Gentzler gains All-American honors

Published 12:00 am Monday, May 26, 2003

Brooke Gentzler is excited about having one more season of softball at St. Cloud State University, but not because it will give her a chance to add to a list of ever-growing accolades and school records.

Gentzler is a team player, and nothing would make her happier than to lead the Huskies to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

But that does not deny the fact that Gentzler, a 2000 Austin High School graduate, racked up the numbers this season en route to being named to the 2003 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II All-America First Team.

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"Brooke is one of those athletes that has the talent and the drive to be as good as she wants to be," said Todd Waterbury, who coached Gentzler for two seasons at Austin High School. "It's a rare combination. It didn't take long for us to figure out she was going to be a pretty special player.

"I'm not surprised a bit that she's an All-American."

Gentzler is only the third softball player in SCSU school history to achieve All-American status. Only 15 players make first-team status.

"It's definitely an honor," Gentzler said. "I never saw it coming. I didn't really know what it was at first, but it's definitely a bonus."

So were all of the school records Gentzler accumulated during this, her junior season. She outdueled teammate, roommate and co-All-American Abby Bourman in the single-season home run race that the duo previously shared from the 2002 campaign.

And even though for much of the 2003 regular season Gentzler and Bourman went back-and-forth with the home run lead, Gentzler said the subject never came up.

"It was never really a focus, especially during the season or at anytime," Gentzler said. "Abby's my roommate and we never even talked about it. For me, our team always comes first."

Gentzler and the Huskies got to within one game of nationals this season, losing 4-0 to North Dakota State in the finals of the regional tournament. The former Packer standout slugger is hoping to get another opportunity next year.

"It's been a great run, it'll just be exciting to give it one more shot," Gentzler said.

St. Cloud State graduates a number of seniors from the starting lineup, but Gentzler, a three-time All-North Central Conference first baseman, leads the returners. She gained All-Region and All-Regional Tournament accolades this season, setting school records with 17 home runs, 54 RBIs, 146 total bases and 31 extra-base hits.

"She is extremely focused and very intense," Waterbury said of his former student. "She is an athlete who has specific team goals and sometimes would will the team and put them on her back on occasion.

"She's one of the best leaders I've ever had. She didn't say a lot, but when she said it, you listened."

After tying Bourman with nine home runs in 2002, Gentzler drove the ball out of the park almost twice as many times this year for a career total of 32 -- also a record.

"It's a great feeling," Gentzler said of hitting a home run. "Obviously you get the whole ball. Sometimes you know right away as soon as you hit it."

A number of other school statistical marks are sure to fall in the year to come, but Gentzler does not intend to worry about the numbers.

"It's never been a focus and I don't plan on it being one next year," she said.

Gentzler hit five home runs during her two-year high school career at Austin, helping the Packers get to state in 1999 and 2000 and start a dynasty behind Waterbury's program.

"Girls would back up about three steps when Brooke came to the plate," Waterbury recalled. "You could see some of the fielders weren't real excited about having to field one of her ground balls.

"She never got cheated."

Gentzler is pursuing her degree in nuclear medicine at St. Cloud State, hoping for one day making a career in radiology or chemotherapy.

"It's definitely a tough major, but I've found that it helps me because I have to be focused on school or softball," she said. "Sports are great, but they don't last forever."

Call Ross Thede at 434-2234 or e-mail him at sports@austindailyherald.com.