Amanda Howard is Washington & Jefferson College's version of Cal Ripken.

Howard, a senior center fielder and leadoff hitter, concluded her collegiate career with 153 consecutive starts for the Presidents softball team.

"I can't believe it myself," said Howard, a 2004 graduate of North Allegheny High School. "I was so lucky to stay free of injuries during my career."

Making the accomplishment even more impressive is the fact that Howard also started in 77 consecutive games for W&J's field hockey team, which competes in the fall.

"That shows her dedication to both sports," W&J softball coach Nicole Vitello said. "Amanda is a leader by example. She's a hard worker who wants to be in the lineup every day."

Howard played left field and batted second in her collegiate debut as a freshman. She moved to center field in the second game and became the Presidents' leadoff hitter the following game. Since then, Howard has been a fixture for W&J atop the lineup and in center field.

"It's rare to see a player start every game in their career," Vitello said. "It's even more of a rarity to have it occur in two different sports. It's a tribute to her dedication and work ethic."

Howard led the Presidents in batting average twice during her career, including an impressive .437 average this season. She also led the team with 36 runs scored, 59 hits and 17 stolen bases.

"Amanda is a hard worker who conducts herself in an exemplary manner on and off the field," Vitello said. "Her leadership skills are irreplaceable. It will be tough to find a player to fill her shoes."

The Presidents' Athletic Conference recognized Howard's value to W&J by voting her the conference most valuable player. She is the first Presidents player to be chosen as the league's MVP since Tricia Lander won the award in 1996.

Howard was also named to the All-PAC team for the fourth time. She was a first-team selection for the third consecutive year, after earning second-team honors as a freshman.

"Amanda always found a way to get on base, and was always a threat to steal," Vitello said. "She has great speed and is a very smart baserunner."

For her career, Howard compiled 181 hits in 515 at bats, for an impressive .351 average. She also scored 116 runs, drove in 57 and was successful on 60 of 74 stolen base attempts.

The Presidents compiled a 93-60 record during Howard's career, capped by this year's school-record 28 wins.

"It's sad to know that my athletic career is over, but I'm very proud of what we accomplished while I was here," said Howard, who took her last final exam on Wednesday. "It was a very rewarding experience."

In field hockey, Howard led the Presidents' to a school-record 15-5 record by scoring nine goals and assisting on nine others. She was then voted first teamAll-Empire 8 Conference.

Howard is W&J's career assist leader in field hockey with 20, while also ranking second in school history in goals (22), points (74) and shots (170). She also recorded four game-winning goals during her career.

"I graduated with a degree in accounting," said Howard, who was named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District II Team after compiling a 3.39 grade point average. "I begin working at Sisterson, a firm in Pittsburgh, on June 9."

Howard was a two-year starter for coach Rick Meister at North Allegheny. The Tigers won two WPIAL titles and placed second once during her career.

"We also made it to the PIAA championship game twice," said Howard. "I played JV my first two years, but did appear in the championship game my sophomore year as a pinch-runner. We won the state title that year and placed second the following year."

"Amanda was a part of two WPIAL championship teams," Meister said. "She was a tough kid who made a significant contribution to our title runs. It's no surprise that she did so well in college."