SOFTBALL 2009 1 GROVE CITY COLLEGE QUICK FACTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Location __________ Grove City, Pa. T C Founded___________________ 1876 Head Coach Chelle Fuss 3 Enrollment _________________ 2,450 2009 Season Preview 4-5 Colors ________ Crimson and White Nickname ____________ Wolverines Returning Letterwinners Affiliation _______ NCAA Division III Amy Fisher (Streetsboro, Ohio) 6 Conference ___ Presidents’ Athletic Jessica Hodge (Grove City, Pa.) 6 Home Field _________ College Field Laura Miller (Greensburg, Pa.) 6 President ______ Dr. Richard Jewell Lauren Pennell (Zelienople, Pa.) 7 Alma Mater _____ Grove City, 1967 Athletic Director _____ Dr. Don Lyle Rachael Risbon (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 7 Alma Mater ____ Muskingum, 1971 Christine Slater (Aliquippa, Pa.) 8 Associate A.D. _____Susan Roberts Kelley Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 8 Alma Mater ___________ Ohio, 1975 Candi Van Tuil (Meadville, Pa.) 8 Associate A.D. ________ Joe Walters Alma Mater _ Slippery Rock, 1968 Brittany Young (Wellsboro, Pa.) 8 Head Coach __________ Chelle Fuss Newcomers Alma Mater ________ Geneva, 1993 Elizabeth Covatto (Beaver, Pa.) 9 Career Record ___ 101-103 (6 yrs) Allison Eastham (Wintersville, Ohio) 9 Grove City Record _ 24-48 (3rd yr) Amanda Furmage (Conneaut, Ohio) 9 First Year of Program _______ 1980 Head Trainer __ Kay Mitchell Emigh Heidi Lohr (Lititz, Pa.) 9 Assistant Trainer _____ Rick Hawke Grace Murtoff (Carlisle, Pa.) 9 Equipment Mgr ____ Larry Freeman Faith Piper (Greensburg, Pa.) 9 Equipment Mgr ___ Jim Richardson 2008 In Review 10-11 Record Book 12 ACTS ONTACT NFORMATION C I The Presidents’ Athletic Conference 13 F Coach Chelle Fuss Office Phone ______ 724-458-2130 About Grove City College 14 Best Time to Call ________ Mornings Grove City College Athletic Facilities 15 UICK E-mail ____________ [email protected] 2009 Schedule 16 Q ••• Sports Info. Director Ryan Briggs 2009 SCHEDULE Office Telephone __ 724-458-3365 February 25-28 Kissimmee, Florida Trip Office Fax ________ 724-458-3855 March 17 PENN STATE BEAVER 4:00 Home Telephone _ 724-748-3718 March 18 at Malone 4:00 E-mail __________ [email protected] March 21 at Chatham* 1:00 ••• March 24 PITT-GREENSBURG 4:00 Grove City Athletic Department March 26 ALLEGHENY 4:00 Dept. Telephone __ 724-458-2900 March 28 GENEVA 11:00 Dept. Fax _________ 724-458-3855 March 31 at Penn State Allegheny 4:00 Web Site__ www2.gcc.edu/sports April 2 WASH. & JEFF.* 4:00 April 4 at Waynesburg* 1:00 CREDITS April 7 at Thomas More* 1:00 Editor ____________ Ryan Briggs, SID April 9 WESTMINSTER* 4:00 April 15 BETHANY* 3:30 Head shots by Bob Gregg/Gregg April 18 at Saint Vincent 1:00 Studio, Grove City, Pa. April 20 HIRAM 4:00 April 23 at Thiel* 4:00 Action shots by Dave Miller/ADM April 28 PENN STATE BEHREND 3:30 Photography, Darlington, Pa. April 30 LA ROCHE 4:00 May 1-2 PAC Championship Tournament Printing by Sharon Commercial Home Games In ALL CAPS Printing, Sharon, Pa. *-Presidents’ Athletic Conference Doubleheader 2 SOFTBALL 2009 HHEAD CCOACH CCHELLE FFUSS Chelle Fuss is in her third season as Grove City College’s head softball coach. She joined the Grove City athletic department as head softball coach and assis- tant women’s basketball coach in June 2006. This spring, Fuss (pronounced “FOOSE”) will guide Grove City in its pursuit of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title. During her first two seasons as head coach, the Wolverines have set numerous offensive records while moving to- wards the upper echelon of the PAC. Last year, Grove City recorded 15 victories and posted a five-game improve- ment in the conference. Prior to coming to Grove City, Fuss spent four seasons as the head softball coach at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa. She took over as the Golden Torna- does’ head coach in 1996. After a one- year hiatus, she returned as head coach from 1998-2000. In her four years at Geneva, she guided the Tornadoes to a 77- 55 overall record. The 1999 Geneva squad became the first Geneva softball team to advance to an NAIA regional tournament. That season, Fuss earned the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Regional Coach of the Year award. Fuss also held the position of assistant women’s basketball coach for four years (1994-96, 97-99) at Geneva. She then worked as C Geneva’s conference services director from 1999-2006. OACHING As a student-athlete at Geneva, Fuss excelled in both basketball and softball. As a point guard for the basketball team, she accumu- lated a Geneva-record 567 assists. Her 1,333 career points rank sixth in school history. She earned NCCAA All-America and NAIA All-Dis- trict honors during her playing career at Geneva. S Fuss also received NAIA All-District recognition after all four years TAFF of her career in softball. She graduated from Geneva in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in speech and broadcast communications. She then added a master’s degree in higher education at Geneva. Fuss and husband Matt have a son, Zane, 10 and a daughter, Logan, 8. They live in Grove City. AASST.. CCOACH HHOLLY CCULLUM Holly Cullum is in her third season as Grove City College’s assistant softball coach. A native of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Cullum assists head coach Chelle Fuss in several different areas related to the Grove City program. During her first two seasons, she has helped the Wolverines progress towards the Presidents’ Athletic Conference elite. She is a 2003 cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University, having earned a bach- elor of science degree in psychology. Cullum played lacrosse all four years at Texas A&M. Cullum then earned a master’s degree in counseling from Geneva College in 2005. She now lives in Grove City. 3 GROVE CITY COLLEGE SSEASON PPREVIEW After rising to the brink of the Presidents’ Ath- letic Conference Championship Tournament in 2008, the Grove City College softball team looks to continue its upward move this spring. The Wolverines return four starting infielders, three outfield regulars and an All-Region selection in the center of the diamond. Grove City also welcomes several newcomers into the fold, which could give the Wolverines their deepest squad in a number of seasons. INFIELD Grove City features familar faces around the diamond as a returning starter is back at all four spots. Junior Laura Miller is the incumbent at third base after making 35 starts in 2008. She is a two-year letterwinner. At shortstop, sophomore Christine Slater re- turns after a strong freshman season. Slater hit .294 in 2008 while starting all 38 games. Senior Amy Fisher is a three-year starter in the middle infield positions for Grove City. She is a two- time All-PAC selection. Fisher drove in a school- record 36 runs during the 2008 season. REVIEW P Senior Rachael Risbon is a two-year starter and three-year letterwinner for Grove City. EASON Fisher could also see time in the pitcher’s circle S again this spring after leading the team in wins as a sophomore in 2007. Grove City returns a pair of letterwinners at first base in senior Kelley Smith and junior Candi Van Tuil. Smith hit .306 in her first season at Grove City last year while Van Tuil is a two-year letterwinner. Both could see extensive time at first base this year. Freshmen Amanda Furmage and Elizabeth Covatto will compete for time in the infield this spring. The Wolverines will use a combination of play- ers behind the plate this year. Junior Jessica Hodge and freshman Allison Eastham will both catch this year. Van Tuil could also see time at catcher when not playing first base this year. OUTFIELD The Wolverines return a pair of full-time start- ers in the outfield in sophomore Brittany Young and senior Rachael Risbon. Young played in all 38 games and scored 28 runs out of the leadoff spot in the order. She also Sophomore Christine Slater is a returning posted a .413 on-base percentage and is the in- starter at shortstop for Grove City. cumbent in center field. 4 SOFTBALL 2009 SSEASON PPREVIEW Risbon is a three-year letterwinner who has played both corner outfield spots during her ca- reer. She has also played second base and is one of the Wolverines’ most versatile players. Hodge is a returning letterwinner in the out- field and is again in the outfield mix. Eastham, Covatto and three other newcomers -- Heidi Lohr, Grace Murtoff and Faith Piper -- are also in compe- tition for time in the outfield. Several players could also see time at the des- ignated player position. PITCHING Sophomore Lauren Pennell is back as the ace of the Wolverine staff in 2008. She earned NFCA All-Region honors as a designated player last year for her work at the plate. She also anchored the Grove City pitching staff last year as she tossed 133 innings last year and made a Grove City-record 23 appearances. Offensively, Pennell hit .417 and drove in 25 runs. She also clubbed 18 doubles and finished S with 45 hits. EASON Fisher will also share some of the pitching du- ties this year. She made three appearances in the circle last year after pitching in 20 games as a Sophomore Lauren Pennell is a returning NFCA P sophomore in 2007. All-Region selection at designated player. REVIEW SCHEDULE turning north. The northern opener is scheduled The Wolverines will open the 2009 season with for March 17 against visiting Penn State Beaver. a trip to Florida in late February. Grove City will Presidents’ Athletic Conference play will begin four then play 17 scheduled doubleheaders after re- days later at Chatham.