May 10, 2005

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Coe College senior pitcher Amy Ernst (Monona, Iowa/MFL Mar Mac) was named 2005 IIAC Softball Most Valuable Player and Coe head coach Bob Timmons was named 2005 IIAC Softball Coach of the Year.

Ernst, a three-time All-Conference selection, is the third Coe player to earn Conference softball MVP honors since the school joined the IIAC in 1998, the most of any school in that time. She enters the NCAA Tournament with a 23-3 record, a 0.26 ERA, 14 shutouts, 20 complete games and 249 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .124 against her this season as she allowed just 68 hits and walked 15 over 158.2 innings in 31 appearances. Ernst, who became Coe’s career wins leader this season, leads the IIAC in ERA, opponents’ batting average, innings pitched, strikeouts, wins and saves (4). She has ranked among the national leaders in ERA, strikeouts/7 innings, wins and saves throughout the season.

In 12 Conference games, Ernst posted a 9-1 record with a 0.44 ERA in 64 innings. She completed all nine of her Conference starts including six shutouts, and registered two saves. She surrendered just six runs and four earned runs, striking out 97 batters and walking just five. She led the Conference in ERA, strikeouts, saves (tied) and opponents’ batting average (.146). She ranked second in the Conference in wins, tied for third in innings pitched and starts, and tied for fourth in appearances.

Timmons was chosen Coach of the Year for the second time (also in 1999) after leading the Kohawks to their second Iowa Conference title and first outright (having tied for the title in 2000). Coe, currently ranked sixth in the nation, enters the NCAA Regional Tournament with a 36-4 overall record. Its 15-1 Conference record is the best since Simpson finished 19-1 in 1998. Coe led the Conference, both overall and in Conference-only games, in most offensive and pitching statistical categories including batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, total bases, earned run average, opponents’ batting average and batters struck out. Timmons won his 600th career game with a 4-2 victory over Illinois Wesleyan on April 17.

The IIAC also announced today the 2005 softball All-Conference Team. The 26-member Team includes 15 previous All-Conference selections including three three-time honorees. Conference Champion Coe has a League-high seven All-Conference performers including six on the First Team. Wartburg has six All-Conference performers and Central has four.

The complete 2005 IIAC All-Conference Softball Team is here.

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