May 9, 2018

Heartland Conference release

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team had four of its members recognized when the All-Heartland Conference awards were announced on Wednesday, May 10. Brittany Huff (Clayton/Northmont) earned First Team honors, while fellow senior Josie McElroy (Mt. Orab/Western Brown) and sophomore Courtney Jasinski (Englewood/Northmont) were selected to the Second Team. Makenzie Schmidt (Caledonia/River Valley) was named Honorable Mention All-HCAC. The Heartland Conference also announced the All-Sportsmanship Team.

Brittany Huff, the Kathryn E. Little Award winner, capped off two stellar careers at Bluffton by being named First Team All-HCAC for the first time in softball. She already had four All-Heartland Conference honors on her resume for women's soccer! Huff torched the opposing pitching with a .474 batting average, tops in the HCAC and second on Bluffton's all-time list for a single season. Her .877 slugging percentage was 3rd in the conference and 3rd all-time at Bluffton. She set a school record with 100 total bases, while her 17 two-baggers were tied for second and her nine taters were 3rd for a season. Huff finished 2018 with 54 hits (5th all-time) 39 runs scored (5th all-time), a .504 on-base percentage (7th all-time) and 31 runs batted in (13th all-time). Her 31 RBI were 6th in the HCAC and her nine home runs were 3rd.

Huff wrapped up her softball career in the top 10 of nearly every major offensive category, while also shattering the all-time mark of 339 assists with 404 as Bluffton's starting shortstop the past four seasons! She is 2nd all-time with 116 runs scored and 27 homers. Huff is 3rd with 103 RBI and a .627 slugging percentage. Her 158 hits and 38 doubles clock in at 4th all-time, while her .355 batting average is 5th for the Beavers.

Collecting her 3rd All-HCAC accolade is Josie McElroy, who was named 2nd Team All-Heartland for the second time in her career to go along with 1st Team honors as a sophomore. McElroy's 14 homers and .905 slugging percentage are the best ever for a season at Bluffton, eclipsing Lindsey Miller's 11 dingers in 2008. She drove in 37 runs (5th all-time) and tallied 95 total bases (4th all-time). Her 17 walks were 9th all-time and her .410 batting average was 12th on Bluffton's single-season list. McElroy's 14 long balls and .905 slugging percentage were both 2nd in the conference, while her 37 RBI were 4th in the HCAC.

McElroy ended her career as the most prolific offensive player in Bluffton University softball history. She is Bluffton's all-time leader with a .414 batting average, a .762 slugging percentage, 183 hits, 34 home runs, 135 RBI, 337 total bases and 52 doubles! Her .462 on-base percentage is 4th all-time and her 91 runs scored are 8th on the career list. McElroy also finished 10th all-time with 228 assists, while her 347 putouts are 13th.

Taking full advantage of her chance to start the season in left field, sophomore Courtney Jasinski grabbed the bull by the horns and never let go. She garnered Second Team All-Heartland Conference honors after hitting .310 with 28 RBI and 12 runs scored while starting all 33 games for the Beavers! Jasinski slugged .372 and rapped 35 hits in her first season as a starter.

Senior Makenzie Schmidt had her finest season as a Beaver. The speedy center fielder broke the school record with 24 steals in just 26 attempts, while establishing career highs with 40 hits, 32 runs and 12 RBI. She was the table setter with a career-best .462 OBP thanks to a team-high 18 walks. Schmidt's 24 steals were 2nd in the HCAC and they helped her jump all the way to 3rd on Bluffton's career thefts (44) list.

In conjunction with the All-Heartland Conference awards, the conference has announced the All-HCAC Sportsmanship Team for 2018. This award has been developed as part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative. Members of the All-HCAC Sportsmanship team are selected by the coaches and their teammates as individuals who demonstrate the ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field/court of competition. Senior Brittany Huff was recognized for her sportsmanship this season.

-BEAVERS-