PFX Athletics Spring Games |
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THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (3-0, 0-0 WIAC) are scheduled to play 14 games at the PFX Athletics Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., March 22-29. The Blue Devils will have their hands full when they open the trip by playing SUNY-Geneseo and Calvin College, Friday, March 22. Calvin is ranked 18th in the latest NFCA Division III and beat Geneseo, 7-5, earlier this week. Geneseo is receiving votes. The following day, Stout will play fifth ranked MIT and Wellesley College. Sunday, March 24, Stout will play Tufts University, a program that won the national title in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and were receiving votes in the season-opening poll, and currently receiving votes. Later on Sunday, Stout will face Minnesota-Morris. The Blue Devils' schedule picks up a local flavor on Monday, March 26, when they play St. Catherine, a team Stout beat 6-4 to open the season and Luther College, a team getting votes, before taking a break Tuesday, March 27. Stout returns to action Wednesday, March 27 by playing the University of Chicago, which has a perennially strong athletic program, and Miami University (Hamilton). Minnesota schools are on the docket Thursday, March 28, when Stout will face third-ranked St. Thomas and Carleton College. The Blue Devils will close out the trip Friday, March 29 when they play the College of New Rochelle and a return meeting with Miami University (Hamilton). Stout was receiving votes in the earlier NFCA poll, dropped out, and have now returned with four votes.
LIVE VIDEO IN FLORIDA: All of the games from the PFX Athletics Spring Games are scheduled to be streamed live by FloSoftball. This is a subscription service. Have your credit card ready and follow the directions. |
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UW-STOUT: UW-Stout's 23 victories during the 2018 campaign were the most in head coach
Becky Iaccino's three seasons and highest total since 27 wins in 2014.
Mary Iliopoulos led the WIAC in batting average, posting a school and conference record-tying average of .500. She also topped the league with a .538 on-base percentage, 49 hits and 35 runs scored, while finishing third with a .673 slugging percentage and 23 stolen bases.
Kyncaide Diedrich had a team-high 23 RBI and three home runs, and placed second with a .412 batting average and 25 runs scored.
Melea Bruns is the top returnee on the mound after posting a 2.83 earned run average and six wins in 64.1 innings pitched a season ago. |
2019 Statistics
Mary Iliopoulos was selected to the 2019 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player of the Year watch list and is a Fastpitch News (FPN) preseason honorable mention pick. |
Complete UW-Stout Preview
NATIONALLY RANKED: It's early in the season and
Meghan Kelly is ranked 10th in RBIs per game, averaging 2.00, while
Jessica Daley is ranked 33rd in the same category with 1.67 RBI per game.
BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: Weather reared its snowy head as the Blue Devils played three games, down one game from the regular four, at the Luther Dome Games in Rochester, Minn., Feb. 23-24. The Blue Devils downed St. Catherine, 6-4, Loras College, 7-4, and Grinnell College, 12-6. |
Day One Story and Statistics |
Day Two Story and Statistics
WIAC PRESEASON POLL: The Blue Devils were selected to finish fourth, according to a
WIAC preseason poll. Two-time defending champion UW-Whitewater was picked to repeat, followed by UW-Oshkosh, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, UW-River Falls, UW-Platteville, UW-La Crosse and UW-Stevens Point.
NFCA RANKINGS: The Blue Devils are scheduled to play six teams that are currently ranked in the top 25 in the NFCA Coaches Poll. In the March 13 poll, St. Thomas is ranked third, MIT fifth, UW-Whitewater ninth, Calvin College 18th, UW-Oshkosh 20th and UW-Eau Claire 21st. The Blue Devils received 14 votes in the March 6 poll, but then dropped out without playing a game. They returned to the receiving votes category in the March 20 poll with four votes. Of their spring break trip opponents, SUNY-Geneso and Luther College are receiving votes. |
NFCA Top 25 poll
BLUE DEVILS LAST SEASON: The Blue Devils were 23-12 overall and 9-5 in league play. The Blue Devils advanced to the WIAC tournament, finishing one game short of the conference tournament title game. |
2018 Statistics
LEADERSHIP TEAM: The members of the 2019 leadership team include
Alicia Meyer,
Katelyn Schobert,
Renee Murphy,
Melea Bruns and
Mary Iliopoulos
COACHES: Blue Devil coach
Becky Iaccino (61-57 Stout / 79-75 overall - as of March 17) is in her fourth year as the head coach of the Blue Devils. Iaccino played professionally in Italy from 2003 to 2011 and with the Italian National team from 2005-07. She has been the head coach at Marian University where she was selected as conference coach of the year, and has eight years of experience as an assistant coach at Division I and III programs.
AWARDS AND HONORS: 2019:
Meghan Kelly earned WIAC player of the week honors after the Blue Devils went 3-0 at the Luther College Dome Games...
Mary Iliopoulos was selected to the 2019 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player of the Year watch list and a Fastpitch News (FPN) preseason honorable mention pick...
2018:
Mary Iliopoulos earned FPN honorable mention All-America honors, All-District honors by the NFCA and was a first team All-WIAC selection.
Kyncaide Diedrich was an All-District selection.
Beth Wood earned first team All-WIAC honors and
Melea Bruns,
Alicia Meyer and Rachel Hasting were honorable mention picks.
Mary Iliopoulos was the UW-Stout/Toppers Athlete of the Week, April 30, after hitting .517 over eight games...
Beth Wood was the UW-Stout/Toppers Athlete of the Week and the WIAC Athlete of the Week, April 24, after going 3-0 on the weekend over UW-La Crosse and UW-Platteville and delivering two game-winning hits over the weekend...
Kyncaide Diedrich was the Fastpitch News Division III national player of the week, March 21, after the Blue Devils' trip to Florida, stealing 17 bases and batting .559 with 17 RBI...
Mary Iliopoulos was the WIAC athlete of the week and the UW-Stout/Toppers athlete of the week selection March 20 after batting .692 in Florida...
Mary Iliopoulos was the WIAC athlete of the week Feb. 27 after going 4-of-4 in two games of the opening week.
GRAND APPEARANCE:
Katelyn Schobert hit not only her first collegiate grand slam last season, but her first collegiate home run with a bases-loaded round tripper against Westfield State College, March 16, 2018, in Clermont, Fla.
Alicia Meyer hit a grand slam against the College of Mount St. Vincent, March 14. Meyer had six RBI in the game. Previous to Meyer's grand slam, the last 4-RBI round tripper came March 8, 2013 by Alison Gray against St. Olaf College.
GRAND SLAMS (Since 2013)
Katelyn Schobert vs. Westfield State College, March 16, 2018
Alicia Meyer vs. the College of Mount St. Vincent, March 14, 2017
Alison Gray vs. St. Olaf College, March 8, 2013
ON DECK: The Blue Devils are scheduled to open conference play Saturday, April 6 at UW-Platteville, then open the home portion of their schedule Sunday, April 7 when they host Bethany Lutheran College.
