AKRON, Ohio - Sophomores Gracie Barstad and Meredith Whitney were named Second Team All-Mid-American Conference Wednesday at the MAC Tournament taking place at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. It is Whitney's second all-conference nod in as many seasons while it is the first nod for Barstad.
Barstad led the Broncos in batting average (.359), slugging percentage (.531), on base
percentage (.440), hits (23), RBIs (13) and total bases (34) in MAC games. She had seven multi-hit games and two multi-RBI games with a
team-best four-game hit streak. Barstad reached base safely in 19 of 22
conference games with a season high coming between April 9 (at Ohio) and May 7
(at Eastern Michigan). She scored or drove in 20 of WMU's 57 runs in MAC
games (.351). Three of her team-leading five home runs came in conference
play and she drove in a career high four runs on May 7 at EMU.
Barstad fielded
79 of 81 defensive chances cleanly with 45 put outs and 34 assists. She has
started every game over the past two seasons, donning the Brown & Gold at
either third base or second base in 84-straight games. She was named to the
2009 MAC All-Tournament Team.
Whitney led the Bronco pitching staff in innings pitched with 131.0, giving her
316.1 for her career. She became only the fifth Bronco pitcher to record 300 or
more strikeouts in a career with 318. Registered nine wins in 2010 with 122
strikeouts, giving her two-straight seasons with over 120 Ks. Whitney had five
or more strikeouts in 15 of 25 appearances and eight or more in five
appearances.
She had 13 complete games with one solo shutout and combining on
two more. Whitney allowed just one hit in a game for the second time in her
career, holding NIU to one hit on April 24. She was the 2009 MAC Freshman of
the Year, was a member of the MAC All-Freshman Team and a First Team All-MAC
selection. Her 196 Ks in 2009 are the third most in a season in WMU
history.
