May 6, 2005

ST, PAUL, Minn. - Bemidji State University senior MerriAnne Werder (Browerville, Minn/Fergus Falls CC) has been named to the 2005 All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Softball Honorable Mention team, the league announced this afternoon.

Werder, a junior college transfer from Fergus Falls Community College, has posted a .264 batting average anchoring the BSU outfield in each off the Beavers' 39 games. She led the 2005 BSU squad in runs scored (17), doubles (eight), and triples (1) while ranking second among her teammates in slugging percentage (.358), walks (10) and on-base percentage (.333). As the leader of the Beavers' defense, the center fielder trailed only Missy Schleicher for the team's best fielding percentage at .941 after commiting just four errors.

"We are proud of MerriAnne for gaining this award," commented BSU head Coach Paul Brunsdon. "She has been the emotional leader of our team all season and after a slow start, she has really come on offensivly during the conference season. She is the best defensive player on our team and it is nice to see that other coaches around the league have recognized that and selected her for this honor."

The all-conference award is the first for Werder and marks the first for BSU since Megan Bray garnered first team honors and Leah Bowen and Lauren Wilson were named honnorable mention in 2003.

The BSU softball team put the cap on its 2005 season this weekend at the 2005 NSIC Softball Championship. Under first-year head coach Paul Brunsdon, the Beavers have turned the corner tripling their 2004 win total posting a 6-33 overall record and a 3-11 mark in league competition.

-bsu-