2017 Softball Roster
Roster
Kirsten Stevens
- Height:
- 5-9
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Crystal Lake, Ill.
- High School:
- Prairie Ridge
- Prev School:
- Mercer
Awards and Honors: 2017 NCAA All-Region team ... Big Ten Pitcher of the Week (2/27/17)
2017: Appeared in 24 games, starting 13, and collected a 10-4 record and one save … had the fourth-best ERA in the conference (2.09) … began the season with an eight-game winning streak … threw 11 strikeouts in the Badgers’ 4-0 shutout of Hofstra (2/25) … named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week (2/27) after tallying two shutout wins at the FGCU Invitational … threw four shutouts on the season and did not allow an earned run in 14 appearances … named to the NCAA Tournament Eugene All-Region team after throwing the second-most strikeouts (9) and recording the second-best ERA (0.88) in the regional … finished her career with a 2.61 ERA, ranking fifth all-time, while her 61 wins rank fourth … her .656 (61-32) winning percentage is the second-best of any Badger pitcher and her career 1.45 walks allowed average is the second-lowest in UW records
2016: Appeared in 38 games and had the most starts of any Badger pitcher with 32 starts … 38 appearances ranked 10th in UW single-season records while her 32 starts ranked seventh … held a 3.22 ERA overall and a 3.44 ERA in conference-only games … pitched the second-most innings (143.2) for the Badgers and seven complete games … picked up 10 total wins and held batters to a .309 batting average … pitched 6.0 innings and gave up just two runs against No. 21 California in the season opener (2/12) … picked up the win against No. 21-ranked Fresno State after pitching 5.0 innings, giving up just three hits and striking out four batters in the 4-0 victory … threw 5.1 innings and one strikeout vs. No. 24 Ohio State … clinched the 6-3 win against No. 21 Minnesota (4/12) after throwing 4.1 innings and then pitched 3.1 innings and only gave up one run in the 7-1 upset over the Gophers in a doubleheader … allowed a career-low fewest hits (0) and fewest runs (0) … had a season-high seven strikeouts against Illinois (4/23)
Of note: Transfer from Mercer University … 2015 Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year and a first-team All-Southern Conference selection
At Mercer:
2015: Was named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year … All-Southern Conference first team selection … landed on the Southern Conference All-Tournament team … earned NFCA Southern Region third team honors … was featured on ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 plays as the No. 3 play for pitching a no hitter in the Southern Conference Championship Tournament vs. Furman … two-time Southern Conference Pitcher of the Month and three-time Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week … pitched 30 complete games and compiled a 26-10 record … ended the season with a 2.73 ERA in 233 innings pitched … tallied 221 strikeouts and only allowed 47 walks
2014: Named to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman team and the Atlantic Sun All-Tournament team … posted a 15-6 record with a 2.21 ERA in 158.2 innings pitched … only allowed 33 walks while striking out 101 batters
High School: Four-time first-team All-Fox Valley Conference honoree … named the NW Herald Softball Player of the Year as a senior and was named first-team NW Herald All-Area … helped lead her team to two regional championship wins and two conference championship wins … holds her high school record for career strikeouts (957) … ended senior season with a 0.99 ERA, .378 batting average, .676 slugging percentage and a 21-4 record … the two-time team MVP pitched two perfect games in her high school career and knocked out five home runs in her senior season alone … named the Offensive MVP as a freshman and sophomore and was also tabbed as the Defensive MVP as a sophomore ... high school coach was Mike Buck … played for the Illinois Chill Edwards
Personal: Parents are Bob and Judi Stevens … Has two brothers, Tyler (22) and Brett (19) … double majoring in Spanish and French ... member of the Honor Roll and French National Honor Society in high school
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Why Wisconsin?
"I chose the University of Wisconsin for their rigorous foreign language courses and academic opportunities to help prepare me to be a Spanish and French teacher. I was also thrilled at the opportunity to play softball in the B1G Ten Conference and challenge myself as an athlete."
Off the Field with Kirsten
Before each game I ...: Listen to jams from the 80's to get me pumped for the game!A non-athletic talent I have is: Memorizing quotes from movies!
One thing I absolutely have to do before I turn 40: Eat at Hell's Kitchen and travel to Paris to experience French cuisine!
Favorite quote: " You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Winnie the Pooh.
Most memorable softball achievement: Being #3 on ESPN Sports Center Top 10 Plays for a No-Hitter I pitched during the SoCon Tournament against Furman University. I also had the opportunity to play the USSSA Pride Professional Fastpitch team and struck out Kelly Kretschman who once instructed me at a Jennie Finch softball camp after they both returned from the Olympics. I never dreamed I'd face Kelly with her in the batter's box and me in the circle!!! I have such respect for her talents!
Greatest fear: Spiders in my bed!!!
What song would you put on the soundtrack to your life? We're Not Gonna Take it by The Twisted Sisters
If you could be a member of any TV-sitcom family, which would it be? Modern Family or The Middle. (I'm the eternal optimist like Sue Heck!!! )
What is your favorite movie line or scene? "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley" -Airplane
What is your favorite book? To Kill A Mockingbird
Favorite athlete? Jennie Finch because she was the first person I identified with for softball. I have always been kind of an underdog in softball and her "Dream, Believe" motto resonated with me. I attended one of her camps as a young softball player and I knew softball was part of my DNA and future!
Favorite team to play? I haven't faced any teams in the B1G Ten yet, but I always look forward to the challenges of pitching against top ranked schools!
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