Only eight Bulldogs have garnered All-America honors at least three times in their Fresno State softball career but today senior shortstop Christina Clark (Santa Ana, Calif.) increased that total to nine as the 2006 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams were announced.
As the Bulldog softball program's 53rd All-American, Clark was the only Western Athletic Conference player selected as she garnered second team honors her final year.
Clark, who is the program's only three-time All-American at shortstop, wrapped up her stellar career by ranking in five NCAA Division I all-time career categories. The three-time WAC Player of the Year finished her career by ranking No. 6 in total bases (563), No. 9 in slugging percentage (.756), No. 10 in home runs (62), No. 11 in intentional walks (14) and No. 12 in runs (228).
The four-time first team All-West Region and All-WAC pick also wrapped up her career by owning four all-time career hitting marks in school and conference history: total bases, walks (114), doubles (57) and home runs.
Tying the Fresno State season mark in walks (43), Clark also batted a career-high .430 for the fifth-best single-season mark in school history. While leading the team with 23 multiple hit and nine multiple RBI games, the past season also saw Clark become the third Bulldog and WAC player as well as the 12th NCAA Division I player to score 225 or more career runs.
As the second Bulldog to record four consecutive 100-total base seasons, Clark also notched four straight 60-hit, 50-run and 30-RBI seasons. She led the WAC the last three seasons in runs, total bases and slugging percentage and was the league's season leader in home runs and RBI three times as well.
In the final overall conference statistics, Clark was the WAC's top hitter as she led the league in batting, hits (71), runs (56), doubles (19) and total bases (122). In the final statistics for WAC games only, Clark became the fifth player in conference history to bat .500 or better and the third WAC player and first Bulldog to slug 1.000 or better in league contests. She led the WAC in batting, slugging percentage, runs (17) and total bases (40) while sharing top honors in home runs (4).
Clark, who ranks in 12 all-time Fresno State and 11 all-time WAC career categories, was nationally ranked every week this past season in walks, runs and batting average while also being showcased the last five weeks in doubles and slugging percentage. In her career, she has been nationally ranked 22 weeks in runs and home runs, 20 weeks in slugging percentage and 14 weeks in batting average.
Opening her senior campaign as the Fresno State softball program's 18th professional draft selection and named to the 2006 USA Softball Preseason Watch List, Clark hit better than .450 while slugging .800 in her final 23 games of the season.
Other Bulldogs who have been a three-time All-American include first baseman Gena Strang (1985-88), pitcher Carie Dever (1987-90), pitcher Terry Carpenter (1989-92) and second baseman Nina Lindenberg (1996-98). Four-time Bulldog All-Americans are outfielders Laura Berg (1994-95, 97-98) and Robyn Yorke (1994-97) and pitcher/utility players Amanda Scott (1997-2000) and Jamie Southern (2002-05).