May 8, 2002

NKU PREPARES FOR NCAAs

Norse to meet Grand Valley State this Thursday

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University softball team will travel to Edwardsville, Ill., this Thursday at 4 p.m. (EDT) to meet Grand Valley State University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region Tournament. NKU, with a 36-11 record, is the No. 3 seed. Grand Valley State is 41-10 and the No. 4 seed. The 36 victories are the most in Norse history. Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville is the No. 1 seed, while West Virginia Wesleyan College is the No. 2 seed. Wayne (Mich.) State University is the No. 5 seed. The NCAA II Great Lakes Region Tournament is a double-elimination format and will continue through May 12. This is NKU’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Norse are ranked No. 19 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. NKU is paced offensively by freshman first baseman Angie Lindeman, who leads the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a .430 batting average. Lindeman has set NKU single-season records for hits (64) and runs batted in (37) going into the NCAA Tournament. Lindeman, who was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year, also has 13 doubles and three home runs. Senior center fielder Joanna Doerner is batting .361 with 27 runs scored. Freshman left fielder Stephanie Leimbach is hitting .331 and has scored 33 runs. Freshman third baseman Carrie Higgins, a first team All-GLVC selection, is batting .324 with four triples. The Norse pitching staff features freshman Emily Breitholle, a first team All-GLVC selection who owns a 20-4 record. Breitholle, the first 20-game winner in NKU history, also has a 1.29 earned run average. Freshman pitcher Kyla Chaney is 10-3 with a 1.43 ERA, and senior pitcher Katie Garling owns a 6-3 record with a 1.49 ERA.