2011 MIAC SOFTBALL AWARDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg College shortstop Jessa Hinz (SR, Richfield, Minn.) was named to the All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball squad, while outfielder Laura Strandell (SR, Pine Island, Minn.) earned All-MIAC honorable-mention recognition, the conference announced this week.

In addition, Augsburg catcher Brittney Bruzek (SR, Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson HS) was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.

For Hinz, it was the second straight year she has earned All-MIAC honors. Both Hinz and Strandell have earned Academic All-MIAC honors each of the last two seasons, and Bruzek was an All-MIAC honorable-mention recipient last season.

Augsburg's leadoff hitter, Hinz had the best hitting year of her career in 2011, hitting .357 (45-of-126) -- tops among team regulars -- with 29 runs scored, seven doubles, three triples, five home runs, 21 RBI, six stolen bases, a .579 slugging percentage, and a .467 on-base percentage. Her 24 walks this season were second-most among MIAC players in overall statistics, while her five home runs were tied for 11th-best in the MIAC.

Her 126 at-bats were eighth-most in a single season in school history, while her five home runs were tied for the third-most and her 24 walks were fifth-most.

A four-year starter (156 starts in 157 career games), Hinz finished her career hitting .311 (142-of-456). She finishes her Auggie career in the school's top-10 list in several career categories -- first in walks (68), eighth in hits (142), fifth in runs scored (98), seventh in doubles (25), second in home runs (11), fifth in RBI (71) and eighth in slugging percentage (.456). She also had four career triples, 25 stolen bases and a .404 on-base percentage in her career.

Strandell also had the best year of her career in 2011, hitting .345 (39-of-113) with eight doubles, two triples, a team-high-tying five home runs, 25 runs scored, a team-best 24 runs batted in, a team-best .584 slugging percentage, .419 on-base percentage and seven stolen bases. Her 15 extra-base hits this season tied for the team's high. Her five home runs tied her with Hinz for third-most in a single season in school history, while her 66 total bases were tied for 10th-most.

In her Auggie career (135 games, 127 starts), Strandell finished with a .251 batting average (89-for-354) with 19 doubles, five triples, six home runs, 49 RBI, 53 runs scored, 24 stolen bases, a .384 slugging percentage and .346 on-base percentage. Her six career home runs are tied for fourth-most in school history.

A history and social studies secondary education major with a 3.88 grade-point average, Strandell was also named to the Capital One Academic All-District squad as a first-team recipient last week.

Bruzek was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team, a part of the conference's sportsmanship initiative. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of play.

This season, Bruzek hit .229 (16-of-70) with five runs scored, two doubles, a triple and 10 RBI. Defensively, Bruzek threw out 10 runners trying to steal bases in 35 attempts -- tied with three others for tops among MIAC catchers in overall statistics.

In her three seasons at Augsburg after playing her first year at St. Thomas, Bruzek hit .264 (62-of-235), with 26 runs scored, 15 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 55 RBI, a .413 slugging percentage and .353 on-base percentage. Her six home runs are tied for fourth-most in Augsburg's career record list.

Under fifth-year head coach Tim Gormley, Augsburg finished the 2011 season with a 20-20 record, 9-13 in MIAC play.