DRURY PANTHER BIOS CONTINUED 2008 DRURY SCHEDULE INAUGURAL SEASON • 2008

Casey Elliott Keri Waggoner Kelsea Garthoff Position: Outfield Position: Third Base/Catcher Position: Pitcher/Outfield B/T: R/R B/T: R/R B/T: R/R Height: 5-6 Height: 5-6 Height: 5-3 Class: Freshman Class: Freshman Class: Freshman Hometown: Skiatook, OK Hometown: Midwest City, OK Hometown: Olathe, KS Last School: Skiatook Last School: Carl Albert Last School: East

Was an all-state, all-region and all- Helped Carl Albert High School in Was an all-conference and all-dis- conference pick her senior season at Midwest City, Oklahoma win the trict pick in 2003 and 2004 while at Skiatook High School in Oklahoma. the 2006 state championship. Olathe East High School and earned MVP honors both years. 20 21 22

Sadie Ball Mandy Burnett Position: Catcher/Outfield Position: Shortstop/Third Base Date Opponent Location Time Date Opponent Location Time B/T: R/R B/T: R/R Height: 5-6 Height: 5-5 Feb. March Class: Junior Class: Freshman Hometown: Wichita, KS Hometown: Edmond, OK 15, Fri. ^Delta State Tunica, MS 12 p.m. 18, Tues. *West Florida Pensacola, FL 3/5 p.m. Last School: Northwest Last School: Santa Fe 15, Fri. ^Henderson State Tunica, MS 2 p.m. 19, Wed. *Lyon Pensacola, FL 9/11 a.m. Led her team in home runs with 14 Was an all-state alternate, an and in batting average .487 at Butler all-conference, All-Region 6 and 16, Sat. ^Arkansas Tech Tunica, MS 10 a.m. 21, Fri. @Kentucky Wesleyan (DH)# Owensboro, KY 12/2 p.m. County Community College. All-Edmond honoree and earned defensive player-of-the-year honors 16, Sat. ^Southern Arkansas Tunica, MS 2 p.m. 22, Sat. @Southern Indiana (DH)# Evansville, IN 12/2 p.m. for Santa Fe High School. 27 44 17, Sun. ^Alabama-Huntsville Tunica, MS 2 p.m. 29, Sat. Saint Joseph’s (DH)# Springfield, MO 12/2 p.m. 17, Sun. ^Arkansas-Monticello Tunica, MS 4 p.m. 30, Sun. Indianapolis (DH)# Springfield, MO 12/2 p.m. 20, Wed. @Southwest Baptist Bolivar, MO 1/3 p.m. April SEASON PREVIEW 22, Fri. &William Penn Springfield, MO 12:45 1, Tues. Central Missouri (DH) Springfield, MO 3/5 p.m. p.m. 5, Sat. @Quachita Baptist (DH) Arkadelphia, AR 12/2 p.m. 22, Fri. &Baker Springfield, MO 4:30 p.m. Drury’s first-ever softball team got a sneak peek at its abilities during a fall “We have some kids who are upperclassmen who have definitely emerged as 6, Sun. @Arkansas-Monticello (DH) Monticello, AR 12/2 p.m. schedule that produced a 5-3 record in scrimmages against various schools. great leaders,” Medico said. “The young kids are naïve but eager and are here 22, Fri. &Missouri Valley Springfield, MO 6:15 p.m. 12, Sat. @SIU Edwardsville (DH)# Edwardsville, IL 12/2 p.m. That was enough for coach Annie Medico to believe her Panthers can take the to work hard.” 23, Sat. &Evangel Early Bird Bracket Play Springfield, MO TBA field this spring with a confidence level that tells them they can compete with Medico, a former college standout herself down the road at Missouri State 13, Sun. @Quincy (DH)# Quincy, IL 12/2 p.m. March most anybody in that opposing dugout. “I had a feeling we got better every University, says the Panthers discovered who their stalwarts might be during the 17, Thur. @Missouri S&T (non-conf) (DH)# Rolla, MO 2/4 p.m. time we played,” said Medico, 28, in her first season as a head coach after serv- fall drills, including the revelation that freshman Brittany Davis will likely draw 1, Sat. %Northwest Missouri State Pittsburg, KS 10 a.m. ing as an assistant at Southern Indiana. “We have a group that works really the top assignment as the ever-important No. 1 pitcher. But several players will 19, Sat. Northern Kentucky (DH)# Springfield, MO 12/2 p.m. 1, Sat. %Henderson State Pittsburg, KS 2 p.m. hard and have some kids who’ve made a lot of improvement. I think we’ll be be in the mix throughout the spring for playing time, especially in the outfield 20, Sun. Bellarmine (DH)# Springfield, MO 12/2 p.m. very competitive.” and on the mound. 2, Sun. %Nebraska-Omaha Pittsburg, KS 12 p.m. The Panthers began official workouts on Jan. 16 in preparation for the first The Panthers will use the non-conference portion of their schedule to prepare 23, Wed. Rockhurst (DH)# Springfield, MO 3/5 p.m. 2, Sun. %Pittsburg State Pittsburg, KS 2 p.m. official games in the program’s history when Drury will compete in the Delta for the rigors of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, one of the premier leagues 26, Sat. @Wisconsin-Parkside (DH)# Kenosha, WI 12/2 p.m. State University Tournament Feb. 15-17 in Tunica, Miss. At press time, the in the country and one that produced the NCAA Division II national cham- 7, Fri. !Truman State Joplin, MO 2:15 p.m. 27, Sun. @Lewis (DH)# Romeoville, IL 12/2 p.m Panthers are finalizing details for a home double-header with Southwest Baptist pion last season in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, which DU will 7, Fri. !Missouri Southern State Joplin, MO 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, which would represent their first-ever home games at the visit for a double-header on April 12. 29, Tues. Pittsburg State (DH) Springfield, MO 2/4 p.m. 7, Fri. !Fort Hays State Joplin, MO 7:30 p.m. revamped Thompson Field at Meador Park. “I’m confident in our squad and its ability to be competitive,” Medico says. “I May Drury will open with its first 17 games away from home if that’s the case, think something I learned before the fall was that in our conference, the teams 8, Sat. !Washburn Joplin, MO 4:30 p.m. 2-4, including a double-header at SBU in Bolivar (Feb. 20) and tournaments at that are successful are the ones that are aggressive in terms of base-stealing, GLVC Tournament Peoria, IL TBA Evangel University and Pittsburg State. The Panthers will visit Missouri South- using the hit-and-run …we’re not a very big team, so we’re going to have to use 8, Sat. !Northwest Missouri State Joplin, MO 6:15 p.m. Fri.-Sun. ern on March 7-8 for another tourney – most softball tournaments consist of things like that to our advantage.” 10, Mon. Truman State (DH) Springfield, MO 3/5 p.m. 9-11 Regional Tournament TBA TBA between four to six games in a single weekend - before hosting Truman State Drury’s first team in more than three decades made a huge and unlikely Fri.-Sun. 14, Fri. Missouri S&T (DH)# Springfield, MO 12/2 p.m. in a double-header on Monday, March 10 in what would become the first-ever splash in its debut last spring, winning 34 games, the GLVC championship and Head Coach Annie Medico home game should the SBU matchup not come to fruition. advancing to the NCAA-II Tournament, where Coach Mark Stratton’s Panthers 15, Sat. Missouri-St. Louis (DH)# Springfield, MO 12/2 p.m. Assistant Coach Kristen Karanzias Medico, who started at Drury in the fall of 2006 in order to spend a year won a pair of games. 17, Mon. *Huntington Pensacola, FL 5 p.m. recruiting talent for her first squad, has assembled a group of 20 players to rep- To expect the same from the softball Panthers in their inaugural effort is a bit resent the Panthers this spring, including a nice mix of experience and youth. unrealistic … but it doesn’t hurt to dream, either. “We can definitely shoot for 17, Mon. *William Jewell Pensacola, FL 9 p.m. She credits several of the squad’s junior college transfers, including catcher that,” Medico says. “I think our immediate goals are to be competitive, to have Sadie Ball, outfielder Kelly Ross and third baseman Stephanie Ray, for helping a winning season and to make it into the conference tournament field (where Denotes: ^ Gulf South/Mid-West Crossover, & Evangel Early Bird Tournament, % Pittsburg State University Softball Invitational, # Great Lakes Valley Conference Game, the freshmen make the transition to the college game. the top eight teams qualify).” ! Teri Mathis Zenner Memorial Softball Tournament hosted by: Missouri Southern State University, * University of West Florida Spring Fling DRURY SOFTBALL COACHES 2008 DRURY SOFTBALL ROSTER DRURY PANTHER BIOS

Lauren Cranford Brittany Powers Kelly Ross When then-Drury athletic director Edsel and also served as a student assistant coach for the Bears in 2003 before moving Position: Pitcher/First Base Position: Pitcher/Outfield Position: Outfield B/T: R/R B/T: R/R B/T: L/R Matthews was searching for a softball coach on to USI, one of the top programs in the GLVC. Height: 5-7 Height: 5-6 Height: 5-0 to head the start-up efforts of the new Pan- “My main goal is to recruit quality student-athletes to represent Drury and Class: Freshman Class: Freshman Class: Junior Hometown: Midwest City, OK Hometown: Catoosa, OK Hometown: Bloomington, IL thers’ program, he knew he needed someone compete at the highest level possible as we get the program off the ground and Last School: Carl Albert Last School: Catoosa Last School: Totino-Grace meeting a couple of prerequisites: First, they strive to eventually compete at the national level,” Medico said. “I think my fa- Posted a 50-6 career record and was Was an all-conference outfielder Was a first team all-conference and should be familiar with the Great Lakes Val- miliarity with the area and the local high schools during my time at (SMS) will a Wendy’s High School Heisman as a senior an all-conference utility a second team all-region pick last nominee. player as a junior for coach Todd season for Coffeyville Community ley Conference that the Panthers were about help in recruiting local talent that can help. Also being from Oklahoma, which Henshaw at Catoosa High School in College. Oklahoma. to join. And secondly, someone with a passion is a big softball area as well, can give us two states that can be huge in terms of 1 2 3 and knowledge of the game. recruiting to start the program.” Medico’s first DU squad is a reflection of that If she was a former standout player herself belief, as 13 members of her current 20-player Panther roster hail from either Brittany Davis Maria Rettinger Chelsea King ... that would certainly help out in terms of Missouri or Oklahoma. As a player, Medico was a two-time All-Missouri Val- Position: Pitcher Position: Outfield Position: Outfield B/T: R/R B/T: R/R B/T: S/R gaining the instant respect of a bunch of new ley Conference second baseman-shortstop for the Bears. She appeared in 201 Height: 5-3 Height: 5-10 Height: 5-7 Class: Freshman Class: Freshman Class: Freshman players brought together, too. Enter Annie games during her SMSU career, recording 125 hits and driving in 56 runs. As Hometown: Monett, MO Hometown: Lenexa, KS Hometown: Strafford, MO Medico, a former Southwest Missouri State an assistant for USI under head coach Sue Kunkle, Medico helped the Scream- Last School: Monett Last School: Notre Dame de Sion Last School: Strafford University star and assistant coach at GLVC- ing Eagles to a 95-62 mark in three seasons. Southern Indiana was 39-18 last Was a second team all-state pick, an Was named the Defensive Player- Her 58 steals are second all-time All-Ozarks first team selection, an of-the-Year in 2005 at Notre in the state of Missouri and her member Southern Indiana who has been charged with building the new Drury season, including 17-5 in the GLVC and finished third in the NCAA-II Great all-region pick and the Big 8 Player- Dame de Sion High School in 35 singles rank fourth in the state of-the-Year for 2006 at Monett Lenexa, . record books. program from scratch. Lakes regional, as well as No. 22 in the final national poll. Medico said the al- High School. “We had a quality list of applicants wanting to start our softball program, a lure of starting a new program within the GLVC was a big factor in her decision 5 6 7 list topped by Annie Medico,” Matthews said. “We believe her enthusiasm to pursue the Drury position, “because it is such a good conference.” combined with her experience from coaching a quality program within the During her time at Missouri State, Medico played for teams that finished sixth, Mandy Schroeder Kate Ringer Sophia Alexander Position: Shortstop/Second Base/ Position: Second Base/Shortstop Position: Pitcher/First Base Great Lakes Valley Conference is the right combination we need to get our soft- eighth and 14th in the nation among 240 NCAA Division I softball programs Third Base B/T: R/R B/T: R/R B/T: R/R Height: 5-3 Height: 5-4 ball program underway at Drury.” Medico, 28, had been an assistant with the in team grade point average. She graduated from Missouri State with a bachelor Height: 5-4 Class: Freshman Class: Freshman Screaming Eagles of USI for three seasons before accepting the Drury position of science degree in recreation and leisure studies in 2003, and received her Class: Freshman Hometown: Crocker, MO Hometown: Strafford, MO Hometown: Lenexa, KS Last School: Crocker Last School: Strafford in the fall of 2006. She is a Tulsa, Okla. native and is familiar with Springfield masters in education from USI in the spring of 2006. Last School: Shawnee Mission West No. Name Pos. B/T Ht. Cl. Hometown/High School Was a two-time all-district, all- Helped Strafford High School to a and the Ozarks, having been a four-year starter for Missouri State (1999-2002) Was a first team All-Sunflower conference and all-region pick at 28-2 record as a junior and runner- 1 Lauren Cranford P/1B R/R 5-7 Fr. Midwest City, Okla./Carl Albert League infielder at Shawnee Mis- Crocker High School. up finish at the state championship. sion West High School in Lenexa, 2 Brittany Powers P/OF R/R 5-6 Fr. Catoosa, Okla./Catoosa 8 Kansas. 10 11 Former Iowa State player Kristen Karanzias 3 Kelly Ross OF L/R 5-0 Jr. Bloomington, Ill./Coffeyville C.C. joined the Drury University softball staff as a DRURY SOFTBALL QUICK FACTS 5 Brittany Davis P R/R 5-3 Fr. Monett, Mo./Monett Ashley Balazs Stephanie Ray Laura McCarthy graduate assistant coach. Location: Springfield, MO 6 Maria Rettinger OF R/R 5-10 Fr. Lenexa, Kan./Notre Dame de Sion Position: Catcher/Outfield Position: Third Base Position: Pitcher/First Base Karanzias, a native of Yorba Linda, Calif., Enrollment: 1,605 7 Chelsea King OF S/R 5-7 Fr. Strafford, Mo./Strafford B/T: R/R B/T: R/R B/T: R/R Height: 5-7 Height: 5-3 Height: 5-6 played in 49 games and started 43 at third President: Todd Parnell 8 Mandy Schroeder SS/2B/3B R/R 5-4 Fr. Lenexa, Kan./Shawnee Mission West Class: Freshman Class: Junior Class: Freshman Hometown: Lenexa, KS Hometown: Stark City, MO Hometown: Mokane, MO base after pitching her first three seasons for VP For Athletic Affairs: Dr. Edsel Matthews 10 Kate Ringer 2B/SS R/R 5-3 Fr. Crocker, Mo./Crocker Last School: Shawnee Mission West Last School: Webb City Last School: South Callaway Director of Athletics: Pat Atwell the Cyclones. She hit .208, had 28 hits and 11 Sophia Alexander P/1B R/R 5-4 Fr. Strafford, Mo./Strafford Was a first team All-Sunflower Named the LCC Athletic As- Was a first team all-conference, scored 10 runs while driving in 11 RBI’s as a Athletics Office Phone: (417) 873-7265 League outfielder at Shawnee Mis- sociation Athlete-of-the-Year and all-district and all regional pitcher 12 Ashley Balazs C/OF R/R 5-7 Fr. Lenexa, Kan./Shawnee Mission West sion West High School. hit .374 with five home runs as a at South Callaway High School in senior, when she had six multiple hit and two Head Coach: Annie Medico (first season) 13 Stephanie Ray 3B R/R 5-3 Jr. Stark City, Mo./Labette C.C. sophomore at Labette Community Mokane, Missouri. College. multi-RBI games. Phone number: (417) 873-6364 14 Laura McCarthy P/1B R/R 5-6 Fr. Mokane, Mo./South Callaway 12 13 14 As a pitcher, she made 26 starts for ISU, in- E-mail address: [email protected] 16 Jana Provance P/OF S/R 5-7 So. Springfield, Mo./Southwest Baptist Univ. Graduate Assistant Coach: Kristen Karanzias cluding a freshman season in which she had a 18 Jessica Dunn C R/R 5-8 So. Willard, Mo./Southwest Baptist Univ. Jana Provance Jessica Dunn Michelle Heinrichs team-leading 3.44 ERA in Big 12 Conference Overall record: First season Position: Pitcher/Outfield Position: Catcher Position: Second Base 19 Michelle Heinrichs 2B R/R 5-8 Sr. Grand Prairie, Texas/Missouri State Univ. B/T: S/R B/T: R/R B/T: R/R play. This came after a prep career in which Affiliations: NCAA Division II, Great Lakes Valley Conference 20 Casey Elliott OF R/R 5-6 Fr. Skiatook, Okla./Skiatook Height: 5-7 Height: 5-8 Height: 5-8 she she helped El Dorado High of Yorba Home Field: Meador Park softball complex Class: Sophomore Class: Sophomore Class: Senior 21 Keri Waggoner 3B/C R/R 5-6 Fr. Midwest City, Okla./Carl Albert Hometown: Springfield, MO Hometown: Willard, MO Hometown: Grand Prairie, TX Linda to a California Interscholastic Federation championship while batting Athletics website: www.drurypanthers.com Last School: Glendale Last School: Willard Last School: South 22 Kelsea Garthoff P/OF R/R 5-3 Fr. Olathe, Kan./East Sports Information Contacts: Scott Puryear, SID (417-873-4097) Is a Missouri State University .320 with 16 RBI and 25 runs scored. Karanzias, who is pursuing a masters in Is a Southwest Baptist University Is a transfer from Southwest Baptist transfer who played three seasons at 27 Sadie Ball C/OF R/R 5-6 Jr. Wichita, Kan./Butler County C.C. transfer who made 14 appearances University where she played in 15 business administration at Drury, also participated for the Greek Olympic Team Eric Pannell, Asst. SID (417-873-7374) MSU and helped the Bears to their and had 11 starts last season. games and started 10. most wins in a season, a national in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. 44 Mandy Burnett SS/3B R/R 5-5 Fr. Edmond, Okla./Santa Fe ranking of 23 and a Missouri Valley 16 18 19 Conference championship. Head Coach Annie Medico Assistant Coach Kristen Karanzias