2002 ALL-WAC SOFTBALL TEAM ANNOUNCED
The Western Athletic Conference released its 2002 all-WAC softball team and individual awards as selected by the leagues head coaches. For the second-straight season Hawaii junior Kate Judd earned WAC Player of the Year honors. Fresno State freshman Jamie Southern received both WAC Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, the first player in WAC history to achieve such a feat. Tulsas second-year coach James Pinkerton earned WAC Coach of the Year honors.
Judd, a junior shortstop from Canberra, A.C. T., Australia (Hawker HS), led the WAC in hitting in league games with a .414 average. She was also first in runs scored (14), second in hits (29) and third in home runs (5). Judd is only the second player in WAC history to earn two player of the year honors and the first to win back-to-back honors. Fresno States Nina Lindenberg earned the award in 1196 and 1998.
Southern, a freshman righthander from Clovis, Calif. (Clovis HS), led the WAC with an 11-3 record. She leads the nation in ERA (0.41). In WAC games, Southern led the league in strikeouts (137), innings pitcher (125.2) and ERA (0.45). With 395 strikeouts career strikeouts, Southern moved into ninth all-time in the WAC. Southern is also first in the WAC all-time in strikeouts per seven innings (8.20). She also set the WACs new single-season strikeout record (380). The right-hander ended the regular season with a 32-8 record with 21 shutouts.
Pinkerton led Tulsa to a remarkable one-season tournaround. The Hurricane finished with a 48-16 record after a 13-42 record in 2001. Tulsa was 15-9 in the WAC, good for a second place tie with Hawaii. The 48 wins are a program high and included an early-season 19-game winning streak. The Hurricane also set school records for home runs (30) and stolen bases (90).
Hawaii led the conference with four players on the all-WAC first team. Loyola Marymount placed three on the first team, while Fresno State had two. San Jose State each placed two players while Tulsa and Loyola Marymount placed one. Five of the 10 first-team all-WAC performers from a year ago are repeat performers, including Fresno States Lindsay Fossatti and Hawaiis Stacey Porter, Natalie Gonzales and Kate Judd. LMUs Christy Cercedes also earned first team honors in 2001.
Fresno State placed four players on the second team, while Portland State place three. San Jose State, Loyola Marymount and Tulsa each placed one.
2002 ALL-WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SOFTBALL TEAM
First Team
Name Team Pos.
Trisha Gomes LMU C
Stacey Porter Hawaii 1B
Natalie Gonzales Hawaii 2B
Lindsay Fossatti FS 3B
Kate Judd Hawaii SS
Christy Cerecedes LMU OF
Denise Dahlberg Hawaii OF
Jessie Smith Tulsa OF
Sami Strinz LMU UT
Jamie Southern FS P
Second Team
Name Team Pos.
Pam West FS C
Emily Foltz LMU 1B
Megumi Hackett PSU 2B
Veronica Ramos SJSU 3B
Leticia Pacheco FS SS
Laura Freels PSU OF
Monica Martell PSU OF
Tiffany Whipple FS OF
Vanessa CzarneckiFS UT
Jenny Magill Tulsa P
2002 WAC Player of the Year: Kate Judd, Hawaii
2002 WAC Pitcher of the Year: Jamie Southern, FS
2002 WAC Freshman of the Year: Jamie Southern, FS
2002 WAC Coach of the Year: James Pinkerton, Tulsa