MILWAUKEE – The Mount Mary University Blue Angels softball team announced their annual team awards this morning. The MMU softball players and coaching staff voted on the Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player and Rookie of the Year for the 2015-16 season.
Nikki Festge (Sr./Menomonee Falls, Wis.) took home this year's MVP award after a 5-9 season with 14 complete games and a team leading 5.77 ERA. After pitching 80.0 innings this year Festge struck out 51 batters while only walking 23. A late surge with the bat, Festge went 5-of-14 in her last at-bats including four runs, one homerun and four RBIs. Both a leader on and off the field, Festge earned the respect from her team as well as opponents.
Taking home the Most Improved Player award is Katy Groth (Fr./Racine, Wis.) who worked all season long to become a reliable player in the lineup. In her first season at the varsity level, Groth hit for a .250 batting average with 10 runs, five RBIs and three stolen bases. Groth worked from the beginning of the season to develop the tools necessary to play at the NCAA level.
In her first season at Mount Mary University, Jess Runge (Jr./Freedom, Wis.) finished with a .300 batting average and led the team with five stolen bases on her way to earning the Rookie of the Year award for 2015-16. Second on the team in hits with 24 and responsible for both of the team's two triples, it is hard to believe that this was junior-transfer's first season in NCAA softball.
The Blue Angels softball team finished with a record setting 9-18 regular season, and attended their very first postseason conference tournament since joining the NCAA. Due to the lateness of the conference tournament, the MMU softball team announced their team winners following the GSAC tournament which fell after the MMU Athletic Banquet. Missed the banquet? Click here to watch the 2016 MMU Athletic Banquet.
