Golden Hurricane Softball Team Picked Second by WAC Coaches
1/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Jan. 14, 2003
Denver, Colo. - The Western Athletic Conference softball coaches selected Fresno State to win the 2003 WAC regular season crown. Last season was the first time in seven years that the Bulldogs were not picked to win the crown after Hawai'i was chosen. The coaches also voted on 2003 preseason award winners today. Hawai'i shortstop Kate Judd was voted preseason Player of the Year, while Fresno State's Jamie Southern earned preseason Pitcher of the Year honors. Last season, Judd and Southern earned these awards in both the preseason and postseason.
Fresno State had a strong showing with 25 points. Both Hawai'i and Tulsa finished with 19 points. The Rainbow Wahine and the Golden Hurricane finished last season tied for second. The Bulldogs were the only WAC team to advance to the NCAA Tournament. Fresno State is the only team in the nation to play in all 21 NCAA Tournaments.
San Jose State finished fourth with 13 points. WAC newcomer Nevada, playing its first season of softball, was picked to finish fifth with eight points. Louisiana Tech was picked to finish sixth, earning six points. The preseason all-WAC team was evenly distributed between Fresno State, Hawai'i and Tulsa with each getting three on the team. The final spot was taken by San Jose State.
Fresno State's Pam West, Southern and Christina Clark earned honors. West a senior catcher and Southern a sophomore pitcher both earned preseason honors last season. Southern had one of the strongest freshman campaigns in WAC history, leading the nation in ERA (0.44) and ending the season with 400 strikeouts, Hawai'i's three players on the preseason all-WAC team were 2002 WAC Player of the Year Kate Judd, first baseman Stacey Porter and outfielder Denise Dahlberg. Judd, who is a two-time WAC Player of the Year, earned the preseason honor after leading the league in hitting (.354). Porter led the league in home runs last season with 15.
Tulsa placed second baseman Danielle Olsen, third baseman Crissy Strimple and outfielder Heather Hiar on the team. Olsen was second in the league in RBI last season (40), while Strimple was third in the WAC in on base percentage (.414).
San Jose State outfielder Becca Baldridge rounds out the team. Baldridge hit .312 last season with 22 runs scored. This season, the WAC welcomes Nevada to the league with affiliates Portland State and Loyola Marymount leaving. The 2003 WAC softball season begins on Friday, January 31, with San Jose State playing in a road tournament.
