Northwestern University Athletics
Let's Get It Started: Wildcats Ready For 2006
2/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 7, 2006
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- In 2002, Northwestern head coach Kate Drohan took over the Wildcats from legendary head coach Sharon J. Drysdale, and immediately set out to put her stamp on the program.
Five years later, five young women who comprise Drohan's very first recruiting class are seniors. In each of their three seasons, Northwestern has improved its win total and its advancement in the NCAA Tournament. In 2005, the Wildcats finished one win shy of the school record with 42, and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional round of 16.
Now, Kristen Amegin (West Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove), Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake), Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill), Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) and Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) are ready to take the next step in their final campaign as Wildcats: the Women's College World Series.
"The five women in our senior class have been instrumental in the transformation of this program from a top-30 to a top-10 caliber team," Kate Drohan says. "They have been completely invested in the program from the day they stepped on campus, and that investment has been the catalyst allowing us to accomplish so much so quickly."
Those five women open their final season this weekend at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. No. 16/15 Northwestern -- sporting its first preseason national ranking in program history -- faces four top-20 opponents in its first four games, including matchups with No. 5 Arizona and No. 4 Texas.
A pair of All-Americans -- NU's first since 1993 -- return to lead the Wildcats. Anchoring the lineup is a first-team All-America selection and 2005 Big Ten Player of the Year, junior Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic). Foster, a third-teamer, heads up an experienced pitching staff. Both Cooper and Foster begin the year on the USA Softball National Player of the Year Watch List.
Six Wildcats on the 2006 roster have earned All-Big Ten or Big Ten Player of the Week honors during their careers.
It takes more than just star power to shatter 30 school single-season and career records (something Northwestern accomplished last season), and every player on the roster knows they will need to step up to reach the next level.
"Our team is strong 1-to-18," Drohan says. "Every spot in our order will contribute to our offensive production. We have six freshmen this year, and many of them will have the opportunity to get on the field right away and contribute."
They will get their shot against Northwestern's perennially-challenging schedule, which once again features the best in the nation. The Wildcats have slated 30 games against 2005 NCAA Tournament teams, including eight games against squads that reached the WCWS.
"Arguably we are playing the most competitive schedule in the conference," Drohan says. "Last year we played a number of World Series teams, and that prepared us well for our 14-game winning streak to open the Big Ten season."
The Wildcats ended second in last year's Big Ten race, only 1/2 game behind national champion Michigan, and again look to compete for the conference's top spot this year.
"The Big Ten is one of the premier softball conferences in the nation because of its competitiveness and the success we have had at the national level," Drohan says. "Across the board, we are attracting some of the best student-athletes in the country because of our emphasis on winning games and our great work in the classroom. At Northwestern, we take those standards to a whole new level."
While the best athletes in the nation are calling the Big Ten their home, Northwestern has found players with championship credentials right here in Illinois. Sophomore Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) and freshmen Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport), Jessica Rigas (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) and Ann Schraufnagel (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) all won Illinois state championships with their respective high schools.
Following is a position-by-position look at the 2006 Wildcats:
Pitcher
Foster and junior Eileen Canney (Paradise, Calif./Paradise) comprise one of the best one-two punches nationally in the circle. Foster won the 2005 Big Ten ERA title with a 1.08 mark in league games, while Canney threw just the fourth perfect game in school history last season.
"Our pitchers are very talented," Drohan says. "Both of them want the ball in big game situations. That is the sign of an experienced, confident staff."
Entering her final season, Foster already ranks second on NU's all-time strikeouts list with 771, behind only former NCAA `K' Queen and three-time All-American Lisa Ishikawa. During Foster's career, nearly 40 percent of all at bats against her have resulted in a whiff.
"I honestly believe Courtnay Foster can strike out anyone," Drohan says. "She has emerged as a leader in her senior season and will build on the success she had in the Big Ten last year."
Canney defeated six ranked opponents last year, including three that were in the top five at the time of the contest (No. 2 Cal, No. 3 Stanford, No. 5 Stanford).
"Eileen came up with some very clutch performances for us last year," Drohan says. "She has so many weapons because of her velocity, movement and change of speeds."
Catcher
After a breakout season in which she set Northwestern's single-season RBI record, second-team All-Big Ten selection Dotson is back behind the plate. Included in her record-setting 52 RBIs from last year are a pair from a two-out, two-strike homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat No. 2 Cal, 2-1.
"Jamie is a clutch player," Drohan says. "She became a force in the batters box for us last year, but the best part of her game is her relationship with the pitching staff. She controls the game and I consider her to be my point guard."
Backing Dotson up is a freshman who already knows how to win. Dyer led powerhouse Lockport High School to the 2004 Illinois state title and earned all-state accolades. Dyer's speed and arm strength also will land her the outfield in 2006.
"Erin is a strong freshman who is one of the most competitive people on our team," Drohan says. "With her excellent throwing arm and quick feet, she will find a place in our lineup."
Also serving as a catcher in 2006 is Amegin, the most prolific slugger in Northwestern history. The senior, who earned the Wildcats' career home run record midway through her junior season, will fill a number of position needs for NU in her final campaign. Amegin is a clutch player with four career postseason home runs, including a pair of walk-off jobs in 2004.
"Kristen will be a true utility player for us as the DP, at third and as catcher," Drohan says. "She is a pure power hitter; the ball just explodes off her bat. I get excited every time she comes to the plate."
First Base
Cooper is back at first as Northwestern's first first-team All-American since 1985. The junior's .490 batting average during Big Ten contests last year ranked as the second-best average in conference history and earned Cooper her second-consecutive Big Ten batting title and Big Ten Player of the Year honors. She is not hitting just dink shots, either: her .730 career slugging percentage entering the year would rank as the 11th-best average in NCAA Division I history.
"Garland has the unique ability to hit for power and average," Drohan says. "She has set the offensive pace in the Big Ten the last two years."
Backing Cooper up this season is freshman Erin Hampshire (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier), who is coming off an injury but should be at 100 percent on opening day.
"Erin is a power hitter with a great swing," Drohan says. "She had a great high school career in Arizona before moving to Wilmette, Ill., as a senior."
Second Base
A quartet of capable Wildcats could see time at second base this season. Seniors Crane and McCorkle will battle with freshmen Gina Gonzalez (LaVerne, Calif./Bonita) and Rigas.
Crane started at shortstop as a freshman before becoming the Wildcats' most reliable base-running option the past two seasons.
"Ashley has a great investment in the program," Drohan says. "She is very quick, has a great feel for the game and is an excellent baserunner."
McCorkle has seen time at second off and on, serving as an injury replacement there at the end of the 2003 season and also doing a short stint at the beginning of 2005 before settling in at her familiar center field spot.
Rigas led her high school, Oak Park River Forest, to a state championship, earning MVP honors in the tournament with clutch performances at the plate and in the field.
"Jessica has a strong bat and a great attitude," Drohan says. "She knows how to perform in pressure situations."
Gonzalez is a strong defensive player who earned a number of scholar-athlete honors in her native California.
"Gina is a hard-working, focused player," Drohan says. "She is a mature person who already has been a great addition in many roles within our program."
Shortstop
A veteran and a newcomer will battle for time at both short and third base in 2006. Sengewald and freshman Tammy Williams (El Dorado Springs, Mo./Osceola) both figure to see extensive time in the left side of the infield.
Sengewald became the starter at third-base last year, immediately making an impact with several spectacular defensive plays in Canney's perfect game against Illinois in the Big Ten opener.
"Darcy is one of the toughest players on our team," Drohan says. "She is an excellent defensive player who stepped up to earn a starting spot last year, really changing the face of our infield."
Williams is a Missouri native with a quick burst and a lot of raw talent.
"Tammy is explosive," Drohan says. "She has power and excellent instincts as far as reacting to the ball off the bat. We are counting on her to be a definite sparkplug this season."
Third Base
Sengewald, Williams and Amegin all are candidates to play third base in 2006.
The Outfield
The outfield pool of talent is deep, with McCorkle, juniors Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol), Jessica Miller (Elberfeld, Ind./Techumseh) and Elizabeth Piatt (Monticello, Ill./Monticello), sophomore Kristen Salamon (Kent, Ohio/Kent Roosevelt) and freshmen Dyer and Schraufnagel all viable options.
McCorkle has made most of her career starts in center field, where her athleticism and vision make her one of NU's strongest defenders.
"We will use Sheila in a utility role her senior year, either in center field or at second base," Drohan says. "She is a veteran, aggressive player who understands the subtleties of the game."
Logan has started the last two seasons in left field, playing her best ball at the end of 2005. She paced the 'Cats with a team-best .417 average and .563 on-base percentage to lead NU to the Ninth Region title in last year's NCAA Tournament.
"Katie had the best four months of her career in the fall," Drohan says. "She has gotten faster and worked on the consistency of her swing. We are very pleased with the work she has done and we think she will pick up right where she left off."
Miller earned 13 starts last year, clubbing eight extra-base knocks out of her nine hits on the season.
"Jessica has a lot of pop in her bat," Drohan says. "She also has the best overhand throw on the team, and we are expecting her to step up and fill a hole for us this season."
Piatt has seen extensive time in the past two years on the basepaths, scoring 30 runs in pinch-running roles.
"Elizabeth is very quick," Drohan says. "She has the ability to be an aggressive, dangerous runner. She has scored a lot of runs for us over the last two seasons."
After seeing limited time as a freshman, Salamon worked extremely hard in the offseason and impressed the NU coaching staff.
"Kristen is an outfield candidate and an excellent pinch-running option for us," Drohan says. "She improved her swing tremendously during fall workouts."
Schraufnagel is an intelligent player who has made the adjustment to collegiate softball well.
"Anne is another outfield option for us this year," Drohan says. "She is a very smart player who worked very hard during the fall."
