UT's Butler, Curry earn postseason MAC softball awards

5/9/2018
BLADE STAFF
Kristen Butler (right) was named coach of the year in the Mid-American Conference after leading the Rockets to a 30-win season and a No. 3 seed in the MAC tournament.
Kristen Butler (right) was named coach of the year in the Mid-American Conference after leading the Rockets to a 30-win season and a No. 3 seed in the MAC tournament.

University of Toledo softball coach Kristen Butler has been named the Mid-American Conference coach of the year, while freshman Bailey Curry was tabbed as the MAC freshman of the year in a vote of the league’s head coaches.

This season, Butler led the Rockets to a 32-19 regular-season record, became the first Toledo coach to record a 30-win season since 1995 and the first to win 20-plus games in four-straight seasons in the last 21 years. She earned career win No. 100 in her fourth season leading the Rockets.

Curry led Toledo during the regular season in batting average (.370), hits (60), home runs (13), RBIs (44), walks (27), and total bases (105). Her 13 home runs tied a single-season Toledo record.

Curry was named first-team All-MAC for her efforts this season.

Joining Curry as a first-team All-MAC performer is Toledo junior pitcher Kailey Minarchick. Minarchick recorded a 11-1 record with a 1.51 ERA in MAC play. Overall, Minarchick was 18-5 with a 2.22 ERA in 157⅔ innings. Her 18 wins are the most for a Toledo pitcher since 1992.

Senior outfielder Ashley Rausch earned second-team All-MAC honors, while freshman shortstop Kylie Norwood was named to the all-freshman team.

The Rockets, who tied Ball State for the MAC West title at 16-7, begin conference tournament play Wednesday vs. Central Michigan.