FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Eight University of Florida softball players were named to Southeastern Conference annual teams, the league announced Wednesday on the eve of the SEC Tournament at Bogle Park. Florida is the No. 2 seed in the tournament behind league champion Alabama.
Junior pitcher Stephanie Brombacher, junior infielder Megan Bush and senior outfielder Francesca Enea were named to the All-SEC first team. Junior second baseman Aja Paculba was named to the All-SEC second team as well as the All-Defensive team. Sophomore center fielder Michelle Moultrie also was named to the second team. Designated player/utility player Kelsey Horton, infielder Brittany Walker and catcher Brittany Schutte were named to the All-SEC Freshmen Team.
After winning All-SEC second-team honors a year ago, Brombacher moved up to the first team. The right-hander leads the SEC in victories with 28 and has the fifth-best earned-run average (1.95) thanks to eight shutouts. On March 25, Brombacher pitched the fourth perfect game in Florida history and she combined with freshman reliever Erin Schuppert for two no-hitters in the final two weeks of the season.
Bush, too, moved up from the second team from a year ago. She currently has 41 career home runs after clubbing 12 this season while batting .363 with 42 RBI. In league play, she had a .758 slugging percentage and .439 batting average (second and third, respectively) and her six sacrifice flies lead the SEC.
Enea received first-team honors for the first time. She has 20 home runs and 64 RBI with a .361 batting average and and an .872 slugging percentage, the best all-time for Florida. She hit the record 61st home run of her SEC career Sunday against South Carolina. Her 220 career RBI rank third all-time in the league.
This is the third time Paculba has been on the All-SEC team. She made the second team in 2008 and was a first-teamer last year. It was her third straight year on the All-Defensive team. She leads the team in runs (52) and walks (37) and her career batting average (.348) and on-base percentage (.466) are both first all-time at Florida.
A member of the All-SEC Freshman Team a year ago, Moultrie leads the Gators in hitting at .412, currently first in the single-season record book. She leads the team with 63 hits. She has five outfield assists and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Schutte, a true utility player who has caught, played first base and outfield, is second on the team with 14 home runs and 47 RBI, both new freshman records. Horton, a catcher and designated player, batted .387 in 24 games, hitting five home runs and driving home 14 runs. Walker, a shortstop from Texas, is batting .282 in 44 games.
Second-seed Florida (42-7) and seventh-seed Auburn (30-23), which meet at 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday, met earlier this season in Gainesville for a St. Patrick’s Day doubleheader.
The Gators won 7-0 and 5-4 as Brombacher earned both victories, striking out 11 in the first game and not allowing an Auburn hit for 4.2 innings before settling for a four-hitter. She came into the second game in relief of freshman Shuppert, who had relieved starter Ensley Gammel, and struck out two in one inning.
Junior Kelsey Bruder had a home run in the first inning of Game One, and she and Schutte hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning of the second game to tie the game, which Florida trailed at one point 3-0, at 4-4. In the bottom of the seventh, Paculba doubled to left and two outs later Bruder doubled her home with the winning run.
The Florida-Auburn game is the second game of the tournament at Bogle Park. The opening game at noon pits third-seed Louisiana State (42-13) against No. 6-seed Kentucky (31-24). Following the Gators-Tigers clash, No. 4 Georgia (43-10) meets No. 5 Tennessee (41-12) at 5 p.m. Top-seeded Alabama (45-9) plays No. 8 Arkansas (28-28) in the 7:30 p.m. game.
The LSU-Kentucky winner meets the Florida-Auburn winner in Friday’s first semifinal at 3 p.m. The Georgia-Tennessee winner meets the Alabama-Arkansas winner in the second semifinal at 5:30 p.m. The Thursday and Friday contests will be televised by ESPNU.
The two semifinal winners meet for the championship at 7:30 p.m. Saturday evening on ESPN.
ENEA FINALIST: Senior outfielder Francesca Enea of Florida, the SEC’s all-time home run leader, is one of 10 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced Wednesday. Enea was one of three SEC players among the finalists, joining freshman infielder Kayla Braud of Alabama and Mississippi State senior catcher/infielder Chelsea Bramlett. The other seven finalists are: Junior utility player Valerie Arioto of California; freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler of Arizona; senior pitcher/first baseman Megan Langenfeld of UCLA; senior pitcher Danielle Lawrie of Washington; freshman pitcher Blaire Luna of Texas; sophomore pitcher Jen Mineau of Fordham; and senior second baseman Jen Yee of Georgia Tech. The winner will be announced prior to the Women’s College World Series at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla., June 1.
SOFTBALL
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
Eastern Division Conference Overall
(Rank) Team W-L Pct. W-L Pct.
(5) Florida 20-4 .833 42-7 .857
(8) Georgia 18-8 .692 43-10 .811
(16) Tennessee 17-8 .680 41-12 .774
Kentucky 13-15.464 31-24 .564
South Carolina 1-27 .036 11-40 .216
Western Division Conference Overall
(Rank) Team W-L Pct. W-L Pct.
(3) Alabama 23-4 .852 45-9 .833
(14) Louisiana State20-8 .714 42-13 .764
Auburn 11-17 .393 30-23 .566
Arkansas 10-18.357 28-28 .500
Mississippi 8-19 .296 27-27 .500
Mississippi State 7-20 .259 26-29 .473
(Rank) in this week’s GatorCountry.com Top 25 poll
SCHEDULE
MONDAY / May 10
Georgia 11, Texas 5
SEC AWARDS
WEDNESDAY / May 12
First Team: P: Kelsi Dunne (Alabama); Stephanie Brombacher (Florida). IF: Kayla Braud (Alabama); Megan Bush (Florida); Alisa Goler (Georgia); Molly Johnson (Kentucky). OF: Francesca Enea (Florida); Taylor Schlopy (Georgia); Megan Wiggins (Georgia); Kirsten Shortridge (LSU); Kat Dotson (Tennessee). C: Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi State). DP/U: Charlotte Morgan (Alabama).
Second Team: P: Rachele Fico (Louisiana State); Ivy Renfroe (Tennessee). IF: Whitney Larsen (Alabama); Kyndall White (Auburn); Aja Paculba (Florida); Lauren Grill (Mississippi). OF: Jessica Bachkora (Arkansas); Michelle Moultrie (Florida); Rachel Mitchell (Louisiana State); Raven Chavanne (Tennessee). C: Megan Yocke (Tennessee). DP/U: Miranda Dixon (Arkansas).
All-Freshmen: P: Rachele Fico (Louisiana State); Ivy Renfroe (Tennessee). IF: Kayla Braud (Alabama); Courtney Breault (Arkansas); Brittany Walker (Florida); Lauren Gibson (Tennessee). OF: Keima Davis (Alabama); Jessica Cooley (Mississippi State); Kat Dotson (Tennessee); Raven Chavanne (Tennessee). C: Brittany Schutte (Florida). DP/U: Kelsey Horton (Florida).
All-Defensive Team: P: Kelsi Dunne (Alabama); Rachele Fico (Louisiana State). C: Megan Yocke (Kentucky). 1B: Brianna Hesson (Georgia); 2B: Aja Paculba (Florida); SS: Molly Johnson (Kentucky); 3B: Jessica Mouse (Louisiana State) and Sandra Smith (Arkansas). LF: Megan Wiggins (Georgia); CF: Kirsten Shortridge (Louisiana State); RF: Rachel Mitchell (LSU) and Kat Dotson (Tennessee).
Player of the Year: Charlotte Morgan (Alabama). Pitcher of the Year: Kelsi Dunne (Alabama). Coach of the Year: Pat Murphy (Alabama). Freshmen of the Year: Kayla Braud (Alabama), Rachele Fico (Louisiana State), Kat Dotson (Tennessee). Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Jessica Bachkora (Arkansas).
SEC TOURNAMENT / Fayetteville, Ark. / Bogle Park
Seeds: 1. Alabama (45-9); 2. Florida (42-7); 3. Louisiana State (42-13); 4. Georgia (43-10); 4. Tennesse (41-12); 6. Kentucky (31-24); 7. Auburn (30-23); 8. Arkansas (28-28)
THURSDAY / May 13 quarterfinals
Game 1: (3) Louisiana State vs. (6) Kentucky, 12 p.m. (ESPNU)
Game 2: (2) Florida vs. (7) Auburn, 2:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Game 3: (4) Georgia vs. (5) Tennessee, 5 p.m. (ESPNU)
Game 4: (1) Alabama vs. (8) Arkansas, 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
FRIDAY / May 14 semifinals
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3 p.m. (ESPNU)
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
SATURDAY / May 15 championship
Game 7: Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
THURSDAY-SUNDAY / May 20-23
NCAA Regionals (16 sites)
FRIDAY-SUNDAY / May 28-30
NCAA Super Regionals (8 sites)
THURSDAY-WEDNESDAY / June 3-9
Women’s College World Series, Oklahoma City, Okla.
RANKINGS
May 11, 2010
GATORCOUNTRY.Com TOP 25
The GatorCountry.com Top 25 college softball teams for May 11, a cumulative ranking using the ESPN.com/USA Softball Division I and USA/NFCA Division I polls. First-place votes are in parentheses:
Rk School W-L Pts LW Next:
1. Washington (2) (43-5) 50 1 Thursday-Sunday at No. 10 Arizona State
2. Michigan (44-6) 48 2 Friday-Saturday at Iowa
3. Alabama (45-9) 46 3t Thursday vs. Arkansas in SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.
4. Arizona (42-9) 45 3t Thursday-Saturday vs. No. 6 UCLA
5. Florida (42-7) 42 5t Thursday vs. Auburn in SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.
6. UCLA (38-10) 41 5t Thursday-Saturday at No. 4 Arizona
7. Georgia Tech (46-9) 38 7t Friday vs. Boston College in ACC Tournament at Blacksburg, Va.
8. Georgia (43-10) 34 9 Thursday vs. No. 16 Tennessee in SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.
9. Oklahoma (40-10) 33 10 Friday vs. Texas Tech-Kansas winner in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.
10. Arizona State (40-13) 32 7t Thursday-Saturday vs. No. 1 Washington
11. Missouri (44-10) 30 11 Saturday vs. No. 15 Oklahoma State in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.
12. Texas (41-12) 28 13 Saturday vs. Baylor-Iowa State winner in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.
13. California (38-17) 27 15 Thursday-Saturday vs. Oregon State
14. Louisiana State (42-13) 24 14 Thursday vs. Kentucky in SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.
15. Oklahoma State(43-14) 22 12 Saturday vs. No. 11 Missouri in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.
16. Tennessee (41-12) 21 18 Thursday vs. No. 8 Georgia in SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.
17. Stanford (33-17) 20 16 Thursday-Saturday vs. No. 21 Oregon
18. Illinois (39-6) 16 17 Wednesday vs. Purdue (2)
19. Texas A&M (41-13) 13 19t Saturday vs. Nebraska in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.
20. Ohio State (35-12) 11 19t Friday-Saturday vs. Northwestern
21. Oregon (33-15) 10 19t Thursday-Saturday at No. 17 Stanford
22. Hawaii (41-12) 9 22t Thursday vs. Louisiana Tech-San Jose State winner in WAC Tournament at Las Cruces, N.M.
23. Massachusetts (38-7-1) 8 22t Thursday vs. Saint Louis-Saint Joseph’s winner in Atlantic 10 Championship at Amherst, Mass.
24. Florida State (41-15) 4 24 Friday vs. Maryland in ACC Tournament at Blacksburg, Va.
25. Notre Dame (44-9) 3 25 Thursday vs. Providence in Big East Tournament at Louisville, Ky.
USA TODAY/NATIONAL FASTPITCH COACHES ASSOCIATION
1. Washington (43-5); 2. Michigan (44-6); 3. Arizona (42-9); 4. Alabama (45-9); 5. UCLA (38-10); 6. Florida (42-7); 7. Georgia Tech (46-9); 8. Missouri (44-10); 9. Georgia (43-10); 10. Arizona State (40-13); 11. Oklahoma (40-10); 12. California (38-17); 13. Texas (41-12); 14. Oklahoma State (43-14); 15. Stanford (33-17); 16. Tennessee (42-12); 17. Louisiana State (42-13); 18. Illinois (39-6); 19. Ohio State (35-12); 20. Texas A&M (41-13); 21. Massachusetts (38-7-1); 22. Oregon (33-16); 23. Hawaii (41-12); 24. Notre Dame (44-9); 25. Florida State (41-15).
ESPN.com/USA SOFTBALL DIVISION I
1. Washington (43-5); 2. Michigan (44-6); 3. Alabama (45-9); 4. Arizona (42-9); 5. Florida (42-7); 6. UCLA (38-10); 7. Georgia Tech (46-9); 8. Oklahoma (40-10); 9. Georgia (43-10); 10. Arizona State (40-13); 11. Louisiana State (42-13); 12. Texas (41-12); 13. California (38-17); 14. Missouri (44-10); 15. Tennessee (41-12); 16. Oklahoma State (43-13); 17. Stanford (33-17); 18. Illinois (39-6); 19. Texas A&M (41-13); 20. Oregon (33-15); 21. Hawaii (41-12); 22. Ohio State (35-12); 23. Massachusetts (38-7-1); 24. Florida State (41-15); 25. Notre Dame (44-9).
NCAA WOMEN’S SOFTBALL RATINGS PERCENTAGE INDEX
May 11, 2010
1. Alabama (SEC); 2. Washington (Pac-10); 3. Michigan (Big Ten); 4. Florida (SEC); 5. Georgia Tech (ACC); 6. UCLA (Pac-10); 7. Arizona (Pac-10); 8. Texas (Big 12); 9. Louisiana State (SEC); 10. Missouri (Big 12); 11. Oklahoma (Big 12); 12. Georgia (SEC); 13. California (Pac-10); 14. Texas A&M (Big 12); 15. Arizona State (Pac-10); 16. Hawaii (WAC);
17. Oklahoma State (Big 12); 18. Tennessee (SEC); 19. Illinois (Big Ten); 20. DePaul (Big East); 21. Stanford (Pac-10); 22. Florida State (ACC); 23. Oregon (Pac-10); 24. North Carolina (ACC); 25. San Diego State (MWC); 26. Ohio State (Big Ten); 27. Massachusetts (Atlantic 10); 28. Virginia (ACC); 29. Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt); 30. Fordham (Atlantic 10); 31. Kentucky (ACC); 32. Brigham Young (MWC);
33. Auburn (SEC); 34. Hofstra (Colonial); 35. Louisville (Big East); 36. Notre Dame (Big East); 37. Illinois State (Missouri Valley); 38. UAB (C-USA); 39. UCF (C-USA); 40. East Carolina (C-USA); 41. FIU (Sun Belt); 42. Lipscomb (Atlantic Sun); 43. Texas Tech (Big 12); 44. Radford (Big South); 45. Maryland (ACC); 46. Fresno State (WAC); 47. Arkansas (SEC); 48. Mississippi State (SEC);
49. Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley); 50. Nebraska (Big 12); 51. Houston (C-USA); 52. Oregon State (Pac-10); 53. Northwestern (Big Ten); 54. Longwood (Independent); 55. UNLV (Mountain West); 56. North Texas (Sun Belt); 57. Long Island (Northeast); 58. North Carolina State (ACC); 59. Mississippi (SEC); 60. Ball State (Mid-American); 61. Tulsa (C-USA); 62. Baylor (Big 12); 63. Chattanooga (Southern); 64. Iowa State (Big 12).
RPI BY CONFERENCE
Southeastern: 1. Alabama; 4. Florida; 9. Louisiana State; 12. Georgia; 18. Tennessee; 31. Kentucky; 33. Auburn; 47. Arkansas; 48. Mississippi State; 59. Mississippi; 107. South Carolina.
American East: 78. Boston University; 118. Stony Brook; 149. Binghamton; 158. Albany (N.Y.); 162. UMBC; 179. Maine; 229. Hartford.
Atlantic Coast: 5. Georgia Tech; 22. Florida State; 24. North Carolina; 28. Virginia; 45. Maryland; 58. North Carolina State; 69. Virginia Tech; 134. Boston College.
Atlantic 10: 27. Massachusetts; 30. Fordham; 65. Charlotte; 101. Saint Joseph’s; 146. Saint Louis; 204. Temple; 208. Rhode Island; 230. George Washington; 231. St. Bonaventure; 232. La Salle; 235. Dayton.
Atlantic Sun: 1. Lipscomb; 72. South Carolina Upstate; 79. Stetson; 98. Kennesaw State; 99. Jacksonville; 111. Florida Gulf Coast; 133. North Florida; 139. Mercer; 151. Campbell; 192. East Tennessee State; 256. Belmont.
Big East: 20. DePaul; 35. Louisville; 36. Notre Dame; 74. Syracuse; 82. South Florida; 122. Rutgers; 123. St. John’s; 132. Villanova; 137. Pittsburgh; 167. Providence; 169. Georgetown; 173. Connecticut; 174. Seton Hall.
Big South: 44. Radford; 71. Liberty; 117. Charleston Southern; 129. Winthrop; 177. Coastal Carolina; 194. Gardner-Webb; 217. Presbyterian.
Big Ten: 3. Michigan; 19. Illinois; 26. Ohio State; 53. Northwestern; 67. Penn State; 73. Iowa; 77. Purdue; 142. Michigan State; 154. Wisconsin; 191. Indiana; 200. Minnesota.
Big 12: 8. Texas; 10. Missouri; 11. Oklahoma; 14. Texas A&M; 17. Oklahoma State; 43. Texas Tech; 50. Nebraska; 62. Baylor; 64. Iowa State; 87. Kansas.
Big West: 76. Cal State Northridge; 104. UC Davis; 109. Cal Poly; 113. Long Beach State; 148. Pacific; 170. Cal State Fullerton; 178. UC Riverside; 218. UC Santa Barbara.
Colonial Athletic Association: 34. Hofstra; 66. Georgia State; 84. Towson; 128. James Madison; 168. Delaware; 183. Drexel; 222. George Mason; 250. UNC Wilmington.
Conference USA: 38. UAB; 39. UCF; 40. East Carolina; 51. Houston; 61. Tulsa; 70. UTEP; 100. Marshall; 108. Memphis; 110. Southern Mississippi.
Horizon League: 94. Cleveland State; 127. Butler; 143. Illinois-Chicago; 153. Loyola (Ill.); 156. Valparaiso; 159. Wright State; 195. Wisconsin-Green Bay; 251. Youngstown State; 277. Detroit.
Ivy Group: 80. Cornell; 166. Harvard; 215. Dartmouth; 226. Pennsylvania; 243. Princeton; 245. Brown; 247. Yale; 264. Columbia.
Metro Atlantic: 138. Canisius; 193. Iona; 196. Niagara; 201. Manhattan; 206. Fairfield; 236. Rider; 242. Siena; 269. Marist; 279. St. Peter’s.
Mid-American: 60. Ball State; 89. Kent State; 114. Central Michigan; 130. Miami (Ohio); 155. Ohio; 185. Northern Illinois; 189. Bowling Green; 197. Eastern Michigan; 199. Western Michigan; 210. Buffalo; 223. Toledo; 225. Akron
Mid-Eastern: 164. Bethune-Cookman; 207. Florida A&M; 221. Howard; 227. Delaware State; 232. North Carolina A&T; 267. Coppin State; 268. Hampton; 276. Norfolk State; 283. Morgan State; 285. South Carolina State; 290. Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Missouri Valley: 37. Illinois State; 49. Southern Illinois; 81. Drake; 83. Creighton; 105. Northern Iowa; 145. Wichita State; 187. Missouri State; 198. Bradley; 209. Evansville; 213. Indiana State;
Mountain West: 25. San Diego State; 32. Brigham Young; 55. UNLV; 92. Colorado State; 124. Utah; 184. New Mexico.
Northeast: 57. Long Island; 144. Robert Morris; 147. Monmouth; 190. Quinnipiac; 216. Sacred Heart; 219. Mount St. Mary’s; 244. Central Connecticut State; 245. St. Francis (Pa.); 257. Fairleigh Dickinson; 262. Wagner; 272. Bryant.
Ohio Valley: 75. UT Martin; 91. Jacksonville State; 126. Morehead State; 152. Eastern Illinois; 171. Tennessee Tech; 224. Southeast Missouri State; 228. Eastern Kentucky; 238. Murray State; 241. Austin Peay; 248. Tennessee State.
Pacific Coast Softball: 141. Loyola Marymount; 157. Portland State; 172. St. Mary’s (Calif.); 176. Sacramento State; 181. San Diego; 211. Cal State Bakersfield; 234. Northern Colorado; 253. Santa Clara; 254. Seattle; 258. Utah Valley; 273. Idaho State; 282. Weber State.
Pacific-10: 2. Washington; 6. UCLA; 7. Arizona; 13. California; 15. Arizona State; 21. Stanford; 23. Oregon; 52. Oregon State.
Patriot League: 115. Lehigh; 160. Army; 182. Bucknell; 220. Colgate; 240. Lafayette; 249. Holy Cross.
Southern: 63. Chattanooga; 95. Elon; 96. Georgia Southern; 131. Appalachian State; 136. UNC Greensboro; 161. Furman; 188. Samford; 202. College of Charleston; 260. Western Carolina;
Southland: 87. Stephen F. Austin; 90. Texas State; 93. McNeese State; 106. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; 112. Texas-Arlington; 121. Ncholls State; 140. UTSA; 150. Sam Houston State; 180. Northwestern State; 203. Central Arkansas; 237. Southeastern Louisiana.
Southwestern Athletic: 255. Alabama State; 263. Southern U.; 266. Alcorn State; 275. Texas Southern; 278. Jackson State; 284. Grambling; 287. Prairie View A&M; 288. Arkansas-Pine Bluff; 289. Alabama A&M.
Summit League: 97. Western Illinois; 164. North Dakota State; 205. IPFW; 214. UMKC; 239. South Dakota State; 252. IUPUI; 259. Oakland; 265. Centenary; 271. Southern Utah.
Sun Belt: 29. Louisiana-Lafayette; 41. FIU; 56. North Texas; 68. Florida Atlantic; 85. Troy; 86. South Alabama; 116. Middle Tennessee; 120. Western Kentucky; 125. Louisiana-Monroe.
Western Athletic: 16. Hawaii; 46. Fresno State; 102. San Jose State; 103. Louisiana Tech; 119. New Mexico State; 135. Nevada; 175. Utah State; 186. Boise State;
Independents: 54. Longwood; 163. SIU Edwardsville; 261. Houston Baptist; 270. South Dakota; 274. North Dakota; 280. Savannah State; 281. Winston-Salem; 286. North Carolina Central.