By JEFF OLSON
Special to The Gazette
Not only will the UW-Stevens Point Pointers fastpitch softball team be expected to improve as a team, but also they will be expected to do it under a new head coach.
After leading the Pointers to an overall record of 27-13-1 and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Association Conference runner up, Kelli Harms, last year's head coach, decided to pursue her master's degree.
Stepping in at the plate for her is a former standout player at Notre Dame College of Ohio, Ali Brian. Although just out of college, Brian brings a lot of knowledge about softball to the Pointer team, and expects the team to do well this year. "We are solid position by position," said Brian. "I expect them to give 110 percent on the field."
Leading the way for the Pointers, will be sophomore Karen Guckenberger from South Milwaukee, who had a record of 17 wins and 3 losses and an earned run average of 1.28. She was also selected for the first team all-conference team.
Joining her with that same all-conference status are three other seniors who are expected to play a big role in the team's success. Sara Berg, Kelly Rutta and Cari Briley will be expected to play key roles for this year's team as they did last year in playing every game.
Berg, the centerfielder from Stillwater, Minn., led the team with 34 runs batted in. Rutta, a Stevens Point Pacelli native, will again assume her role in playing second base for the Pointers. Rutta led the team last year by scoring 33 runs. Right fielder Cari Briley, Creston, Iowa, will try to head the team once again in hits, by bettering her team's high batting average of .368 with 50 hits.
The Pointers, however, will miss catcher Michelle Gerber, who graduated last year after a stellar year. Not only did Gerber catch for all the Pointer's games, but also she was fourth on the team in batting average with .352 last year.
All the action kicks off Monday, March 19, when the Pointers take on Kalamazoo College in Fort Myers, Fla. Then, the Pointers have their first home game against Elmhurst College on Thursday April 5.
Hopefully, when the season ends, they will have achieved head coach Brian's goals. "We want to win the conference and go to the nationals," she said.