May 10, 2007

The Big Ten Conference has announced the 2007 all-Big Ten softball teams, which included Hawkeye sophomore Erin Riemersma, junior Summer Downs, sophomore Brittany Weil, sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin and junior Emily Nichols.

Riemersma was named to the first team as a shortstop. She led the team with 20 hits, 16 runs scored, 13 RBI and a .685 slugging percentage in conference play. Riemersma was tied for second in the conference with 16 runs scored, tied for third with five doubles and tied for fourth with 10 walks. The Orland Park, IL, native also hit four home runs, including a walk-off, two-run home run to defeat Illinois in the last game of the regular season. Riemersma was a third team all-Big Ten selection as a freshman last season.

Downs was a second team utility player pick, playing nine games at third base and eight games as the designated player. She led the team with a .373 batting average in Big Ten play and her six doubles led the conference. She also collected 19 hits and tallied 19 RBI. Downs was a first team pick as a sophomore last year.

Weil was also a second team selection as a pitcher. She led the team in nearly every pitching category, compiling a 9-6 record with 85 strikeouts. The native of Garden Grove, CA, threw complete games in 13 of her 14 league starts and also threw four complete-game shutouts. Weil's 14 starts and 17 appearances ranked second in the conference and her 101.1 innings pitched were the second-most in Big Ten play. Weil was a third team pick as a freshman last season.

McGlaughlin was named to the third team as a second baseman. She was third on the team with a .314 batting average. She also collected four home runs, four doubles and nine RBI.

Nichols was a third team pick as a catcher. She led the team and was tied for fourth in the conference with 16 RBI. She also hit four home runs and had a .309 batting average. The Portland, OR, native was a third team selection last season.

Iowa (37-20, 10-7) is the fourth seed in the 2007 Big Ten Tournament and will meet fifth-seeded Purdue (32-31-1, 10-9) in the first round tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. (CT). The tournament is being held on the campus of The Ohio State University.

*FIRST TEAM
**Garland Cooper, Sr., NU		1B
Nicole Pauly, Fr., NU		2B
Ashley Hall, Jr., PUR		3B
Erin Riemersma, So., IOWA           SS
Samantha Marder, Fr., OSU		C
Jamee Juarez, Sr., OSU		UT
Angela Findlay, Fr., MICH		OF
Traci Nicosia, Jr., MSU		OF
Katie Logan, Sr., NU		OF
Courtney Pruner, So., OSU		OF
Katie Mitchell, So., PUR		DP
Eileen Canney, Sr., NU		P
Nikki Nemitz, Fr., MICH		P

SECOND TEAM
Samantha Findlay, Jr., MICH		1B
Brittany Vanderink, Jr., OSU	2B
Caitlin Mahoney, Jr., MSU		3B
Megan Higginbotham, Sr., MINN	SS
Tiffany Worthy, Sr., MICH		C
Summer Downs, Jr., IOWA		UT
Hope Howell, Fr., ILL		OF
Nikki Nicosia, Jr., MSU		OF
Jessica Rigas, So., NU		DP
Brittany Weil, So., IOWA		P
Lorilyn Wilson, Sr., MICH		P

THIRD TEAM
Christina Douglas, Sr., OSU		1B
Colleen McGlaughlin, So., IOWA	2B
Shanna Diller, Jr., ILL		3B
Tammy Williams, So., NU		SS
Emily Nichols, Jr., IOWA		C
Ashley Esparza, Jr., PSU		UT
Megan Schwab, Sr., OSU		OF
Danielle Kinley, So., PSU		OF
Samantha Polito, Sr., WIS		OF
Lauren Daykin, Sr., OSU		DP
Brooke Baker, Sr., PUR		P
Lauren Delaney, Fr., NU		P

* - 13 players named due to tie
** - unanimous selection

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:	Garland Cooper, NU
PITCHER OF THE YEAR:	Eileen Canney, NU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:	Nicole Pauly, NU
COACH OF THE YEAR:	         Linda Kalafatis, OSU



 




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