Softball Hall of Fame

Fauser is one of the most-accomplished softball pitchers in the area, excelling at Morton High School before starring at the University of Wisconsin. A two-time Peoria Journal Star Softball Player of the Year (1994, 1995), Fauser led Morton to three straight conference championships and back-to-back appearances in the IHSA state tournament, earning a second-place finish in 1994 and a third-place trophy in 1995. Named to the all-tournament team in both 1994 and 1995, Fauser was the 1994 state tournament MVP after pitching back-to-back no-hitters. She still holds school records with 20 strikeouts in a game, 294 in a season and 882 in her career, as well as the school marks with 25 wins in a season and 81 wins in a career. After graduating from Morton, where her jersey was retired in 1996, Fauser starred on the pitching rubber at Wisconsin, appearing in 125 games during her four-year collegiate career. The 1997 team MVP and 1999 recipient of the Coaches Award, Fauser pitched 747.2 innings at Wisconsin, compiling 52 wins, 551 strikeouts and a 2.72 earned run average with 15 shutouts. Fauser went on to play with several area women’s fast pitch teams after graduation, including East Peoria Hits and Avanti’s, and she remains active in area youth softball as a coach and clinic speaker.