NEW MEXICO STATE TO HOST 2012 TOURNAMENT
New Mexico State will host the 2012 WAC Softball Tournament. The top six teams will advance to the double-elimination tournament, which will be held at the NM State Softball Complex from May 9-12. It is the second time the Aggies have hosted the event, as they did so in 2010, as well.
Top-seeded New Mexico State shut out No. 3-seed Fresno State 5-0 to claim its first-ever WAC Tournament title last season in Fresno and earn the WAC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
FRESNO STATE PICKED TO WIN 2012 WAC TITLE
The WAC softball coaches selected Fresno State to win the 2012 WAC regular-season crown. It is the 14th time in the last 17 years that the Bulldogs have been the preseason favorite to win the title.
Fresno State took the top spot in the preseason poll with 44 points and three first-place votes. Hawai‘i came in second, picking up two first-place votes and 42 points, followed by New Mexico State in third place with 37 points and two first-place votes. Brigham Young received the other first-place vote and came in fourth place with 35 points. Nevada was picked to finish fifth with 20 points, followed by San Jose State and Louisiana Tech tied for sixth with 17 points apiece. Utah State rounded out the poll in eighth place with 12 points.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC/RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
The preseason all-WAC team is composed of the returning all-conference players from last season. Hawai’i placed the most players on the team with four, while Fresno State and New Mexico State had three apiece.
The WAC will feature nine players who were first team all-conference performers last year. Three come from New Mexico State - Teresa Conrad, Tiare Jennings and reigning WAC Freshman of the Year Valerie Swedberg. Brigham Young returns Carly Duckworth and Jessica Dugas, both of whom were named to the all-Mountain West team last season. Fresno State returns two players (Michelle Moses and Andrea Ortega), while Hawai‘i returns reigning WAC Pitcher of the Year Stephanie Ricketts and reigning WAC Player of the Year Jessica Iwata.
Second team returnees include: Alex Aguirre,Hawai‘i; Janna Frandrup, Louisiana Tech; Erin Jones, Nevada; Allison Lenzora, Utah State; Kelly Majam, Hawai‘i; Brooke Ortiz, Fresno State; and Kassy Uchida, Utah State.
UH’S IWATA NAMED TO PRESEASON PLAYER OF YEAR WATCH LIST
Hawai’i shortstop Jessica Iwata was one of 50 student-athletes selected to the watch list for the 11th annual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
Iwata, a two-time WAC Player of the Year, led the Rainbow Wahine last season with a .355 batting average, a .663 slugging percentage and a .447 on-base percentage. Iwata also led UH in runs scored (43), hits (60), home runs (15) and RBI (44), and finished the season on a nine-game hitting streak. She accumulated more multiple-hit games (16) and multiple-RBI games (13) than any other Rainbow Wahine in 2011. Iwata was also voted to the NFCA All-West Region second team for the second straight year and was named a second team Easton All-American last year as a sophomore.
Iwata is just the fourth Rainbow Wahine to ever be selected to the “Top 50 Watch List.” Last season both Melissa Gonzalez and Kelly Majam were chosen to the list. Before that, the only player to ever represent Hawai’i was Kate Robinson in her senior season, 2008.
The award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by collegiate softball players across the country. The 2012 Watch List is comprised of 23 seniors, 20 juniors and seven sophomores representing 31 universities and 13 conferences.
The Top 25 finalists for the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 11. The Top 10 finalists will be announced May 9 and the Top 3 finalists will be announced May 23. On May 29, prior to the start of the 2012 NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS) in Oklahoma City, the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed.
TOP RETURNING STAT LEADERS
The top returning stat leaders in the WAC from last year include:
| Category |
Name, School |
Statistic/’11 Rank |
| Batting Average |
Valerie Swedberg, NM State |
.377/4th |
| Slugging Pct. |
Valerie Swedberg, NM State |
.748/3rd |
| On Base Pct. |
Tiare Jennings, NM State |
.517/3rd |
| Runs |
Tiare Jennings, NM State |
59/2nd |
| Hits |
Tiare Jennings, NM State |
64/3rd |
| RBI |
Tiare Jennings, NM State |
56/2nd |
| Doubles |
Karley Hopkins, Nevada |
16/1st |
| Triples |
Michelle Moses, Fresno State |
2/T-3rd |
| |
Brooke Ortiz, Fresno State |
2/T-3rd |
| |
Valerie Swedberg, NM State |
2/T-3rd |
| Home Runs |
Jessica Iwata, Hawai‘i |
15/T-3rd |
| |
Tiare Jennings, NM State |
15/T-3rd |
| Stolen Bases |
Alex Aguirre, Hawai‘i |
12/T-5th |
| ERA |
Kaia Parnaby, Hawai‘i |
1.28/1st |
| Wins |
Alex Newman, NM State |
23/1st |
| Saves |
Celisha Walker, NM State |
3/2nd |
| Strikeouts |
Stephanie Ricketts, Hawai‘i |
250/2nd |