Season outlook story -- click here

General Information
School Name: Augsburg College
Location: 2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, Minn.
Founded: 1869
Enrollment: 2,964 (undergrad, weekend, graduate)
Nickname: Auggies
School Colors: Maroon and Gray (Pantone 209 maroon, Pantone 424 gray)
Field: Edor Nelson Field (Astroturf)
Capacity: 2,000
Affiliation: NCAA Division III
Conference: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
President: Dr. William V. Frame
Athletic Director: Paul Grauer (men), Marilyn Florian (women)
Athletic Phone: 612-330-1249
Athletic Fax: 612-330-1372

History
First year of softball: 1974
All-time playoff record: N/A
Years in post-season play: 5
Last postseason appearance: 1983
All-time record (varsity): N/A

Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Carol Enke
Alma Mater/Year: Minnesota '82
Record at school (yrs): 252-300-2 (16 seasons)
Career record: same
Head Coach's office phone: 612-330-1250
Coach's e-mail: enke@augsburg.edu
Best time/day to reach coach: Late Mornings

Assistant Coach (Name/Alma Mater/Year):
Pam Schreurs (Buena Vista)

Sports Information
Sports Information Dir.: Don Stoner
SID office phone: 612-330-1677
Home phone: 651-697-1393
SID Fax: 612-330-1780
Press Box phone: 612-330-1737
E-Mail: stoner@augsburg.edu
Athletic Website: http://www.augsburg.edu/athletics/

2001 Game-By-Game Results
(* denotes MIAC games, # denotes games at Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic, Fort Myers, Fla.; Home games in bold)
March 18, vs. SUNY-Fredonia (N.Y.) #, W 5-3
March 18, vs. Albright (Pa.) #, L 2-1
March 20, vs. Bowdoin (Maine) #, W 6-3
March 20, vs. Dana (Neb.) #, L 8-6
March 21, vs. Marycrest International (Iowa) #, W 8-0
March 21, vs. North Central (Ill.) #, L 15-3
March 21, vs. Buffalo State (N.Y.) #, L 4-0
March 22, vs. Framingham (Mass.) #, W 4-2
March 22, vs. Mount Holyoke (Mass.) #, L 6-2
March 22, vs. Babson (Mass.) #, W 10-4
March 26, vs. Northwestern-Roseville, L 2-0, W 9-0
April 3, vs. Wisconsin-Stout L 9-0, W 3-2
April 6, at Concordia-Moorhead *, L 3-4, L 3-4
April 10, at Bethel College *, W 8-1, W 8-2
April 13, vs. St. Mary's University *, L 4-1, L 9-0
April 18, at University of St. Thomas *, L 8-0, L 3-0
April 19, vs. College of St. Benedict *, L 5-1, L 2-0
April 24, vs. Macalester College *, W 6-0, W 5-1
April 26, at Gustavus Adolphus College *, L 4-1, L 7-2
April 28, vs. Carleton College *, W 1-0, L 1-0
April 30, at College of St. Catherine *, W 2-0, W 1-0
May 2, at St. Olaf College *, L 2-1, W 3-1
May 5, vs. Hamline University *, W 4-1, W 3-1

2002 Schedule
(* denotes MIAC games, # denotes games at Rebel Spring Games, Kissimmee, Fla.; Home games in bold; all games are 7-inning doubleheaders unless otherwise noted)
Tue., March 19, at Northwestern-Roseville (Plymouth Dome, Plymouth, Minn.), 2 p.m. (1 game)
Sun., March 24, vs. Univ. of Dubuque (Iowa) #, 10:40 a.m. (1 game)
Sun., March 24, vs. Buena Vista Univ. (Iowa) #, 2:20 p.m. (1 game)
Mon., March 25, vs. Wisconsin-River Falls #, 10:40 a.m. (1 game)
Mon., March 25, vs. St. Olaf College (nonconference) #, 12:30 p.m. (1 game)
Tue., March 26, vs. Clarke College (Iowa) #, 12:30 p.m. (1 game)
Tue., March 26, vs. Eastern Connecticut Univ. #, 4:10 p.m. (1 game)
Wed., March 27, vs. Ramapo College (N.J.) #, 12:30 p.m. (1 game)
Wed., March 27, vs. Elmhurst College (Ill.) #, 4:10 p.m. (1 game)
Thu., March 28, vs. Western Connecticut Univ. #, 10:40 a.m. (1 game)
Thu., March 28, vs. Manchester College (Ind.) #, 2:20 p.m. (1 game)
Wed., April 3, vs. Gustavus Adolphus College * (Cowles Stadium, Univ. of Minnesota), 6 p.m.
Sat., April 6, at Hamline University *, 1 p.m.
Tue., April 9, vs. Concordia-Moorhead *, 4 p.m.
Sat., April 13, vs. University of St. Thomas *, 1 p.m.
Wed., April 17, at St. Mary's University *, 4 p.m.
Sat., April 20, vs. Macalester College *, 6:30 p.m.
Sun., April 21, at University of Wisconsin-Stout, 2 p.m.
Tue., April 23, at College of St. Benedict *, 4 p.m.
Thu., April 25, at St. Olaf College *, 4 p.m.
Sat., April 27, vs. College of St. Catherine *, 1 p.m.
Wed., May 1, vs. Carleton College*, 5 p.m.
Sat., May 4, at Bethel College *, 1 p.m.
Fri.-Sun., May 10-12, at NCAA Division III Central Regional, site and time TBA
Thu.-Mon,., May 16-20, at NCAA Division III World Series, Carson Park, Eau Claire, Wis. (Wisconsin-Eau Claire host)

Player & Team Information
Overall record last year: 17-19
Conference record/finish: 10-12/6th of 12
Letterwinners returning/lost: 12/3
Starters returning/lost: 7/2
Roster By Year: 5 seniors, 2 juniors, 6 sophomores, 7 freshmen. TOTAL: 20.

Returning Key Players (Name. Pos.. year. ht.. misc. notes: )
Rachael Ekholm (Sr., Richfield, Minn.), P/SS/OF, school's record-holder for single-season (106) and career (248) strikeouts; 16-12 in 2001, .199 opponent BA, 2.8-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio; at plate, 2nd on team with .360 BA, team highs of 21 RBI, 14 extra-base hits (9 doubles, 3 triples, 2 HR) and .596 slugging percentage; 2X All-MIAC first-team.
Kristin Lideen (So., Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS), SS, All-MIAC first team and NFCA All-Midwest Region second team last season, led team with .394 BA, 41 hits, 22 runs, .481 slugging percentage and team-high .471 on-base percentage.
Jennie LaManna (Sr., South St. Paul, Minn.), 2B, .309 BA last season, 13 RBI, .362 slugging percengate.
Melissa Lee (So., Cannon Falls, Minn./Randolph HS), 3B, .250 BA in 2001, 12 RBI.
Jennifer Lemke (Jr., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS), C, infielder-high .988 fielding percentage in 2001,

Key Newcomers (Name. Pos., Yr. hometown/HS/last school at: notes):
Christine Matthews (Fr., Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS), 1B, All-Classic Lake Conf. HM in softball in 2001.
Melynda Kleewein (Fr., Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond HS), C/OF, All-conference and All-state tournament team, 2X team MVP.
Becky Ruckel (Fr., Andover, Minn./Anoka HS), 2B, 2X All-conference on 2-time conference championship team.

Key Losses (Name. Pos., misc. notes):
Brenda Selander (OF), .185 BA in 2001, .254 on-base percentage.
Karen Tweeten (C/INF), .247 BA in 2001, 14 RBI, .348 slugging percentage.
Angie Satre (OF), started 31 games in right field in 2001.

Season Outlook and Notes:
MINNEAPOLIS (2/13/02) -- There's an air of confidence for the Augsburg College softball team this season.

The confidence in returning 12 of 15 letterwinners from last season, including seven of nine starters. The confidence in having one of the best pitchers in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on the roster for her senior season. The confidence in having depth at virtually every position.

It's that confidence that has head coach Carol Enke expecting big things from the Auggies in 2002. Augsburg finished 17-19 last season, the 22nd time in the last 23 years that Augsburg has had a double-digit win record, and 15th time in the last 16 years under Enke. The Auggies finished 10-12 in the MIAC standings, winning eight of their last 12 games to finish the season in league play.

"I've got to believe that with our depth and experience, we can finish over .500 in the conference, in the top half of the conference," Enke said. "This team was 2-6 in one-run games in the conference last year. They know that they want to reverse that stat, and we expect that we can improve."

The 20-player roster -- one of the largest rosters in recent years -- features an impressive balance of youth and experience. While seven starters return, there are also 13 underclass athletes -- six sophomores and seven freshmen.

"The depth we have is a big positive," Enke said. "We're at least two, if not three, players deep at every position. We have a lot of options at all our positions."

Pitching prowess
It all starts with pitching in softball, and Augsburg returns one of the best pitchers in the MIAC in senior Rachael Ekholm (Sr., Richfield, Minn.).

Ekholm, a two-time All-MIAC selection, has pitched the bulk of Augsburg's innings throughout her career, and will likely leave her mark on virtually every career pitching record. She already has set school records for single-season (106) and career (248) strikeouts, and enters this season with a career record of 32-33 and 2.53 earned-run average.

"She has always been a very confident pitcher. She added the drop ball over the last two years and gained a lot of confidence in her pitching," Enke said. "Her best pitch is the rise ball, and to add the drop ball to that adds another dimension to her pitching. She's gained more confidence in her change-up, too. She plays hard and expects her teammates to follow her lead."

Ekholm has been not only a dynamo in the pitching circle during her career, but has also been one of the top hitters in school history. She hit .360 last season with team-highs of extra-base hits (14 -- nine doubles, three triples, two home runs), 21 RBIs and a .596 slugging percentage. Her career .388 batting average is second-best in school history, and her .619 career slugging percentage and seven home runs are already career bests at Augsburg. She's also close to, or in the top 10 for, school career marks in most other offensive categories.

Two other pitchers who will provide some relief for Ekholm will be Becky Peters (So., Portage, Wis.) and Mindy Evers (Sr., Comfrey, Minn.). Peters pitched in four games last season, while Evers pitched in seven games, and also saw action in 14 games as a pinch-hitter.

Solid infield
Augsburg's infield is as deep and talented as it has ever been in recent years, with four starters returning.

The infield's leader is shortstop Kristen Lideen (So., Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS), who had a tremendous debut season last year. Lideen earned second-team recognition on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Midwest Region softball team, as one of just nine freshmen to earn a spot on the 45-member team. She was also one of just three freshmen to make the 24-member All-MIAC team.

Lideen had a strong first season for the Auggies, leading the team with a .394 batting average from the leadoff spot. She had 17 stolen bases, the fourth-most in a single season in school history, and a team-high .471 on-base percentage. Her .391 conference batting average was 10th-best in league play, her 25 league hits were seventh-best in the league, and her eight stolen bases in league play was eighth-best in the league. She had at least one base hit in 28 of the team's 36 games.

"She is solid in every skill in the game -- hitting, bunting, fielding and throwing," Enke said. "She has a lot of potential."

Melissa Lee (So., Cannon Falls, Minn./Randolph HS) also shined in her first year at third base last season, with a .250 batting average. Lee and Lideen make up a strong defensive duo on the left side of the infield. Trisha Pederson (Fr. Proctor, Minn.) and Brenda Grabau (Fr., Fountain, Minn./Fillmore Central HS) will also see some time at shortstop and third base.

"Between Mel and Kristen, you have to hit the ball really hard to get it through the hole, because one or both of them will be diving for it and they'll come up with it," Enke said.

The right side of the infield has some depth, but starters haven't been nailed down yet, Enke said. Christine Mathews (Fr., Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS) and Heather Yerbich (So., Blackduck, Minn.) are both solid defenders who will battle for the first-base spot.

Jennie LaManna (Sr., South St. Paul, Minn.), who hit .309 last season with 13 RBI, is the likely starter at second base, though she'll see some challenges from left-handed hitter Becky Ruckel (Fr., Andover, Minn./Anoka HS) and Pederson.

The catching spot will likely be held by Jennifer Lemke (Jr., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS), who caught her freshman year before moving to first base last season. Lemke had a solid .988 fielding percentage, the best of any Auggie infielder. Melynda Kleewein (Fr., Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond HS) will back up Lemke at catcher.

"Jenny Lemke is definitely the vocal leader of the team," Enke said. "She takes a leadership role both on and off the field."

Outfield deep
Two outfield starters return, though as many as 10 players have shots at becoming regulars in the outfield, Enke said.

Sam Kronschnabel (Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) was Augsburg's starter in left field last season, while Abby Mildbrand (Sr., Greenwood, Wis.) started in center field. Both were solid slap hitters for the Auggies at the bottom and top of the order.

Ekholm will see some time in the outfield when not pitching. Laura Simones (So., Minneapolis, Minn./Trinity at River Ridge HS) saw time in the outfield in nine games last season. Other players who will compete for outfield time include Pederson, Grabau, Kleewein, Kristin Johnson (Fr., Minnetonka, Minn./Wayata HS), Angela Schmidt (Fr., Manuaga, Nicaragua/Cushing Academy, Mass., HS), Lindsay Rullifson (So., Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) and April Leger (Sr., Austin, Minn.), who will play softball this season after playing four seasons on Augsburg's women's hockey team.

"We have a lot of young talent and speed in the outfield," Enke said. "They can really cover some territory. It's really up for grabs."