Senior Year (2021): Made an appearance in all 41 games for the Redbirds, earning 40 starts at first base … Named to the MVC All-Defensive Team … Earned All-MVC Second Team honors … Collected the team’s Redbird Award … Finished fifth on the team in batting average (.274) with seven multi-hit games … Turned in a 12-game reached base streak from April 18-May 8 … Belted the second-most home runs (5), including in back-to-back wins over DePaul (April 3) and Southern Illinois (April 17) … Scored 20 runs … Recorded a pair of three-hit performances against UT Martin (Feb. 25) and SIU (April 17) … Tallied a trio of multi-RBI performances … Doubled twice in a game at Indiana State (March 20) … Went 2-for-2 in stolen bases … Finished the year with a .978 fielding percentage, recording 215 putouts and four assists.
Junior Year (2020): Started in all 20 games she was available for the Redbirds during her junior campaign at the first base position … Turned in the fourth-best batting average (.300) and fourth-most RBIs (8) on the team, while ranking in a tie for second in home runs (3) … Launched her first career long ball in a perfect 4-for-4 outing at the dish in a 12-8 victory over Boise State (Feb. 14) … Drew a career-best three walks in a season-opening win at USF (Feb. 6) … Scored a pair of runs in a 3-for-4 outing in a win over Austin Peay (Feb. 28) … Hit home runs in back-to-back wins over IUPUI (Feb. 28) and Austin Peay (Feb. 28) at the WKU Hilltopper Spring Fling … One of just two Redbirds to register a four-hit performance this season … Turned in a seven-game reached base streak – the fifth longest on the team … Shortened season due to COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of events and championships by the NCAA.
Sophomore (2019): Made an appearance in 10 games for the Redbirds, earning two starts versus nationally-ranked Florida on back-to-back days ... Registered a season-high four putouts against Florida (Feb. 23) ... Tallied six at-bats on the season.
Freshman (2018): Played in one game for the Redbirds, making her freshman debut at nationally-ranked Arizona State, pitching one inning.
Sherrard HS: Earned four varsity letters as a four-year starter at Sherrard HS for coach Mike DeLoose … earned first-team Three Rivers Conference South, first-team Illinois Coaches Association and All-Star All Area honors in 2017… member of the Quad City Times’ all-area first-team as a senior … Batted .446 with eight doubles, three home runs, and 20 RBIs while going 10-2, striking out nearly 100 batters in the circle in 2017 … was a two-time all-conference second-team selection in 2015 and 2016 … named to the Illinois Coaches Association all-state third team in 2015 … earned first-team all-conference and all-area second-team honors in 2014 … also plays pitcher, infield, and outfield for the Heartland Havoc '98 under coach Jacob Bautista … 2017 USFA World Series Champion in Panama City Beach, Florida with the Heartland Havoc ’98 … helped team to Fastpitch Eastern "A" NSA World Series Championship and an NSA Illinois state runner-up finish in 2016 … earned a runner-up finish at the ASA state championship in 2015 … placed second at USSSA state championships and third at USSSA national championships in 2014 … also a four-year letter winner in basketball and three-year letter winner volleyball at Sherrard … helped the team to four conference and regional championships in basketball, winning the sectional title as a senior … two-time All-Three Rivers Conference first-team selection for basketball in 2016 and 2017 … received honorable mention Illinois Basketball Coaches Association honors … also competed on the Illinois Coaches Association all-state team as a senior… also a first-team All-Three Rivers West, Dispatch all-area, and Quad City Times All-Western Illinois selection in volleyball with a school record of 625 assists with 34 service aces and a .437 hitting efficiency… four-year member of Sherrard Class Senate and the Letterman Club.
Personal: Full name is Spenser Kathrine Strandgard … daughter of Mark and Kathy Strandgard … sister to Riley, current ISU softball player and two-time MVC conference team member … born in Moline, Illinois … plans to major in elementary education.
