, Butler
Brooke Andresen, Loyola
Meaghan Sullivan, Butler
Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso (DP)
Brittany Gardner, Loyola (P)
Alex Lagesse, Valparaiso (P)
All-League Second Team
Lauren Arceneaux, Loyola
Melinda Macias, UIC
Annie Korth, Loyola
Vicky Rumph, Youngstown State
Miranda Reinke, Green Bay
Jessica Balzano, Loyola
Coryn Schmit, UIC
Kristi Boreing, Wright State
Jessie Marinec, Valparaiso
Sara Shields, Cleveland State (DP)
Krystian DeWitt, Wright State (P)
Alli Goecks, Green Bay (P)
All-Newcomer Team
Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso
Sara Shields, Cleveland State
Kristen Boros, Butler
Jessica Balzano, Loyola
Annie Korth, Loyola
Kayla Haslett, Youngstown State
Haley Mohrfeld, Green Bay
Nena Doran, Cleveland State
Jess Gorman, Wright State
--UIC--
