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Coach Vasko's First Season
Head Coach Bill Vasko enters his first season at the helm of the Wheeling Jesuit softball program with lofty expectations. The 2008 season was a successful campaign for the Lady Cardinals as they finished the regular season in 5th place in the 15-team West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Cards finished the season strong by finishing in 3rd place in the WVIAC tournament, losing 2-0 in the semi-finals to West Virginia Wesleyan.
In the 2009 season, Wheeling Jesuit will look to establish itself as one of the top teams in the competitive WVIAC. Vasko has set the bar high due to the talent that returns from the 2008 squad and the depth added by program newcomers.
Leading the charge in 2009 will be a pair of 1st team all-conference selections in junior shortstop Ashley McSweeney and sophomore pitcher Brandy Jester.
An OVAC product from New Martinsville, WV, McSweeney is one of three team captains and is a former WVIAC Freshman Player of the Year, winning the award in 2007. McSweeney, the starting shortstop, led the team offensively in 2008 with a .388 batting average, 33 runs scored, 16 doubles, 2 triples, and 4 home runs. She was also second on the team with 25 RBI’s. McSweeney was named to the WVIAC all-tournament team and, in addition to her achievements on the field, she was also named to the WVIAC all-academic team.
In addition to being named 1st team all-conference, sophomore pitcher Brandy Jester was also named to the WVIAC all-tournament team and earned the conference’s Freshman Player of the Year award in 2008. Jester led the Cardinal pitching corps with an 18-11 record and a 1.56 ERA. She recorded 156 strikeouts in 174 innings pitched and allowed a .218 opponent batting average.
The 2009 squad will also be led by a number of upperclass returnees who helped guide the Lady Cardinals to a 27-18-1 overall record and a 20-11-1 conference record in 2008.
Renee Bailey, who hails from Pomeroy, Ohio, is the lone senior on the squad and also one of three team captains. She will be roaming centerfield for the Cards in 2009 and is a leader both on and off the field. In 2008, Bailey hit .291 and scored 15 runs and was also named to the NFCA academic all-american team.
Junior outfielder Angela Petros is a Wheeling native and also the third team captain for 2009. Her .301 batting average was 3rd highest on the team in 2008. She also led the team with 29 RBI’s and was second on the team with 22 runs scored. Petros was also named to the WVIAC all-academic team.
Junior Courtney Kurowski once again looks to anchor the “hot corner” for the Cards in 2009. She hit .231 in 2008 with 5 doubles and 9 RBI’s. Meanwhile, fellow junior Jordan Burkhart will vie for time in the outfield and as a designated hitter. Burkhart saw action in 38 games in 2008 and batted .286 with 4 doubles and 11 RBI’s.
Competing for time at catcher will be junior Rachelle Carello and sophomore Gina Hicks. Carello moves behind the dish after seeing action primarily as a pitcher in 2008, making 13 appearances on the mound. Hicks also makes the transition to catcher after appearing in 30 games in the infield and outfield in 2008.
Sophomore Stacey Spicer saw action as an outfielder and designated hitter in 2008 and was 4th on the team with a .299 average. She also had 6 doubles and 19 RBI’s and was named to the WVIAC all-tournament team.
Leah Vereb, a sophomore from Pittsburgh, played in 34 games in 2008 and looks to compete for action in the outfield in 2009. Fellow sophomore Ashley Morris rounds out the returning lettermen. Morris hit .245 while playing second base in 2008. She had 12 RBI’s during the campaign and led the team with 12 stolen bases.
Newcomers looking to make an impact in 2009 include junior first baseman Vanessa Ilovar, junior infielder Lesa Yoho, freshman infielder Sam Kozbial, freshman pitcher Olivia Wamsley, freshman infielder Megan Kemp, freshman outfielder Lauren Francis, and freshman infielder Jaime Donato.
Vasko will be assisted by 2008 Ashland University graduate Amanda Thomas and 2006 Marshall University graduate Noelle Adams.
Wheeling Jesuit opens the season with a grueling schedule at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Florida on March 8th. Upon returning north, the Lady Cards will open play in the WVIAC at Charleston on March 17th and will then participate in a competitive tournament in Salem, Virginia on March 20th – 22nd. | 
