May 18, 2011
STANFORD, Calif. - Junior shortstop Ashley Hansen has been named the Pac-10 Player of the Year, today, when the conference announced its postseason awards. The Cardinal had eight players honored, with Hansen becoming just the second Cardinal to earn player of the year honors.
Hansen also earned the title of Pac-10 Batting Champion. The junior's .506 average leads the nation and is 63 points higher than the next-best Pac-10 average.
Joining Hansen on the All-Pac-10 First Team is sophomore pitcher Teagan Gerhart. Junior centerfielder Sarah Hassman and sophomore second baseman Jenna Rich earned Second Team accolades, while senior pitcher Ashley Chinn and freshman outfielder Corey Hanewich were selected as honorable mention.
Additionally, Hanewich and freshman designated player Danielle Miller were named to the All-Pac-10 Freshmen Team, while rookie utility player Michelle Prong earned honorable mention.
Hansen joins two-time Olympian Jessica Mendoza as the only Stanford players to earn the conference's player of the year honor. The Chandler, Ariz., native is just the second Stanford player to be named to the first team in each of her first three seasons on The Farm. This season, Hansen leads the Pac-10 in batting average (.506), hits (88), doubles (24), slugging percentage (.833) and on-base percentage (.568). In 174 at-bats, Hansen has only stuck out four times all season, making her the second toughest player in the nation to strike out.
Gerhart, who earned all-conference honorable mention accolades last season, is one of six underclassmen selected to the first team. She holds a 1.78 ERA and ranks third in the conference with 226 strikeouts. The Norco, Calif., native is 22-11 on the year and has tallied 25 complete games with two shutouts and three saves on the year. Offensively, she has posted 25 hits, including four home runs, and 22 stolen bases. Just a sophomore, Gerhart already ranks among the top-10 in school history in wins (44), strikeouts (399), shutouts (13 and innings pitched (411.0).
Hassman has posted career numbers in her junior season and earns her first all-conference honors. The Cupertino, Calif., native ranks in the top-10 in the conference in batting average (.410), on-base percentage (.515), runs scored (59), hits (68) and stolen bases (34). They are all single season highs for the junior, while her 34 stolen bases sets a new single season Stanford record. Last weekend at Arizona State, Hassman recorded her first career home run as the Cardinal knocked off the top-ranked Sun Devils.
Rich has been a consistent third option in the Cardinal lineup this season. She earns her second career honors after being named honorable mention all-conference last year. The sophomore is hitting .317 and leads the team with 10 home runs and 45 RBI. The El Segundo, Calif., native has tallied 22 career home runs, ranking 10th-best in program history.
Chinn earns all-conference honors for the first time in her career. The senior holds a 2.02 ERA and a 16-4 record in the circle this season. She has racked up 115 strikeouts and posted 12 complete games, including a team-best five shutouts. The Belmont, Calif., native is among the top-10 in program history in career wins (52), strikeouts (425), shutouts (15) and innings pitched (454.2).
Hanewich has been a consistent presence in the Cardinal lineup for most of the year. The Bradenton, Fla., native is hitting .294 with 32 hits, including six doubles, two triples and five home runs, and 25 RBI. Miller, hailing from Indianapolis, Ind., ranks fourth on the team with 41 hits on the year and third with 35 RBI. Prong, out of Victor, N.Y., leads the Cardinal with 29 walks, while registering four home runs and 23 RBI.
California's Jolene Henderson was named Pitcher of the Year, while Washington's Jenn Salling was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Arizona State's Dallas Escobedo and Clint Myers were named Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively.
Stanford opens the 2011 NCAA Tournament on Friday night at home against Pacific. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Smith Family Stadium, with play continuing Saturday and Sunday.