Quarnburg Leads Four Jackets on All-Conf. Team
(Complete All-Conference Teams)

BILLINGS, MT – The Heartland Conference announced its all-conference softball teams on Wednesday with four players representing Montana State University-Billings.  Junior first baseman Rachel Quarnburg was named to the All-Heartland first team while Christy Wankel, Jenna Haacke, and Stephanie Gosselin were selected to the second team.  The Yellowjackets were 20-31 overall and 12-12 in the Heartland Conference.

Quarnburg, a junior from Billings, was one of four players in the Heartland Conference to bat over .400 this season, hitting .402.  Her .785 slugging percentage led the conference, and she tied for third in the league with 11 home runs.  Along with hitting for power, Quarnburg was one of the toughest outs in the conference.  She ranked second in the Heartland with a .484 on base percentage.  Last season Quarnburg was named to both the All-PacWest Conference and All-West Region first teams.

Haacke, a sophomore second baseman from Billings, was one of three Yellowjackets to bat over .300 for the season.  She hit .301 while driving in 19 RBI and scoring 17 runs.  Her 10 home runs ranked fifth in the conference.

Wankel is a senior outfielder from Great Falls, Mont.  She batted .313 for the season and was second on the team with 25 RBI.  Wankel hit her eighth home run of the season at last week’s Heartland Conference Tournament, giving her 21 for her career.  That ranks second in school history.  This season she set career school records for games played, games started, at bats, hits, triples, RBI, total bases, and stolen bases. 

Gosselin is a true freshman from Brentwood Bay, British Columbia.  She was selected as the all-conference second team’s utility player.  Gosselin didn’t become a regular starter until midway through the season, but she was one of the hottest hitters on the team down the stretch.  For the year she batted .370 with 16 runs scored.

Melissa Perez of Incarnate Word was named the Heartland Player of the Year.  The Pitcher of the Year was Malissa Magee of St. Mary’s.  Emily Robinson of Western New Mexico was the Newcomer of the Year.  Jessica Romero of St. Mary’s and Amanda Sparks of Incarnate Word were Co-Freshmen of the Year.  The Coach of the Year went to Amy Coulter of St. Edward’s.