NFCA Announces 2010 Diamond Sports Catchers of the Year

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association and Diamond Sports have announced the ten student-athletes who are the recipients of the 2010 Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year award.

The Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year award is presented annually to the top catcher from an NFCA member institution in each of the following divisions: NCAA (Divisions I, II and III), NAIA, NJCAA (Divisions I, II and III), Cal JC, NWAACC and high school. … Continue Reading

USA Tested, But Tops Mexico at Junior Worlds Qualifying

BOGOTA, Colombia — Despite a performance that included seven errors, the 2010-11 USA Softball Women’s Junior National Team beat Mexico 15-3 in six innings to improve to 4-0 at the III Pan American Championship (18-Under) in Bogota, Colombia. Team USA closes out pool play Thursday with a doubleheader against Canada and Brazil. … Continue Reading

UCLA Named NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff Of The Year

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The coaches of the 2010 NCAA Division I National Champions UCLA have been named as the 2010 National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Coaching Staff of the Year, the Association announced on Wednesday.

The Bruins went 50-11 on the year and were led by fourth-year head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, assistant coaches Lisa Fernandez and Gina Veccione and volunteer assistant coach Natasha Watley. … Continue Reading

Lagenfeld Walk-Off Gives UCLA Win in WCWS Championship Opener

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Senior Megan Langenfeld hit a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give UCLA the 6-5 win in game one of the 2010 Women’s College World Series Championship Series on Monday night at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

Arizona (52-13) got the scoring going in the top of the first when freshman Brigette Del Ponte hit a single to left field that allowed senior K’Lee Arredondo to cross the plate, giving the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead. … Continue Reading

Field Of 64 Set For 2010 NCAA Division II Championships

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA Division II Softball Committee has selected the 64 teams that will participate in the 2010 NCAA Division II Softball Championship. Four teams will participate at each of 16 regional sites in double-elimination tournaments. Regional competition will be held May 14-16. Winners will advance to the super regionals May 21-22. The finals will be held May 27-31 at Heritage Park Softball Complex in St. Joseph, Missouri and will be hosted by Missouri Western State University. … Continue Reading

Georgia Tech’s Yee Named Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player of the Week

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. … Continue Reading

Washington Unanimous Choice in Latest USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll

STARKVILLE, Miss. – For the third time in four weeks, the Washington Huskies received all 30 first-place votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll . The Huskies have now held the No. 1 spot for four consecutive editions of the poll.

Arizona, Florida and UCLA held on to their spots from last week in second, third and fifth, respectively. Missouri joined the Top 5 at fourth this week, bumping previous No. 4 Michigan down three spots to seventh.

Illinois and Oklahoma State both make their 2010 Top 25 debuts in this week’s poll at No. 21 and No. 25, forcing last week’s No. 23 Northwestern and No. 25 North Carolina out of the poll. … Continue Reading

UMSL’s Bartlett Named & Midwestern’s Petersen Named Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II National Player of the Week

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Senior catcher Katie Bartlett of Missouri-St. Louis and senior pitcher Katie Petersen of Midwestern St., have been named as the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for games played Feb. 15-21.

Bartlett went 8-for-14 over four games and helped guide her team to a 3-1 record on the week. She finished the week with a .571 batting average, four runs, six RBIs, a double and a home run. … Continue Reading

Washington Maintains Top Spot in USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Despite suffering their first loss of the season last week, the Washington Huskies held on to the top spot in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 poll for the third consecutive poll. Arizona, Florida and Michigan maintained their respective positions at two, three and four, while UCLA moved into the top five for the first time this season.

Baylor, who came in at No. 25 last week, was the only team to drop from the poll and was replaced by the lone newcomer, Texas A&M, at No. 24.

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 poll is voted on by NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. 2010 records are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses. … Continue Reading

New Mexico Highlands Martinez Named Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II National Player of the Week

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Freshman pitcher/first baseman Melissa Martinez of New Mexico Highlands has been named the first Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II National Player of the Week of the 2010 season.

In the first two weeks of the season, Martinez excelled both at the plate and in the circle. Through the first nine games of the season, Martinez posted a .372 batting average with 11 runs, 16 RBIs, one double and seven home runs.

The Albuquerque, N.M., native jumpstarted her collegiate career by completing two amazing feats in back-to-back games. … Continue Reading