General Information:
School: Bethel University
Founded: 1947
Location: St. Paul, MN
Enrollment: 6,300 (2,900 undergrad)
President: Jay Barnes
Athletic Director: Bob Bjorklund
Team Nickname: Royals
Colors: Navy Blue and Vegas Gold
Field: Ona Orth Athletic Complex
2009 Record:
Overall record last year: 23-19*
Conference record/finish: 14-8 / 4th*
*School record best
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Rod Radcliffe
Alma Mater/Year: Buena Vista
Record at school (years): 92-104-2 / 47-63 MIAC (6th year)
Career record: same
Assistant Coaches:
Emily Evans
Molly Trombley
Angela (Vedders) Helle
Key Returners:
Lauren Habisch (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) - 1B
Nea Harkness (Sr., Winthrop, Minn.) - P
Ashley Lindberg (Sr., Sartell, Minn.) - C
Charitey Rowden (Sr., Shellsburg, Iowa) - P
Rebecca Akerson (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.) - P
Kelly Berg (Jr., South Haven, Minn.) - SS
Season Outlook:
Bethel softball made some great strides in 2009 and the players experienced many team firsts, which made the season memorable. The Royals set new school records for wins in a season (23) and conference wins (14), earning them a top-four finish in the MIAC standings, which allowed them to make their first ever trip to the conference playoff tournament. Although Bethel bowed out after just two games in the double-elimination tournament, both Ashley Johnsen (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) and Lauren Habisch (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) earned spots on the All-Tournament Team for their outstanding play against very strong competition. The Royals also set new team records for home runs in a season and the best team ERA.
Bethel placed two players on the All-Conference team, including shortstop Kelly Berg (Jr., South Haven, Minn.- pictured left), who set the school single season and career home record as a sophomore; and Rebecca Akerson (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.), who set the single season record for low ERA. Four additional players earned Honorable Mention from the MIAC and Berg went on to be named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III All-Midwest Region Third Team.
The Royals said good-bye to two senior athletes from the 2009 squad, both four–year starters, in captains Amber Beasley and Karina Roe. However, nine seniors return for one more season in a Bethel uniform, making it one of the largest classes in team history. They will be joined by a number of juniors and sophomores with playing experience, as well as a strong freshman class.
Pitching
Coach Angela (Vedders) Helle will lead a pitching staff that has improved each season, as evidenced by a new team-low ERA in 2009. This season’s staff has a good mix of veterans and newcomers. Charitey Rowden (Sr., Shellsburg, Iowa), Nea Harkness (Sr., Winthrop, Minn.) and Akerson (pictured right) look to eat up a majority of the innings, as they have in the past couple of seasons. However, Randi Thompson (Jr., Blaine, Minn.) is a transfer from a Division II school and is eager to make her mark on the team as well. Brianna Lyding (Jr., Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Chelsea Kopca (Jr., Andover, Minn.), together with Genna Bock (So., Circle Pines, Minn.), Anja Erlandson (So., White Bear Lake, Minn.), and Anna Broman (Fr., Duluth, Minn.) add depth to the position and will all be ready when called upon.
Catching
As a player, Coach Molly Trombley was a two-time All-MIAC catcher. She returns for her second season of leading both starters from the 2009 season. Ashley Lindberg (Sr., Sartell, Minn.) had a breakout year last season by hitting .342 and leading the team with 11 doubles in just 79 at bats before suffering an injury. Now fully recovered, Lindberg and Annie Beasley (Sr., Medina, Minn.) will again handle the catching duties for an experienced pitching staff. Also joining the mix behind the plate will be Rachel Gilbert (Fr., Becker, Minn.), who played a significant amount of minutes for the women’s basketball team earlier this year.
Middle Infield
All-MIAC shortstop Kelly Berg will be working with a new double play partner this season after working with Amber Beasley the past two seasons. When she’s not pitching, Harkness looks get some innings in at second base, but also look for Stephanie Vosberg (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) and Kelley Newell (Jr., Sauk Centre, Minn.) to fill the gap as well. Jessica Pudwill (So., Detroit Lakes, Minn.), Jessica Newstrom (Fr., Cambridge, Minn.) and Anna Broman will compete for playing time in the middle infield this season, too.
First and Third Base:
Tonia Erickson (Sr., Welcome, Minn.) and Lauren Habisch (Sr., Lakeville, Minn. - pictured left) return to hold down the corners. Both of them played in every single game last season, with Erickson laying down a team-high 12 sacrifices, while Habisch hit .300 and was second on the team in extra base hits with six doubles, five triples, and five home runs. Also vying for playing time will be Ashley Johnsen, Anja Erlandson (So., White Bear Lake, Minn.), Megan Matson (Fr., Mound, Minn.), and Eryn Glassman (Fr., Batavia, Ill.).
Outfield
The outfield will be anchored by a pair of veterans in Lisa Patnode (Sr., Princeton, Minn.) and Lynnae Thompson (Sr., Stewartville, Minn. - pictured below right). Last season, Patnode played in every game and accumulated the most plate appearances on the team, while Thompson was the hero of Bethel’s first-ever sweep of Saint Mary’s by launching a walk-off home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the seventh inning. A number of players will try to fill the hole left by the graduation of four-year
starter Karina Roe in centerfield, including Rebecca Buhr (So., Detroit Lakes, Minn.), Margaret Anderson (So., Pequot Lakes, Minn.), Rachel Gilbert and Barbara Frich (Fr., Stacy, Minn.).
Overall, there is plenty of excitement surrounding the 2010 softball team. But despite the recent success of the Royals, Head Coach Rod Radcliffe wants his team to stay firmly grounded and has a simple philosophy: “Our focus stays consistent each year - we want the athletes to have a great experience, be very competitive in the conference, and prepare their lives spiritually for when they leave Bethel,” said Radcliffe.
