May 19, 2004
Walnut Creek, Calif. - Washington catcher Kristen Rivera was named Pac-10 Player of the Year. Arizona pitcher Alicia Hollowell was named Pitcher of the Year, while Newcomer of the Year honors went to Wildcat freshman Caitlin Lowe. Coach of the Year was awarded to Stanford head coach John Rittman, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.
Rittman, in his seventh season at Stanford, earns his second Coach of the Year award, he previously shared Coach of the Year honors with Arizona's Mike Candrea. Rittman guided Stanford to its best Pac-10 finish in school history. Rittman led the Cardinal to a 43-16 mark this season, including a school-best 13 Pac-10 victories. This is the seventh consecutive 40+ win season for the Cardinal.
Five Cardinal players earned All-Pac-10 Conference honors including three first-team selections in Jessica Allister (Nacogdoches, TX), Dana Sorensen (San Diego, CA) and Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, CA). Sophomore Catalina Morris (Sonoita, AZ) was a second-team selection while freshman Jackie Rinehart (Reno, NV) was an honorable mention pick.
Allister is hitting .341 with a team-leading 47 RBIs, 18 doubles and 10 homeruns. Her 206 career hits ranks fifth on The Farm while her 45 career doubles ranks fourth. She is a two-time Pac-10 Player of the Week (4/13 and 5/18). Her 30 career homeruns ranks second at Stanford while her 154 RBI is third all-time. She leads the team with 12 multiple RBI games.
Sorensen holds every major pitching record on The Farm. She is 28-9 on the year with a 1.44 ERA and 293 strikeouts. She is a three-time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week (3/30, 4/27 and 5/4). She holds the school record for career strikeouts, victories and innings pitched. She became only the fourth pitcher in league history to reach 1,000 K's for her career and currently ranks third all-time in the Pac-10.
Rinehart leads the squad with a .351 batting average and 67 hits. The 67 hits ties for seventh on the Cardinal's single-season list. She is second on the team in stolen bases with 12 and has 17 multiple hit games this season.
Rivera, a junior from Perris, Calif., helped lead the Huskies to their 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Rivera is currently ranked among the Top-5 in the Pac-10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, home runs, total bases and walks. Her 58 career home runs ranks seventh all-time in the Pac-10. Rivera is a two-time All-American, and was one of 10 finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award this season. She is the first Husky to earn Pac-10 Player of the Year.
Hollowell, a sophomore from Suisun, Calif., is in the midst of one of the best seasons in Pac-10 history. She is currently the national leader in strikeouts per seven innings with a 12.4 average and is fourth in the nation with 39 wins. Hollowell currently has 480 strikeouts this season, just four shy of the Pac-10 record of 484. With just four more wins Hollowell will break the Pac-10 record of 43 wins in a season. Hollowell was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week five times and USA Softball National Player of the Week twice. She is one of three finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
Lowe, a freshman from Tustin, Calif., had one of the best freshman campaigns in Pac-10 history. Lowe is currently second in the Conference with a .458 average. She has an astonishing 74 runs scored this season, topping the rest of the conference by nearly 30 runs. She is second in the nation with a 1.30 runs per game average. Lowe has stolen a Pac-10 best 47 bases, in 49 attempts. One of ten finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year, Lowe was named USA Softball Player of the Week once this season and was the Player of the Week in the Pac-10 once. Lowe is the third consecutive Newcomer of the Year from Arizona.
FIRST TEAM
PlayerSchoolYrPosHometownWendy AllenARIZSRDPMoreno Valley, Calif.Jessica AllisterSTANSRCNacogdoches, TexasCaitlin BenyiUCLASO2BScottsdale, Ariz.Autumn ChampionARIZSOOFTustin, Calif.Kaleo EldredgeCALJROFKahului, HawaiiAlicia HollowellARIZSOPSuisun, Calif.Lauren LappinSTANSOSSAnaheim, Calif.Caitlin LoweARIZFROFTustin, CalifAni NyhusOREJRPWhite Rock, B.C.Stephanie RamosUCLASROFElk Grove, Calif.Kristen RiveraWASHJRCPerris, Calif.Dana SorensenSTAN SRPSan Diego, Calif.Kristina ThorsonCALSOPLake Forest Park, Wash.Phelan WrightASUSR3BLos Alamitos, Calif.
SECOND TEAM
PlayerSchoolYrPosHometownAdrienne AloOSUSO3BCarson, Calif.Ashley BoekWASHJRPRedding, Calif.Kathy FiskeWASHJR3BTemecula, Calif.Vicky GalindoCALJR3BUnion City, Calif.Keira GoerlUCLASRPMoreno Valley, Calif.Vanessa IapalaOSUSO1BSan Diego, Calif.Lindsay JamesCALSOOFSan Carlos, Calif.Jodie LegaspiUCLAFRSSGarden Grove, Calif.Catalina MorrisSTANSOOFSonoita, Ariz.Jenn PooreORESRCSan Diego, Calif.Val SevillaASUJROFRancho Cucamonga, Calif.Chelsea SpencerCALJRSSSan Leandro, Calif.Claire SuaUCLASR1BCooper City, Fla.MacKenzie VandergeestARIZSRCNewbury Park, Calif.
HONORABE MENTION
PlayerSchoolYrPosHometownKelly AndersonCALJRPWoodland, Calif.Beth BoskovichORE SODPCamarillo, Calif.Lisa DoddUCLAFRP/OFSan Diego, Calif.Andrea DuranUCLASO3BSelma, Calif.Kristin FarberASUSROFLos Alamitos, Calif.Kristie FoxARIZFRSSSan Diego, Calif.Monica HoffmanOSUSRPVancouver, Wash.Sarah HyattWASHSO1BSedro-Wooley, Wash.Dominique LastrapesWASHFR2BLaguna Hills, Calif.Mia LongfellowOSUFROF/UTLRamona, Calif.Amanda OlesonWASHSRSSAgoura Hills, Calif.Jessica PamanianCALJR2BMilpitas, Calif.Kelly PetersenOSUJRSSSan Diego, Calif.Ashley RichardsOREJR3B/CRichland, Wash.Jackie RinehartSTANFROFReno, Nev.Shelly ShultzARIZSO1BPhoenix, Ariz.Haley WoodsCALSOCBurlingame, Calif.Emily ZaplatoschUCLASOCScottsdale, Ariz.