STARKVILLE, Miss. – Senior second baseman Jen Yee has been named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player of the Week for games played between February 22-28.

Yee powered her way to a .545 batting average last week by going 12-for-22 with six home runs, eight runs and 14 RBIs. She also walked twice and had one stolen base.

The North Delta, B.C.’ native came up with clutch hits for the Yellow Jackets on three separate occasions on the week. Against Arkansas, the senior had her first multi-home run game in a Georgia Tech uniform and had the game-winning home run against Central Florida. Yee also hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning versus Iowa to give her team the lead for the first time since trailing 5-0.
Yee had a 1.333 slugging percentage and a .550 on-base percentage at the 2010 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, where she took home tournament most valuable player honors.

No. 12 Georgia Tech finished the week at 5-1 behind Yee’s performance and is currently 13-2 on the season.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES
Ball State’s Elizabeth Millian went 3-0 with a save, a no-hitter and did not allow any runs over a 4-1 week for the Cardinals… Washington’s Nikki Williams hit .588 with four home runs and 11 RBIs, pacing her team to a 5-0 record… Nadia Taylor of Texas hit .583 with three multi-hit, multi RBI games as the Longhorns went 3-2… East Carolina’s Toni Paisley had a 0.00 ERA over four games as her team went 4-0… Kenzie Fowler led Arizona to a perfect 5-0 week with 36 strikeouts and five wins.

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Defending national champion Messiah received all eight first-place votes, taking the No. 1 spot in the preseason NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll, the association announced Wednesday.

Messiah will again be led by sophomore Jessica Rhoads, who dominated the national championship tournament both from the rubber and at the plate, culminating in the school’s first national championship and a 43-4 overall record. East Texas Baptist and Ohio Northern begin 2010 sharing the No. 2 spot. ETBU went 39-9 a year ago, while Ohio Northern returns all but one starter to a team that made its first appearance at the national championship. Fellow championship participant Cortland State starts at No. 4, and national championship runner-up Coe, which finished 41-13 a season ago, rounds out the top five.

With a 2009 third place finish nationally, Gustavus Adolphus starts at No. 6, while No. 7 Washington-St. Louis returns all but two starters to a squad that finished 27-13. National championship participant Salisbury begins at No. 8, while 2008 championship runner-up Wisconsin-Whitewater takes the nine spot. Another national championship rookie a year ago, Texas-Tyler rounds out the top 10.

Nos. 11, 12, and 13, respectively, Coast Guard Academy, Illinois Wesleyan and Bridgewater were all a step away from making a trip to the national tournament last season, while No. 14 DePauw returns both pitchers to a team that finished 32-9 a year ago. Another regional finalist, William Paterson starts at No. 15.

No. 16 Luther finished 35-10 a year ago, while recent West power Linfield is No. 17. No. 18 Rhode Island College returns its entire pitching staff to a squad that finished 42-7 a year ago, while 33-11 Emerson starts at No. 19. Tufts rounds out the top 20 after going 44-3 and finishing fourth at the national championship.

Wisconsin-Eau Claire begins at No. 21, while Rowan and Hardin Simmons take the Nos. 22 and 23 spots, respectively. Central and Christopher Newport round out the preseason top 25.

The first regular season NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll will be released March 3.

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LUBBOCK — Texas Tech filed a report with the NCAA over the summer admitting violations of a ban on text-messaging recruits in three sports — football, men’s golf and softball.

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reports that Tech athletic director Gerald Myers referred most questions to Brian Shannon, Tech’s faculty representative who has communicated with NCAA and Big 12 Conference officials on the case.

Shannon told the newspaper that violations were uncovered last February by Tech’s athletic compliance staff in a routine review of phone records. He said that after an internal investigation, Tech sent a report to the NCAA and the Big 12 in July that included self-imposed penalties.

He said he hasn’t been given a time frame for the resolution. “We reported it. We imposed some self-imposed penalties. Most of those have already been served,” Shannon said.
Tech imposed its own penalties in football that included giving up one scholarship for 2010 and reducing the number of campus visits to four fewer recruits than the program’s average over the last four years.

He said “comparable” sanctions had also been imposed on men’s golf and softball. He said each team would give up a fraction of one scholarship and “some limitation or reduction in official paid visits in both.”

The NCAA could accept Tech’s self-imposed punishment or add sanctions.
Shannon said the violations involved two coaches in men’s golf, three former coaches in softball and “quite a few” football coaches, which he estimated to be about 10.
“I don’t know what the NCAA is ultimately going to conclude on this,” said Shannon, a Tech law professor.

Text-messaging recruits was banned in August 2007 after high-school students complained that text messages from college coaches cost them personal time and money because of increased cell-phone charges.

Shannon said nearly all the football coaches involved no longer work for Tech. From former Tech coach Mike Leach’s staff, offensive line coach Matt Moore was the only on-field assistant new Tech coach Tommy Tuberville retained. Shannon said he believed Moore had sent “about four” text messages after the ban. Tuberville was hired Jan. 9. “I told him that this was ongoing,” Myers said. “I don’t know exactly when I told him. I told him early, though. He didn’t seem to be bothered by it.”

The NCAA limits campus visits to 56 recruits per year. Tech had been averaging 44 visitors a year the last four years, Shannon said, and volunteered to cap visits at 40 for the recruiting year that just ended this week. “I think the intent was to show that this was a reduction,” Shannon said.

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The NFCA Division II Top 25 is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches, two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Final 2009 records are shown. First-place votes are in parentheses.

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The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 30 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each of the 30 conferences. Records shown are the teams final 2009 records. Last ranking reflects the final 2009 poll. First-place votes are in parentheses.

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Defending National Champions Staying With Mizuno

Norcross, GA (November 10, 2009) – Mizuno USA, Inc., announced today that the company has reached a multi-year equipment contract extension with the University of Washington Huskies to remain an “Official Corporate Sponsor of the Women’s Softball Program.” Washington’s softball team will continue to be equipped in Mizuno, utilizing the company’s bats, ball gloves, bat bags, accessories, and protective gear.

Washington won the 2009 NCAA Softball National Championship, the program’s first national title, with a 51-12 overall record and a 14-7 record in the Pacific-10 Conference. The Huskies went to their ninth Women’s College World Series in school history, where they had previously finished as the National Runner Up in 1996 and in 1999. Head Coach Heather Tarr enters her sixth season as the Head Coach of the Huskies.

“Mizuno is very excited to extend our partnership with a premier academic and athletic softball program in the University of Washington Huskies,” said Larry Brushett, Softball Promotions Manager, Mizuno USA. “We were so very proud of Washington’s accomplishments last season, both on and off the softball field. We look forward to helping the Huskies maintain their role as the best team in NCAA softball.”

“Mizuno has some of the finest softball products in the world,” said Heather Tarr, Head Coach of the University of Washington. “We have enjoyed the success we’ve had with Mizuno, and we look forward to working together for many more years.”

Texas Tech Athletic Director Gerald Myers announced Shanon Hays, who has guided the program at Lubbock Christian for the past three years, as new head coach for the Red Raider softball program. Hays will become the seventh head softball coach in the history of the program, and the fifth since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996.

“We have studied the pool of applicants, sought out expert advice and conducted a thorough investigation of where the collegiate softball game is headed and all roads led us back to Coach Hays being the best fit for Texas Tech,” said Gerald Myers.

Hays led the Lady Chaps to a national championship during his inaugeral season in 2008, and posted a 114-16 record in the two years at LCU. He was appointed in 2006 and worked for a full academic year in preparation for that first season in 2008. Known as a top-flight recruiter and motivator, he brings with him honors such as 2008 NAIA National Coach of the Year, is the two-time Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (2008 and 2009) and has produced five National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and NAIA first team All Americans in those two years.

“Words can’t express just how thrilled I am to be here at Texas Tech. After meeting with the administration, I am totally convinced that Tech is committed to having a first-class program that the Red Raider and Lubbock community can be proud of. It is a great opportunity for me to be a part of that. It is also exciting having the opportunity and challenge to coach in a great conference like the Big 12. With the new facilities that are being built here, I think Texas Tech Softball has a very bright future,” he said.

Hays began playing fastpitch softball as a youth, along with baseball and basketball, because his father, the legendary Texas Tech and LCU baseball coach Larry Hays, also played fastpitch softball. Larry Hays retired as Tech’s all-time winningest coach prior to the 2009 season with 1,509 victories.

Shanon Hays, who will become the first person at Texas Tech to coach for two completely different sports–one men’s and now one women’s -also served as an assistant basketball coach for the Red Raiders for two seasons and headed the men’s basketball program at Abilene Christian University for three years prior to that, amassing a 58-26 record there. Head basketball coaching stops also included a year at Frank Phillips College and two years at Midland College before returning to ACU as its athletic director for a year before switching his focus to coaching softball with his appointment at LCU.

“The time I spent in administration and in coaching basketball was really great for me,” Hays said, “but having played fastpitch for a number of years I was intrigued about coaching it. I love the game and I have found coaching women to be a much more satisfying experience than working with the guys, no offense to them,” he joked.

“For me, I enjoy the competition and enthusiasm and the ability these players have to embrace new challenges and to get better. And, frankly, I just love the sport itself. I wish I had made the switch to softball many years ago,” he added.

Hays played both basketball and baseball for LCU in 1987 before transferring to Texas Tech to compete for three years as a member of the Red Raider baseball team. He graduated with a degree in history from LCU in 1991, and began his career in coaching and administration.

“Coaches Wilson and Suiter, did an exceptional job moving the program forward over the past five years. There are solid players on the squad and the infrastructure improvements that have been made under Coach Wilson’s watch were ideal and are progressing very well. I’m very excited about our possibilities here at Tech and in the Lubbock community. There isn’t a better place for me to consider making this move and not another job in the country I would have considered leaving my team at LCU for. I am just extremely thankful to Mr. Myers for giving me this opportunity.”

I was just sent a copy of a memorandum that was sent out to all the major bat manufacturers. This particular memorandum is about composite baseball bats, but it opens the question What about softball bats. Instead of describing the memorandum I am just going to post it, and you an read it for yourself.

MEMORANDUM

July 17, 2009

TO: Athletics Directors, Conference Commissioners, and Head Baseball Coaches.

FROM: xxxxx, xxxxxxx

NCAA Baseball Rules Committee.

SUBJECT: Composite Bat Moratorium.

This correspondence is being sent on behalf of the Baseball Rules Committee, alerting the college baseball and bat manufacturing community to an important action being taken in regard to certain bats that have been used in NCAA competition. After significant dialog and review of research collected during the Division I Baseball Championship, the committee is proposing an immediate and indefinite moratorium on the use of composite barreled bats. The committee believes this action is needed in order to protect the integrity of the game and to enhance the safety of the student-athletes.

Before the committee’s recent meeting, numerous concerns were voiced by the membership with a request for action. After a thorough review of compliance testing and a review of the improved performance of composite bats, often exceeding NCAA acceptable limits, these concerns have proven to be valid. Therefore, the committee has decided to put an immediate and indefinite moratorium on the use of composite bats in NCAA competition.

The research reviewed included compliance testing during the Division I Baseball Championship. During this testing, 80 percent of the composite bats tested failed the current NCAA performance level. Because all bat designs must pass this test before mass production, this research indicates that the performance of such bats changed thereafter, mostly likely due to repeated, normal use and/or intentional alteration. Offensive statistics at the Division I level also indicate a significant increase in batting averages and home runs the past two seasons.

While the committee is mindful of the possibility that its proposed moratorium may have an economic impact on some NCAA member institutions, the committee believes that the testing data and other evidence on this matter, as well as its responsibility to protect the integrity of the game and the welfare of student-athletes, clearly outweigh any such impact.

The committee requests your feedback regarding this action, which will be considered by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel at an upcoming meeting. Please send any feedback to xxxx. xxxxxx at the NCAA by Monday, August 3 and it will be shared with the Panel.

Thank you for your attention to this memorandum.

xxxxxx, xxxxxxx

OKLAHOMA CITY – The University of Washington exploded for eight runs on seven hits in Monday’s first game of the NCAA Championship Series, recording an 8-0 seven-inning win over Florida. Washington (50-12) leads Florida (63-4) in the best-of-three series with game two scheduled for 7 pm CDT on Tuesday evening.

Washington’s win snaps Florida’s 29-game winning streak, handing the Gators first loss since March 29, when UF lost to Alabama.

Washington opened the scoring in the top of the third inning. Niki Williams led off the inning with a walk and stole second, going to third on an Ashley Charters single. Kimi Pohlman followed by reaching base on a fielders choice with no out recorded on the play to load the bases.

Jennifer Salling then stepped in, knocking a two-RBI single up the middle with Charters evading a tag at the plate. Gator catcher Kristina Hilberth then saw she could catch Pohlman in a rundown between second and third base, but her throw to the bag at second was too high, going into centerfield and allowing both Pohlman and Salling to score on the play, giving the Huskies a 4-0 lead.

Another deuce was added in the fifth inning. Charters walked to lead off the inning, but after a pair of fielders choices, Salling was the runner on first base who went to third on a Danielle Lawrie single. Both runners scored on a double by Morgan Stuart, making the score 6-0. Stuart’s double was her fourth this week, setting a new WCWS record.

The Husky offense kept churning in the sixth inning. A one-out walk to Lauren Greer was followed by a two-out home run from Charters to give Washington its seventh and eighth runs of the game.

Because the eight-run mercy rule is not in effect for the championship series, the game went a full seven innings.

Florida ace Stacey Nelson took the loss for the Gators, falling to 41-4 on the season. She tossed five innings, striking out five, but allowing six runs on five hits. Stephanie Brombacher tossed the final two innings, allowing two runs on as many hits.

Danielle Lawrie earned the win for Washington, improving to 41-8 this year. She struck out 12 and walked three while twirling a two-hit shutout over her seven innings in the circle.

The University of Delaware canceled its softball team’s three-game series against Hofstra after 12 students, including one baseball player, were diagnosed with the swine flu. Hofstra inevitably took the regular season championship in the Colonial Athletic Assn.

“You always have concern over things that you have no control over,” Hofstra Coach Bill Edwards told Newsday. “I don’t know that we are aware countrywide about how serious and how big this is, when there is still an unknown factor there is always concerns. It is what it is, we certainly have to follow university and national protocol because it is going to be well out of our hands as to what transpires here.”

This isn’t the first canceled or postponed athletic event since the swine flu outbreak. Totally Random in the sports section today noted that high school sporting events in Texas were postponed. Play is scheduled to resume May 11. Alabama also canceled sporting events.

The Times’ Eric Sondheimer reports on Varsity Times Insider that City Section Commissioner Barbara Fiege informed athletic directors at a meeting Wednesday that playoff schedules next month could be disrupted if schools are closed.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – After leading her then-No.4 Alabama Crimson to a three-game sweep of then-No.6 Georgia Kelsi Dunne (Port Orange, Fla.) was selected the USA Softball Player of the Week for the week of March 30 – April 5 announced today by the Amateur Softball Association.

The sophomore collected all three wins against Georgia on the weekend with three starts, posting a 0.54 ERA on the weekend. She came in for an inning of relief in the seventh of game two to help her team break the tie and earn a 3-2 win in eight innings. Dunne’s three wins increase her win total against ranked opponents to six on the season.

She held the potent Georgia offense to just a .190 average and one run. Dunne allowed eight hits and struck out 11 on the weekend.

This is the first-time honor for Dunne as USA Softball Player of the Week.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Right-fielder Holly Ridley (Sugar Land, Texas) of the Texas A&M Aggies was chosen as the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week for her performance during the week of Feb. 23 through March 1. Tallying a .625 average (10-for-16), the senior led the Aggies to a 4-1 weekend that included a walk-off home run and five doubles.

“What an honor to be chosen as National Player of the Week,” said Ridley. “This recognition really reflects a team effort. I just wanted to contribute to help us win and it paid off. We are even more excited about our season after this past weekend and know that we can fight it out with the best of them.”

Ridley’s 3-for-4 performance on Friday against a then No. 10 Arizona included two doubles and a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to seal win. She was a perfect 3-for-3 on Sunday with two more doubles and two walks to lead to the Aggies to the series victory. She posted at least one hit in every game and never recorded a strikeout.

Against Monmouth on Friday, Ridley’s three-run home run put the Aggies up 5-1. She was also flawless in a five-inning run-rule of the Hawks on Saturday, going 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs.

For the weekend she recorded 10 hits (including five doubles and two home runs), eight RBI, six runs, four walks and a sacrifice flyout.

This marks the first USA Softball Player of the Week honor for Ridley.

Texas A&M right fielder Holly Ridley has been named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player of the Week, the NFCA announced today.

Ridley, a senior from Sugar Land, Texas, hit .625 last week as Texas A&M posted two upsets and a series win over then-No. 10 Arizona. Ridley’s 3-for-4 performance on Friday included two doubles and a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to seal the Aggies first win over the Wildcats. In Sunday’s victory over Arizona, Ridley went 3-for-3 with two more doubles and two walks to lead the Aggies to the series victory. She posted at least one hit in every game and did not strike out on the week.

Ridley’s three-run home run put the Aggies up 5-1 against Monmouth on Friday, and she was flawless in a five-inning run rule of the Hawks on Saturday, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs. In A&M’s lone loss of the week (to Arizona on Saturday), Ridley recorded an RBI double, finishing the week with 10 hits, five doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, six runs, four walks and a sacrifice fly for the week ending March 1.

With a 2-1 record over the opening weekend, Siskiyous leads the way in the Cal JC Top 20 Coaches Poll. First place votes were spread between four schools with Siskiyous and Mt. San Antonio College earning two top-votes apiece while Sacramento City and Cerritos College each had one first-place vote. The top four teams are separated by just seven points.

1. Siskiyous (2-1), 69 points (2 first-place votes)
2. Mt. San Antonio College (2-0), 64 (2)
3. Sacramento City (4-0), 63 (1)
4. Cerritos (0-0), 62 (1)
5. San Jose City (5-0), 52
6. Sierra (5-3), 48
T-7. Cosumnes River (7-1), 47
Grossmont (6-1), 47
Shasta (0-0), 47
10. Ohlone (4-2), 45
11. Long Beach City (5-2), 44
T-12. Fullerton (3-2), 40
Palomar (3-3), 40
14. Antelope Valley (3-3-1), 39
15. Cypress (0-0), 37
16. Citrus (2-0), 34
17. Solano (1-1), 30
T-18. Fresno (5-2), 26
Saddleback (2-1), 26
20. Sequoias (5-5), 24

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) announced today that Oklahoma’s Amber Flores (Calexico, Calif.) and Tennessee’s Tiffany Huff (Saugus, Calif.) were named the USA Softball National Collegiate co-Players of the Week for the week of February 2-8. Both hitting over .640 for the weekend, both Flores and Huff contributed 15 RBI to their respective teams as No. 3 Oklahoma went 4-1 and No. 12 Tennessee recorded a 4-1 mark.

Flores led the Sooners hitting .643, going 9-for-14 with nine runs scored and 15 RBI. The junior shortstop was named MVP of the Hawaii Paradise Classic, which Oklahoma won by outscoring opponents 58-9. Against UAB, Flores had a two-run double and two three-run home runs for eight total RBI which tied an Oklahoma record for RBI in a single game. On the weekend, she had a 1.429 slugging percentage, a .737 on-base percentage with two doubles, three home runs, two walks and 20 total bases.

“I am grateful to have been chosen player of the week. It’s an honor to be recognized and to represent the University of Oklahoma,” said Flores. “I hope we can continue our success throughout the season.”

“Amber Flores is a tremendous athlete for us both offensively and defensively. She had an amazing opening weekend,” said Oklahoma Head Coach Patty Gasso. “I know Amber will be quite humbled by this honor and proud to represent her teammates and the University of Oklahoma on a national level.”

Lady Vols junior catcher Huff hit .647 (11-of-17) over a five-game weekend at the BYU Red Desert Classic in St. George, Utah. She tallied two doubles, two home runs and 15 total RBI, an average of three runs knocked in per contest. Her best game of the weekend came in a 16-0 (5 inn.) win over San Jose State as Huff went 3-for-4 with a career high six RBI and a three-run homer. She slugged 1.118 for the weekend with a .684 on-base percentage and moved into the Lady Vol top 10 in career RBI.

“It’s such a great honor to be chosen as the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week,” Huff said. “I had so much fun last weekend on our trip out to Utah, and really enjoyed the competition, trying to hit off the pitchers and spending lots of time with my teammates. I had a good week individually, but I’m happier that my team played really well together. I can’t wait for the rest of the season.”

“Ralph (co-head coach Weekly) and I are extremely proud of Tiffany,” Lady Vol Co-Head Coach Karen Weekly said. “She worked very hard in the offseason to improve her game, and it’s nice to see her efforts rewarded. The leadership she provides our young team, both vocally and with her play, is invaluable.”

The Alabama Crimson Tide takes over the top spot in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll, having turned in a 4-0 record during the opening weekend of the 2009 season. Coach Patrick Murphy’s squad takes over the top spot from Florida. The Gators check in at No. 2 after taking two of three games from Baylor last weekend. Defending NCAA Champions Arizona State check in at No. 3 coming off of a 5-1 opening weekend after playing host to the Kajikawa Classic.

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. Records through Feb. 8, 2009, are shown. First-place votes are in parentheses.

Oklahoma junior shortstop Amber Flores has been named the first Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Player of the Week for the 2009 season.

The Calexico, Calif., native led Oklahoma to the Hawai’i Paradise Classic tournament title last weekend and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Flores hit .643, going 9-for-14 on the weekend with 15 RBI, nine runs scored and a .1429 slugging percentage as Oklahoma rebounded from a season-opening loss to host Hawai’i with two victories over UAB, one over then-No. 19 LSU and a victory against the Rainbow Wahine in Sunday’s rematch.

Flores recorded a .737 on-base percentage with two walks and two hit-by-pitches. Her biggest contributions were her two doubles and three home runs (two of which were three-run homers) on the week. Against UAB, Flores tallied eight RBI against the Blazers, tying the OU single game record with 10 total bases. Oklahoma finished the weekend with a 4-1 record, out-scoring opponents 59-9. The Sooners moved up to No. 7 in this week’s USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Freshman Whitney Canion threw a complete-game shutout, leading the Baylor softball team (1-2) to a 1-0 win over No. 1 Florida (2-1), 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. It marked the first win over a number one team in Baylor softball history.

Canion (1-1) went seven innings, giving up three hits, no runs, one walk and 10 strikeouts. It was the first 10-strikeout game by a Lady Bear pitcher since Lisa Ferguson fanned 10 on March 16, 2007 at Hawaii.

After Baylor went down in order in the first, Florida’s Kim Waleszonia singled on the first pitch from Canion and Aja Puclba reached on a fielder’s choice to put runners on first and second. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners over, Canion got Francesca Enea to foul out to third and then got Tiffany DeFelice to go down swinging to end the threat.

The game remained scoreless until the fifth when Courtney Oberg singled down the left field line with one out for the first hit of the game. Tiffany Wesley then reached on an error by pitcher Stacey Nelson and put pinch runner, Sophia Lujan at third. Jordan Vannatta stepped up with two outs and hit a ball to shortstop that was bobbled and allowed Lujan to reach safely for a 1-0 lead.

Florida threatened again in the sixth, but with two outs and a runner on second, DeFelice lined a ball down the left field line only to see Tiffany Wesley make a great diving catch to end the inning.

Canion kept the Florida bats quiet in the seventh, limiting any drama, and struck out two batters for the win.
Nelson took the loss for Florida, allowing one hit in seven innings and striking out seven. The loss for Florida was the first regular season loss at home since April 27, 2007.

Baylor will open up the home portion of its schedule with the Getterman Classic on Feb. 13 against Northwestern State at 3:00 p.m.

Eileen Canney, will take the circle for the Chicago Bandits during the 2009 National Professional Fastpitch season.

Eileen Canney was acquired by the Bandits after the New England Riptide announced they would not be returning for the 2009 season. Canney is no stranger to the Chicagoland area as she made her home at Northwestern for four years dominating in the circle. The right handed hurler garnered a laundry list of awards pitching for the Wildcats including two time Big 10 Pitcher of the Year, three time All Big 10 selection, two time First-Team NFCA All-Midwest Region and Big 10 Freshman of the Year honors all while leading her team to consecutive World Series appearances.

The New England Riptide picked Canney up in the first round of the 2007 draft as the second overall selection. She had a stellar rookie season leading the league in both strikeouts and ERA. This earned her a spot among the greats on the All-NPF Team. Canney nearly put her name in the record books becoming just the second pitcher in NPF history to throw a perfect game but after retiring a phenomenal 20 opponents, she gave up a double. She carried her success into her sophomore season earning 2008 All-NPF honors, pitching a 2.29 ERA with 13 wins, 10 losses, 150 strikeouts and 18 complete games.

Chicago Bandit President and CEO Bill Sokolis said, “I’ve had the privilege to watch Eileen pitch since her freshman year at Northwestern. And even though we are saddened by the interruption of New England’s play, we feel very fortunate to be able to obtain a pitcher of Eileen’s caliber to an already potent pitching staff. Eileen will be a great addition to the Bandits organization.”

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, has selected its initial “Watch List” for the 8th Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honors in Division I women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Past winners of this award include UCLA’s Stacey Nuveman, Florida State’s Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner Texas pitcher Cat Osterman, Tennessee’s Monica Abbott and Virginia Tech’s Angela Tincher.

The 2009 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 32 schools and 13 different NCAA Division I Conferences.

The ASA will announce the 25 finalists on April 1. A player does not have to appear on the initial watch list to be considered as a top 25 finalist. However, once the top 25 finalists are named the winner of the award will come from that list. *Freshman qualify for the top 25 list once they have competed at the collegiate level.

Just days before the start of post-season play, a list of 10 finalists will be named and released on May 6. The final three finalists will be announced May 20 while the winner of the 2009 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced prior to the start of the 2009 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

2009 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List

Name – School – Year – Position – Hometown

Valerie Arioto (California) – Sophomore – Utility – Pleasanton, Calif.

Brandice Balschmiter (Massachusetts) – Senior – Pitcher – Newark, N.Y.

Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi State) – Junior – Catcher/Infield – Cordova, Tenn.

Ashley Brignac (Louisiana-Lafayette) – Sophomore – Pitcher – River Ridge, La.

Neena Bryant (Oregon) – Outfield – Junior – Placentia, Calif.

Ashley Charters (Washington) – Senior – Infield– Beaverton, Ore.

Kaitlin Cochran (Arizona State) – Senior- Outfield – Yorba Linda, Calif.

Lauren Delaney (Northwestern) – Junior – Pitcher – Jefferson City, Mo.

GiOnna DiSalvatore (UCLA) – Sophomore – Utility – Palm Harbor, Fla.

Krista Donnenwirth (Arizona State) – Sophomore – SS/Third Base – Mission Viejo, Calif.

Angela Findlay (Michigan) – Junior – Outfield – Lockport, Ill.

Ali Gardiner (Florida) – Senior – First Base – Waccabuc, N.Y.

Lauren Grill (Mississippi) – Junior – Infield – Tualatin, Ore.

Alissa Haber (Stanford) – Junior – Outfield- Newark, Calif.

Becca Heteniak (DePaul) – Junior – Pitcher – Simi Valley, Calif.

Tiffany Huff (Tennessee) – Junior – Catcher/First Base – Saugus, Calif

Amanda Kamekona (UCLA) – Senior – Infield – Chino Hills, Calif.

Megan Langenfeld (UCLA) – Junior – Pitcher/First Base – Bakersfield, Calif.

Brittany Lastrapes (Arizona) – Sophomore – Outfield – Laguna Niguel, Calif.

Danielle Lawrie (Washington) – Junior – Pitcher – Langley, British Columbia

Jenae Leles (Arizona) – Senior – Third Base – Fair Oaks, Calif.

Robin Mackin (Nebraska) – Junior – Pitcher – Newmarket, Ontario

Sam Marder (Ohio State) – Junior– Catcher – Calabasas, Calif.

DJ Mathis (Oklahoma) – Senior – Pitcher – East Alton, Ill.

Morgan Melloh (Fresno State) – Sophomore – Pitcher – Fishers, Ind.

Noelle Micka (Nevada) – Sophomore – Catcher – Garden Grove, Calif.

Rachel Mitchell (LSU) – Junior – Outfield – LaPorte, Texas

Kelley Montalvo (Alabama) – Senior – Utility – Miami, Fla.

Charlotte Morgan (Alabama) – Junior– Pitcher/Utility – Moreno Valley, Calif.

Kara Nelson (Illinois State) – Junior – Third Base – Moline, Ill.

Stacey Nelson (Florida) – Senior – Pitcher – Los Alamitos, Calif.

Nikki Nemitz (Michigan) – Junior – Pitcher – St. Clair Shores, Mich.

Amber Patton (DePaul) – Senior – Third Base – Forsyth, Ill.

Missy Penna (Stanford) – Senior – Pitcher/Infield – Miami, Fla.

Haley Perkins (Fresno State) – Senior – Infield – Fresno, Calif.

Brette Reagan (Baylor) – Senior – Infield – Magnolia, Texas

Samantha Ricketts (Oklahoma) – Senior – First Base – San Jose, Calif.

Brittany Rogers (Alabama) – Senior – Outfield – Dacula, Ga.

Jamie Schloredt (Sacramento State) – Senior – Catcher – Woodland, Calif.

Kirsten Shortridge (LSU) – Junior – Pitcher/Outfield– Keller, Texas

Danielle Spaulding (North Carolina) – Junior – First Base/Pitcher – Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Jordan Taylor (Michigan) – Sophomore – Pitcher – Valencia, Calif.

Rhea Taylor (Missouri) – Sophomore – Outfield – Buford, Ga.

Brooke Turner (Long Beach State) – Sophomore – Pitcher – Buena Park, Calif.

Jessica Valis (Houston) – Senior – Infield – Shiner, Texas

Laurie Wagner (Houston) – Senior – Outfield – Houston, Texas

Kim Waleszonia (Florida) – Senior – Outfield – Fontana, Calif.

Megan Wiggins (Georgia) – Sophomore – Infield – Snellville, Ga.

Tammy Williams (Northwestern) – Senior – Infield – Roscoe, Mo.

Jen Yee (Georgia Tech) – Junior – Second Base – North Delta, British Columbia