Jennifer Kriech Class: Junior Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind. High School: Perry Meridian Height: 5-7 Position: Rightfield Birthdate: 09/08/1980 Honors: 2001 Preseason all-BIG EAST

Multi-talented offensive weapon who can bunt, slap or hit away ... bats from the left side and gives the Irish a strong presence in the leadoff spot ... good contact hitter who can also hit for power ... talented and confident outfielder who has a strong arm and can get rid of the ball quickly.

AS A SOPHOMORE:

Earned second consecutive first-team all-BIG EAST selection ... started all 61 games as the Irish lead-off hitter and left fielder ... finished second in the BIG EAST in doubles (five), fourth in RBI (11), seventh in on-base percentage (.434) and eighth in conference batting (.356) ... posted career bests in every offensive category in 2000, including a school-record eight triples (17th nationally) and a team-high 45 runs scored ... had the team’s second-best batting average with a career-best .360 ... second on the team in doubles (14) and stolen bases (16) ... recorded a team-best 22 multi-hit games and a 14-game hitting streak (March 26-April 13) ... scored the winning run in 11 games ... started 58 games in right field and three in center ... batted in the leadoff position in all but one game ... earned all-tournament honors at the Boilermaker Invitational after going five for 12 at the plate with three RBI and four runs scored ... also had the game-winning RBI in the team’s tournament win over host Purdue ... opened the season by hitting a perfect three for three with two runs scored, a RBI and two stolen bases vs. Portland State ... got at least one hit in all five of the teams games at the Las Vegas Tournament ... hit her second career home run in the team’s upset over #16 Louisiana-Lafayette ... scored the game winning run in four straight Irish victories from April 9 - April 15 ... posted back-to-back triples and scored the team’s only runs in a 2-1 victory at Indiana State ... finished the regular season with four consecutive two for four performances at the plate.

AS A FRESHMAN:

One of six Notre Dame players and the only freshman to be named to the ’99 BIG EAST first team ... also a BIG EAST all-rookie team selection, joining teammate Jarrah Myers ... had four game-winning RBI and scored four game-winning runs ... ranked second in conference games in stolen bases (six) and fifth in runs (14) ... Irish were 23-7 when she was the lead-off batter ... went six for six in a doubleheader with Boston College with a walk before flying out to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning in game two ... hit her first career home run to right field off Rutgers pitcher Lisa Bosso to open the fifth inning of a 9-1 Notre Dame win ... three for four with two runs scored against Western Michigan ... went a perfect three for three one game later with a run scored versus Toledo ... was three for four with three RBI in the team’s 10-2 win over Purdue ... also had three RBI in the team’s 4-1 win over Kansas ... first multi-hit game came against Maryland, where she went three for four at the plate ... one of three freshmen to start the first game of the season against South Florida.

PREP & PERSONAL:

Four-time letterwinner in softball and two-time letterwinner in cross country at Perry Meridian High School ... National Fastpitch Coaches Association/Louisville Slugger second-team All-American ... ’98 Gatorade player of the year for Indiana ... Indiana representative on the Fastpitch All-America squad ... two-time first-team all-state selection ... 1998 Indianapolis Star and Marion Country player of the year ... two-time Hoosier Diamond preseason conference player of the year ... three-time all-league and all-conference honoree ... holds Indiana state records for career batting average (.578), career triples (33) and triples in a season (13) ... two-time state batting champion and three-time state leader in triples ... season best stats include a .630 average with 13 triples, 45 RBI and four home runs ... played travel softball with the Indiana Gators, Magic and Diamonds ... first team academic all-state ... finished high school with a 4.0 grade-point average ... born Sept. 8, 1980, in Indianapolis, Ind. ... enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business.