THREE FERRIS STATE SOFTBALL PLAYERS EARN GLIAC HONORS

*2003 All-GLIAC Release* PDF

Nicki Merchant was among 12 players to achieve All-GLIAC Second Team honors.

The Ferris State University softball team earned three selections to the 2003 All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Team as announced Monday (May 5) by the conference office.

Junior first baseman Nicki Merchant (Wayland) received second-team honors while senior pitcher-designated player Amanda Opbroek (Sanford/Sanford-Meridian) and junior third baseman Dana Peuler (Wyoming/Rogers) both garnered honorable mention accolades. Head coach Keri Becker was chosen the GLIAC's Coach of the Year as selected by the conference's 11 head coaches in conjunction with the all-conference balloting.

Merchant batted .286 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs in 48 games this year, which all represented career bests. Her nine homers tied for the second-best single-season output in FSU history and was one shy of equalling the school record. She paced the Bulldogs this season in hits (42), doubles (nine), home runs (nine), RBIs (26), runs scored (32), total bases (78) and stolen bases (six). Merchant registered a team-high tying 10 multiple-hit games, including a pair of three base hit performances against Wisconsin-Parkside (4/12) and Lake Superior State (4/22). She's currently tied for second on FSU's all-time leaders list in home runs (11), ninth in doubles (24), 13th in hits (122) and 14th in RBIs (58).

Amanda Opbroek put up productive numbers both at the plate and in the field.

The lone senior on this season's squad, Opbroek recorded a career-high .311 batting average with 41 hits and 23 runs scored in 44 contests. She totaled seven doubles, three triples, three home runs, 15 RBIs at the plate this season. She tied for the team lead in multi-hit games with 10 and finished this campaign with a team-leading 12-game hitting streak. In the pitching circle, Opbroek led the Bulldogs with a 13-9 record and a 2.41 earned run average in 157.0 innings pitched. Her 118 strikeouts this spring was the fourth highest single-season total in FSU history while her 13 victories tied for the ninth best output ever. She wrapped up her career second among FSU's all-time pitching leaders in strikeouts (316), tied for sixth in victories (30) and finished 10th in earned run average (1.93). In batting, she placed fourth in doubles (29), tied for seventh in home runs (seven), tied for 13th in triples (five), 16th in runs batted in (51) and 17th in base hits (115).

Dana Peuler is a two-time all-conference pick.

Peuler received All-GLIAC accolades for the second straight season after attaining second-team all-league honors in 2002. In 45 games this season, she established personal career highs in batting average (.262), hits (34), RBIs (20) and total bases (45). Peuler, who placed third among the 2003 FSU leaders with eight multi-hit games and tied for the team lead in multiple RBI games (six), also matched career bests in runs scored (12) and home runs (one) this spring. She presently ranks tied for 10th on Ferris' all-time leaders charts with 22 career doubles.

Becker was honored as the GLIAC's Coach of the Year for the second time in her coaching career. She received the honor despite not actively coaching this spring due to military duty. A sergeant in the United States Army Reserve, Becker was called to active duty Feb. 20 and is currently stationed at the United States Military Central Command in Doha, Qatar. The all-time winningest coach at Ferris State, Becker has accumulated a 201-125 career mark (.617 winning percentage) in six seasons at the helm. She was named the 1997 GLIAC Coach of the Year in her initial coaching campaign after guiding the Bulldogs to a then school-record 40 overall win total.

Ferris State concluded the 2003 season with an 18-29-1 overall record, which included a 6-10 mark in the GLIAC.