MIAC Release

ST. PAUL, MINN. – The historical season continued for the St. Catherine University softball team Monday afternoon. Although the team was no longer playing, the Wildcats made history once again by having five players named to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) All-Conference team, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.  Senior shortstop Robyn Rohr (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North) headlined the honorees as the MIAC's Softball Player-of-the-Year while Colleen Powers took home Coach-of-the-Year honors for the first time in her coaching career.

Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) and Megan Lindenfelser (Nowthen, Minn. / Anoka) earned All-MIAC honors for the second times in their careers, while Kylie Macziewski (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) and Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) earned the honor for the first time in their careers.

In terms of a senior salute, no one in the MIAC did better than Rohr (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North). Rohr was named Softball Player-of-the-Year, the MIAC's highest honor for a softball student-athlete, after a historical great season for St. Kate's. However, Rohr was not the only Wildcat to receive one of the MIAC's big four awards. Head coach Colleen Powers was named MIAC Coach-of-the-Year in just her third season with the program after guiding St. Kate's to a 34-11 overall record and a 15-7 mark in conference play.

Rohr put together the best season for any individual in program history. The senior ranked either first or second in every offensive category, both for the team and in the MIAC. Against conference opponents, Rohr led the league in batting average (.526), on-base percentage (.575), runs (25), hits (40), doubles (12) and total bases and ranked second in runs batted in (22) and slugging percentage (.724). Rohr was just as good in general as she finished with the highest overall batting average in the MIAC (.474) and also led the conference in overall on-base percentage (.542), runs (25), hits (40) and total bases (97).

Historically, Rohr's legacy at St. Kate's will last a very long time. Rohr set five school records in her final season with the Wildcats, including career batting average (.432), single season batting average (.488), runs in a single season (43), and doubles in a single season (16). Rohr also made history on a national level as she put together a 41-game hitting streak from April 16, 2015, to April 30, 2016. That streak is the longest both in St. Kate's and MIAC history, is second all-time in Division III, and third-longest in the history of the NCAA across all division.

Powers earned her first Coach-of-the-Year honor after guiding the Wildcats to many program "firsts". Under Powers guidance, St. Kate's was ranked in the top-25 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), reached the MIAC Playoffs as a qualifying team, and received a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The softball team finished with the best record in program history at 34-11 and 15-7 in MIAC play and beat two nationally ranked teams during the 2016 season. St. Kate's beat the University of St. Thomas twice in 2016 and handed nationally ranked Luther College two of its three season losses.

Four other Wildcat athletes joined Rohr on the All-MIAC list. Flugstad earned All-Conference honors for the second time in her career after ranking in the top-three in the MIAC in every pitching category. Flugstad posted the second lowest earned run average (ERA) in the conference during the regular season at 1.22, which is the second lowest ERA in program history. Flugstad also set the record for wins in a season (18) and shutouts in the season (8) after posting an 18-5 record during 2016.

Lindenfelser continued to impress in all areas of the game, earning her second All-MIAC honor of her career. Lindenfelser was a top-10 batter and top-5 pitcher during the season. As a hitter, Lindenfelser had 10 home runs, two of which came in the postseason, and finished the season with a .305 batting average. On the mound, Lindenfelser posted a 13-6 record with seven shutouts and 129 strikeouts to finish second in the record book in several categories.

Macziewski and Sis earned All-MIAC honors for the first time in their careers after serving as two of the team's statistical leaders, both offensively and defensively. Macziewski was second on to Rohr in several offensive categories, including batting average (.343). Defensively, Macziewski finished with the most defensive assists at 74 and fielded four double plays during the regular and post season while only committing three defensive errors.

Sis earned All-Conference honors after finished third on the team in batting average (.321) and second in on base percentage (.394), runs scored (31), hits (45) and doubles (14). Sis was also a defensive stalwart, having played first base for the Wildcats throughout the season.

Donielle Kurvers (Monticello, Minn. / Monticello) was the final individual recognized by the MIAC as St. Kate's representative on the All-Sportsmanship team. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition. Kurvers hit .302 during the season and played every game but one in right field.