Five Norse Named to All-Conference Team
May 7, 2008
Five members of the Luther College softball team have been named to the 2008 Iowa Conference all-conference team.
For the second time in as many years, Tami Magner (Waukon, Iowa) was named to the 13-member first team. Magner led the Norse with a batting average of .347, driving in 11 rbi in league play. She also led the team with a slugging percentage of .735 that included five home runs, two doubles and a triple. She did not commit an error while producing 128 put outs and 15 assists while starting all 16 games behind the plate.
Second team honors went to BreAnn VanDeer (Webster City, Iowa), Ashley Hoffman (Centerville, Iowa) and Tiffany Kruse (Greeley, Iowa/Edgewood-Colesburg).
VanDeer led the Norse pitching staff with an era of 1.39 en route to a 4-2 record, that included five complete games and two shutouts. She pitched a staff high 40 1/3 innings allowing just eight earned runs, struck out 41 and walked 11.
Hoffman finished the IIAC schedule batting .333 with 10 rbi. She hit five home runs and a double. She was also credited with seven putouts, 17 assists and two errors while starting every game at third base. This is the second time Hoffman has been named to the all-conference team.
Kruse also finished the IIAC season batting .333. She led the Norse with 15 rbi, four doubles, and tied Magner for the team lead for home runs with five. The starting right fielder, she was credited with 10 putouts and two assists and did not commit an error.
Kim Hess (Paynesville, Minn.) made her third appearance on the all-conference list, this year as an honorable mention selection. Hess, who started every game in center field and was Luther's lead-off hitter, batted .276 as a slapper. She recorded 21 putouts, tallied two assists and had three errors.
Complete all-conference team (word doc)
The Norse finished the 2007-08 campaign with a record of 10-6, good for fourth place in the league standings. Following a third place finish at the Iowa Conference Tournament, Luther posted its second consecutive 30-win season, finishing with a mark of 30-12. Last year, the Norse were 35-7 and set the school record for wins in a single season.
