Smith and Olsen Named to Midwest All-Region Team
5/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 15, 2002
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball squad experienced the best season ever in its 10-year history with a record of 48-16. One day removed from having two players announced on all-confernence teams, the Golden Hurricane received more good news on Wednesday. Senior centerfielder Jessie Smith and junior second baseman Danielle Olsen earned spots on the 2002 Midwest All-Region Softball Second Team. The teams are sponsored by Louisville Slugger, Speedline and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and voted on by the head coaches of the region.
Smith, a four-year starter from Tuttle, Okla., led the Golden Hurricane in batting average (.347), on-base percentage (.415) and stolen bases (29). She was second on the team in hits (60) and slugging percentage (.468). Coming off an injury plagued season in 2001, Smith ranked 23rd nationally in steals per game. As a sophomore, she earned second team All-WAC honors, as well. This is the third consecutive season, Tulsa has had a player selected to the first team.
Olsen, a Boulder, Colo. native, set a school record for at-bats with 203 during the 2002 campaign. She led the team in hits with 61, the second most in school history. Starting every game at second, Olsen hit .300 on the season with nine doubles, two triples and six homeruns for a .453 slugging percentage. Defensively, she was one of three TU players to record over 100 assists with 114, to go along with 127 putouts. She is only the fourth player to record 100+ assists for two consecutive seasons and only the second Golden Hurricane player to record over100 assists and 100 putouts in two straight seasons.
The pair helped lead the Golden Hurricane to biggest turnaround not only in WAC history but the biggest turn around in NCAA Division I softball for 2002. Tulsa won 35 more games than it did last season. The Golden Hurricane enjoyed its best season ever in nearly every statistical category. By winning 15 conference games, compared to only three in 2001, Tulsa showed the biggest improvement in the WAC since the conference first recognized the sport in 1991. With a 15-9 WAC record, TU finished tied for second with preseason favorite Hawai`i, only three games behind 14th-ranked Fresno State.
