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In three seasons as a member of Yvette Healy's staff, Missy Beseres has mentored 15 players that have earned All-Horizon League honors, including 2007 Pitcher of the Year Amy Solava, who became the first Rambler to earn such an honor since 2004. Beseres also serves as the director of Loyola's NCAA Life Skills program. In 2009, Beseres helped captain the Ramblers to a record-breaking season in which they posted 28 victories, the most since 2004. The Ramblers established three single-season team records in 2009, setting new standards for batting average (.264), home runs (37) and stolen bases (116). Solava picked up Second Team All-Horizon League accolades, marking the third time in as many seasons she has been an all-league selection. Beseres has coached two of Loyola's three winningest pitchers in school history in Solava (42 wins) and Krista Crosson (36 wins). Off the field, Solava was selected Second Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V, while as a team, the softball program was one of six Loyola teams to earn a NCAA Public Recognition Award for its outstanding Academic Progress Report score. With Beseres' aid in 2008, Solava earned First Team All-Horizon League honors for the second time in as many seasons, and posted a career-best 16 victories, the most by a Rambler since 2004 and the third-highest single-season total in school history. With 42 wins through three seasons, Solava is only nine victories shy of matching the Loyola all-time record in that category. Outfielder Ellen Kresl batted a whopping .374 to become the first Rambler to be a First Team All-Mideast Region selection. Off the field, Kat Krause earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V honors for the second consecutive season to become only the third Rambler to earn such recognition on multiple occasions in her career. Arguably the most prolific slugger in Rambler history, Krause closed her career as Loyola's all-time leader with 32 home runs and 93 RBIs. In her first season on the Loyola staff in 2007, the former Chicago Bandit helped mentor four First Team All-Horizon League performers, the most since 2004, including Solava, who also earned All-Mideast Region honors along with Krause. After starting the season with a 4-12 record, Beseres helped right the Ramblers' ship as the team won 17 of its final 26 contests to finish with a 21-21 ledger. Along the way, Loyola posted three wins over nationally ranked teams. A victory over No. 17 Illinois State in March was the team's first win over a ranked team since 2000, and an April 17 victory over No. 7 Northwestern was the program's first ever over a top-ten team. The Ramblers also recorded their first victory over city rival DePaul since 1995 when they bettered the No. 14 Blue Demons, 3-0, in May. Under the guidance of the Loyola coaching staff, Krause equaled her own Loyola single-season home run record with 11 roundtrippers in 2007, Raven Gengler became Loyola's then-all-time RBI leader (89) and Tara Miller established the Loyola career record for runs scored (115). Off the field, Loyola also was recognized for numerous efforts in the classroom and the community. In addition to earning the Horizon League's Community Service Award at Loyola, the Ramblers also placed Krause on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V Team. "I am thrilled to have a person and player of Missy's caliber on the Loyola coaching staff," Ramblers head coach Yvette Healy said. "Her highly successful Big Ten and NCAA Tournament pitching experience is a huge asset to our program as we continue to schedule and compete against the toughest competition in both the Midwest and the country. Missy is a tremendous role model both on and off the field. She made an immediate impact on the Loyola Ramblers softball program, working side-by-side with our young pitching staff, while also challenging our hitters. " As a senior at Penn State, Beseres went 19-9 with a 1.42 ERA and 234 strikeouts in 191.2 innings of work for the Nittany Lions. The right-hander was a key figure for a Penn State squad that posted a program-best 39-16 record in 2006 and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. She tied a PSU record for shutouts in a season, with 10. Beseres holds the Penn State career record with 53 victories and totaled 746 strikeouts for her career. She was a Third Team All-Big Ten selection in 2006 and also garnered Second Team All-Great Lakes Region accolades. A two-time team most valuable player, Beseres has experience working the Penn State Softball Camp. |
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