January 26, 1999
In 1998 the Villanova softball team put together a storybook season, setting a school record for victories in a season with 36. For their success, the Wildcats earned a berth in the ECAC Tournament for the second time in three years. The season was full of individual accomplishments as well, with the Cats placing more players (seven) on the Big East All-Conference team than any other school. In addition, Villanova had two players, Jessica DeLuca and Megan OLeary, voted to the ECAC All-Region team and two players, DeLuca and Jackie Pasquerella, named to the Northeast Region first team. It was also a record setting year individually for the 1998 Wildcats, as the record books were smashed with numerous records falling. Included among those were the career marks for hits, runs and stolen bases all surpassed by DeLuca.
"It was a very rewarding season," said head coach Maria DiBernardi. "We accomplished a lot of things, but the greatest part of it all was watching how the seniors grew over their four years not only athletically, but also how they matured into such leaders. We couldnt have done it without them."
Villanova will look to match its accomplishments of one season ago, but will have to do so in 1999 without six outstanding players in DeLuca, Kelli McCoy, Kelly Sparks, Brenda Roach, Stacey Stack and Jen Cornelius, whom they lost to graduation. The Cats return a strong core, however, and with another outstanding recruiting class will try to add another chapter to the ever expanding history that is Villanova softball.
INFIELD
The Wildcats possess an extremely strong and versatile infield in 1999, with every player returning except first baseman Kelly Sparks. On the left side of the infield at third base is sophomore Jackie Pasquerella. Pasquerella earned All-Northeast Region honors as well as second team All-Big East honors last season. She led the Big East in batting for overall games with a .397 average and led the Wildcats with a .434 on base percentage.
"Jackie has to be one of the best players I have ever seen offensively and defensively," said DiBernardi. "She is a smart heads up player, who can literally put the ball anywhere she wants to."
Sharing time at shortstop for the Wildcats will be junior Regina Speicher, who will serve as the teams utility player, and sophomore Gina DeFrancesco. Speicher is an aggressive, timely hitter at the plate who batted .298 with 21 RBI last season, while DeFrancesco adds an extremely strong arm to the left side of the infield. Junior Melissa Crombet will backup Pasquerella at third base. Crombet was third on the Wildcat team in batting in 1998 with a .347 average.
The strength on the right side of the infield comes at second base, where junior Megan O'Leary returns. O'Leary had an incredible sophomore season in 1998, leading the team in both homeruns (5) and RBI (42), while batting .329. For her performance, she received first team All-Big East and second team All-ECAC distinctions. Replacing the departed Sparks at first base will be freshman Heather Garboden from Beaverton, Oregon and fellow freshman Karen Niwinski from Newtown, Pa.
"You couldnt ask for anything more out of Megan," said DiBernardi. "She is just a great player. We were so pleasantly surprised with how quickly she picked up second base and started learning how to run the infield.
OUTFIELD
Villanova will be tough up the middle with junior Mia Brickhouse roaming the outfield in center. The fleetfooted Brickhouse, a first team All-Big East performer, is a consistent force for the Cats both at the plate and in the field. Last season, Brickhouse hit .343 and was a perfect 25-of-25 on stolen base attempts.
"Mia was such a great find," said DiBernardi. "She was a walk-on for us, who turned into an all-conference player. Thats a once in a lifetime thing. Mia adds enthusiasm and keeps the team up in practice and in games. She has so much speed and defensively has really learned to run the outfield and take control."
Replacing the incumbent DeLuca in leftfield will be junior Kristen Verhoff. A utility outfielder in 1998, Verhoff batted .261 in Big East Conference play and owns a .280 average and 18 RBI in two seasons for the Wildcats.
"Verhoff has worked really hard with the bat," said DiBernardi. "She will fill a nice four hole for us vacated by McCoy. Verhoff is so hard to pitch around because shes such a tough, smart hitter."
Handling the rightfield duties will be a contingent of Crombet and freshmen Kerry Hardy (Fairfield, Calif.), and Molly Hanneman (Salem, Oregon). Adding depth to the Wildcats outfield will be sophomore Janna Bullock and Niwinski.
PITCHING
The Cats pitching staff will once again be strong, despite the loss of Roach and Cornelius. Anchoring the staff in 1999 will be junior Carrie Walpole. Despite battling nagging arm problems, Walpole none-the-less led the team with 11 victories and a 1.08 ERA. Turning heads in her first season on the Main Line in 1998 was sophomore Keri Stoller. Stoller tallied 10 wins and a 1.90 ERA one year ago, while leading the team in both innings pitched (128.2) and strikeouts (117). Joining the staff in 1999 is sophomore Faith Meisinger. A strong-armed righthander, Meisinger will be a strong addition to an already potent staff.
"Carrie and Keri are a very good one-two punch. Carrie Walpole has proven what she can do on the mound for two straight seasons. Keri Stoller came is here as a freshman last season and pitched like a veteran," said DiBernardi. "Faith should compliment them nicely, giving us a lot of strong innings and closing out games for us. She will really throw our opponents timing off because she is a pitcher with very good movement on her pitches, who loves to change speeds."
CATCHER
With the loss of both its catchers from 1998 in Stacey Stack and Kelli McCoy, Villanova will count on a freshman in Josey Mikulyuk from Mishawaka, Ind. Helping the first-year catcher Mikulyuk out behind the plate will be DeFrancesco and Pasquerella. Possessing a strong arm at shortstop, DeFrancesco should have no trouble adjusting to her added duties at catcher.
"Josey has an extremely strong arm, so I dont think opponents are really going to run on her," said DiBernardi. "She got some some very good in-game experience during fall softball and knows now what she has to work on to be successful."
OUTLOOK
"We would love to match our record from last season," said DiBernardi. "Our goal is to win over 30 games again, to make the Big East Tournament, and to once again qualify for ECACs. I really think we can do it. This team knows what it takes to win and what they have to do to be successful. They are used to winning and I dont think they will settle for less. Not having any seniors is not going to hurt us. Our junior class is a very strong class and they are excited to be the leaders of this team."
Without a senior on the roster, the young Wildcats will have some questions to answer in 1999. A strong pitching staff and outstanding strength both up the middle and on the left side of the infield, however, will be the Villanova ingredients for success. If the youth can step up and fill the holes left by the departed seniors, the Wildcats have the potential to stage a repeat performance of an outstanding 1998 campaign.
