NUHS alumna Seifert leads Winona State softball team

NEW ULM -- New Ulm's Rachel Seifert, a senior firstbaseman for Winona State University, became the first-ever WSU softball player to be named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American First Team.

"I was very surprised," she said Wednesday. "I didn't think that anyone from Winona State University softball could be named All-American. At all the athletic banquets, there would always be people from gymnastics or football getting (All-American honors) but nothing else really. I was really surprised that I made All North Central Region."

But if you look at Seifert's statistics this year and for her career, there are very good reasons for her being chosen not only All-Region but also one of only 15 players to receive the ultimate honor.

Seifert, a1998 graduate of New Ulm High School, lead the Warriors in seven offensive categories this year -- batting average at .443, slugging percentage of .670, on-base percentage of .462, hits with 86, RBI with 59, triples with six and seven home runs.

Her hits, home runs, RBI and batting average were all WSU single-season records.

The first baseman also set school career records for games played with 203, hits with 256, putouts with 969, doubles with 40 and 17 triples. She also holds career records for home runs with 14, RBI at 140 and an amazing .401 batting average.

"That (being the first-ever All-American softball player) was really a great honor," she said.

'I had done pretty well last year so I was kind of worried that I may have a slump year -- so I told people that I would probably be in a slump this season. So it was great that this all happened."

Winona State set a school record for wins in a season with 43. "Before the record was 39," said Seifert who was the only player from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference to be named to any post-season team.

Seifert said that she took skills learned at NUHS, honed them and "took it to the next level.

We got a lot of the fundamentals down in high school -- learned to work together. We took it to the next level. We basically work on softball 12 months a year. In the fall, we played in a couple of tournaments to prep us and know the team. We also lifted weights 2-3 times a week and we also worked on cardio-vascular workouts."

Seifert, along with another NUHS graduate, Kristi Anderson, were the motor that ran the Warrior engine in softball.

"Both Kristi and myself brought our attitudes and personalities to the team," she said. "We were always up-beat -- our main goal was to have fun and wining is fun. But no matter what, we always had fun."

Both Anderson and Seifert are products of the New Ulm Girl's Fastpitch program which, Seifert said, was a big plus going into college.

"They have a very strong program from the youth to the high school level," Seifert said. "The most important thing that they stress is the fundamentals -- they stress them a lot. By getting the fundamentals, you have those. The fundamentals are the most important. Both Kristi and I learned how to bunt and that is a huge part. We got that from our program in New Ulm."

Seifert also praised Anderson who was the shortstop on the Warrior squad.

"I love her at shortstop - she is awesome. It is kind of crazy because her and I have been playing catch partners since eighth grade. It would be weird without having her there -we have always played together and have always both been there."

In her career, she was named to the All-NSIC team three times and was a NSIC All-Tournament team pick in 2001. In D-II, Seifert was ranked 20th in triples, 22nd in hitting and 23rd in RBI.

Does Seifert have any future plans in softball - like the Olympics?

"A lot of people have been nagging me to find some tryouts - I don't know. I would love to but right now, I don't have of those plans,"said Seifert who will graduate with a major in communication studies and a minor in mass communications.

BURT HOT FOR BREWERS: The New Ulm Brewers' Tony Burt has set a torrid pace as a pitcher in his first two starts. First, he allowed only one hit -that coming in the seventh inning -as the Brewers downed St. James 13-1. In the game,he struck out 12 in the seven inning contest.

On Sunday, Burt repeated his 12 strikeout performance by shutting out Stark 2-0 as he permitted only five hits. So in 16 innings, Burt has fanned 24 hitters, allowed only six hits and one run.

NEW SOUND SYSTEM AT MUELLER PARK: Thanks go out to the families of Leo Reinhart and Bud Richter for their donations that will purchase a new sound system for Mueller Park. That will be installed shortly in the new press box there.

ROLLING THUNDER PLACES 11 IN FREE-STYLE: The New Ulm Rolling Thunder placed 11 wrestlers at the Minnesota/USA Freestyle Wrestling Tournament this past weekend with six of them qualifying for the Northern Plains Regional National Tournament in Waterloo, Iowa during June.

Troy LeBrun, wrestling in the Midget Division (ages 9 & 10) went unbeaten to take home first place. Taking home seconds to qualify for regional competition were Pat Brinkman (novice - 140) Adam Hoffmann (schoolboy - 90) and Ryan Hoffmann (bantam - 60). Winning third place honors was Ethan Orr (midget - 50), with Hunter Berbrich (Pee Wee - 60) and Lucas Schmidt (Bantam - 65) taking fourths. Fifth place finishers were Luke Cihak (bantam -55), Chris Koob (cadet - 125), Brett LeBrun (schoolboy - 160), Patrick LeVasseuer (novice - 75) and Stephen Tauer (novice - 105).

Chris Koob, who wrestled in the Cadet Division (ages 15 & 16) has been invited to compete for a spot on the Minnesota State Cadet team at the national tournament in July.