Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Schmidt, Christian, Rendina Earn Team Awards at Softball's Annual Banquet
May 04, 2015 | Softball
The Princeton softball program named its 2015 award winners at its annual banquet Monday afternoon in Jadwin Gym.
The Tigers wrapped their 2015 campaign April 26 with a doubleheader split at Cornell, clinching a winning Ivy League season after being alive in the Ivy South race until the season's final day. The team is graduating six seniors, including Meredith Brown, Libby Crowe, Sarah McGowan, Rachel Rendina, Alyssa Schmidt and Cara Worden.
Two of the program's three annual awards went to seniors, with Rendina earning the Cindy Cohen Women's Softball Award and Schmidt getting the Patton-Poole Women's Softball Award. Junior Shanna Christian was named the winner of the Kathy Kobler Garrett '91 Memorial Award.
Rendina's Cohen Award was established by Henry H. Patton '35 in honor of Cindy Cohen, whose 560 wins from 1983 to 2000 make her the all-time winningest coach in program history. It is awarded annually to the senior who through sportsmanship, dedication and consistent effort has been an inspiration to her teammates. Rendina held down the centerfield position as the only Tiger to play in all 42 games, starting every one of them. She finished with a .277 average and a team-high 41 hits and two triples. Her 16 RBI and 48 total bases were second on the team.
Schmidt's Patton-Poole Award was established by Patton and Alan C. Poole '37 and is awarded annually to the player who in play, sportsmanship and influence has been most valuable to the team. Schmidt's .315 batting average led the team, as did her four home runs, and her 35 hits and eight doubles were second on the team. Schmidt ended her Tiger career on an eight-game hitting streak, hitting .379 over those last eight games.
Christian's Kobler Garrett Award is given in memory of Kathy Kobler "Kobs" Garrett '91 to the member of the team whose generosity, positive attitude, genuine consideration for others, and quiet energy make her essential to the success of the team. Christian had a team-best 2.64 ERA and 71 strikeouts this season while throwing 85 innings, second-most on the team. Four times during the Ivy League season, Christian threw complete-game shutouts, and her final appearance at '95 Field, against Yale, came within one out of Princeton's first seven-inning no-hitter in 10 years.