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Posted on Wed, May 16, 2012 : 3:32 p.m.

Michigan's Carol Hutchins, Amanda Chidester and Haylie Wagner sweep Big Ten softball awards

By AnnArbor.com Staff

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Michigan senior first baseman Amanda Chidester (3) is a two-time winner of the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year award.

The Michigan softball team, which won its fifth straight Big Ten title last week, also swept the conference's individual honors and placed six players on the All-Big Ten list.

Senior first baseman Amanda Chidester repeated at the Big Ten Player of the Year and Carol Hutchins was named Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

Haylie Wagner hasn't been around Ann Arbor long enough to repeat any awards, but she did grab a pair of the conference honors, which were released Wednesday. She was named the league's Pitcher of the Year and its Freshman of the Year.

Chidester is the fourth Wolverine to repeat as Big Ten Player of the Year, according to MGoBlue.com.

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Carol Hutchins

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Haylie Wagner

She batted .433 during conference play and .354 overall with eight multi-hit games and five games with at least two RBIs. She finished the season with 44 RBIs, 35 runs and nine home runs in 53 games.

Wagner, who was a unanimous selection for Pitcher of the Year, led the conference with a 15-1 record and 1.77 ERA during conference play. Overall, she was 29-5 with a 1.55 ERA and 148 strikeouts in 217 innings. Her 29 wins is the eighth-highest single-season total at Michigan and the second most by a freshman.

For Hutchins, the Coach of the Year Award is her 13th since taking over the program in 1985. She now has a 1,248-422-4 (.747) overall record and 15 Big Ten titles at Michigan.

Chidester and Wagner were joined on the All-Big Ten team by Michigan freshman Sara Driesenga, who appears at the utility player position. Driesenga appeared in all 23 Big Ten games at either designated player (.387, 4 HR, 10 RBI) or pitcher (3-4, 3.05 ERA, 2 saves).

Senior outfielder Bree Evans and sophomore outfielder Nicole Sappingfield were named second-team All-Big Ten and junior second baseman Ashley Lane earned third-team honors.

The Wolverines will play in an NCAA Regional in Louisville, Ky., starting with a game against Kentucky on Friday (4:30 p.m., ESPN2).

Comments

just a voice

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 11:56 a.m.

go blue! go michigan softball! winningest coach in UM history (most wins) off topic, who has the highest win percentage? (the old swim coach had the best home record I think, John Urbancheck (i think it was his name)

Luke Bromberg

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 3:06 p.m.

But she has the most wins in a career at Michigan as a head coach.

heartbreakM

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 1:49 a.m.

3 of every 4 games won in all her years!!! What an outstanding record!!! Coach Hutch is a GEM of a coach and we are lucky that she has been our coach. I can't wait to meet her someday and congratulate her in person. Go blue.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Wed, May 16, 2012 : 8:49 p.m.

Great job, team, and Coach Hutchins! Your record this year and your gaining Michigan's 15th Big Ten Championship (I'm pretty sure that the next highest is 4) shows great ability and effort. Play well in the tournament. Go Blue!