VALPARAISO, Ind. - According to Ashley Wolter, her formula for success is simple:

Grip it. Rip it. Repeat.

"I just swing as hard as I can," said the 22-year-old softball standout. "And I've been blessed with the strength to send it over the fence a few times."

No kidding.

Wolter, a Denver High graduate, entered what could be the final weekend of her college career owning multiple offensive records for Valparaiso University. That lengthy list of achievements includes the Crusaders' career home run mark (21), along with the school's single-season RBI mark (33, set this season).

"Every single one of her swings is scary," noted Wolter's' teammate, senior Steph Kelly. "Because she always has the potential to hit it out of the park.

"Runs in softball mean so much," she added. "And, if one player can generate runs all by herself, that makes her a hitter most pitchers get nervous about."

With Wolter's 24-23 Crusader club at the Horizon League tournament this weekend, the former five-time Denver letterwinner is hitting .340 with team-high totals in both RBIs and home runs (8). As the left-hander's decorated college career comes to a close, she has started 162 games at Valpo.

She ranks among the top 10 in school history in nine total categories.

After being such a fixture in the Crusader clubhouse for four years, it's hard to think about life after softball.

"It's flown by, for sure," said Wolter on Wednesday night, after being named second-team all-conference.

"I'm gonna miss going out everyday and playing the game you love - all that stuff you've been doing since you were a little kid. It's kinda crazy to think about life without it."

From her days playing Denver Lions teeball at age six to starring for her local Cyclones, Wolter's softball career path was always lined with a little luck. She realizes that now, in retrospect.

"I was so fortunate to have (Valparaiso) Coach (Randy Schneider) discover me in little Denver, Iowa," she acknowledged.

Schneider, a former Waverly-Shell Rock and Wartburg coach before coming to Valpo, recognized both eagerness and intensity while watching Wolter dominate the North Iowa Cedar League as a prep. And, without question, his gamble on her has paid nice dividends.

"She was a kid that learned well and adjusted well over the years - her numbers have proven that," Schneider said, "because she'll go down in the record books here at Valpo."

Wolter, obviously, is blessed with eye-opening skills such as strength, speed and timing. But, according to her coach, her assets don't stop there.

Wolter, he said, also possesses rare amounts of loyalty, honor and leadership.

"In my 17 years of coaching, she's gonna be a kid that I'll always remember," Schneider said.

Wolter, set to graduate on May 17, has a laundry list of career highlights on the softball diamond.

And, she added, "hopefully I make some more this weekend. … I'm just really trying to enjoy the last few moments."

ASHLEY'S ACCOLADES: A look at Denver native Ashley Wolter's accomplishments for Valparaiso's softball squad …

- 2006: earned first-team all-conference honors as a freshman

- 2009: earned second-team all-conference as an outfielder

- currently owns school career HR record (21)

- owns Valparaiso's single-season RBI mark this year (33)

- was recently named team MVP