May 6, 2008

CHICAGO - Sophomore Ellen Kresl (Kankakee, Ill./Bishop McNamara) has been named U.S. Army Horizon League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week it was announced this afternoon by the League office. This marks the fourth time this spring that a member of the Loyola University Chicago softball team has earned the honor.

In four games last week, the slap-hitting outfielder batted .571 (4 for 7) to help the Ramblers to a 3-1 record, including a three-game sweep of League foe Detroit. She owned a .583 on-base percentage last week and has now reached base safely in each of Loyola's last seven contests. In League play this spring, Kresl batted a scorching .459 and with a .390 overall batting average, is chasing the Loyola single-season record (.389) set by Dawn Juliano in 1988.

Off the field, Kresl owns a 3.67 grade-point average as an accounting major. In the fall, she was named to the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll and last season, she helped Loyola earn a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Academic Team Award.

To be eligible for Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.0 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution and passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours, and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives.

Loyola opens play at the Horizon League Championship on Thursday by facing Detroit in a first-round contest. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Loyola Softball Park.