Six Ohio State Softball Players Garner All-Region Accolades – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 16, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 20 Ohio State softball team can add another accomplishment to its list in a season of firsts as six Buckeye players garnered selections on the All-Great Lakes Region teams with a program-record five first team honorees the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced Wednesday. Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) in the outfield, Stacy Roth (Sr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) at catcher, Wendy Allen (So., Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) as a utility player, Jennifer Link (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) at second base and Sarah West (Sr., Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) at first were the first team selections for OSU with pitcher Katie Chain (Jr., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) earning a spot on the second team. All six Buckeyes are eligible for All-America honors to be determined by the members of the coaches association in Oklahoma City, Okla., at the Women’s College World Series May 26-29.
The previous high total for Buckeyes selected to the regional team was 1994 when Krinon Clark, Jen Fredrickson, Marla Pickard and Genice Turely garnered first team honors and teammate Tara Alexander earning a spot on the second team. Clark paved the way with her third selection, the most for a Buckeye player until Roth garnered her third team honor this year. Allen and Chain made their second appearances on the all-region teams with Smith and West making their first appearances.
Smith led the Big Ten and was second in the nation in hitting with a .513 average this year and set OSU career records for hits (239), runs (164) and stolen bases (107) while setting single-season records in hits (101), the 18th-most in NCAA history, runs (66) and stolen bases (39). Roth earned the first team nod with two records of her own. She is the Buckeyes’ all-time runs batted in leader with 163 and set the single-season mark with 63 this year. Allen led the team and the conference with a 0.88 ERA while also collecting the second-most doubles in a season at OSU with 18 and hitting at a .385 clip. Link led all candidates at second base in numerous statistical categories while starting in every game OSU has played this year and in her career, 178 in all. West also was a staple in the Buckeye lineup starting in and playing all but two games for OSU because of an injury. West hit .333 and collected eight home runs, the fifth-most in a single season in Buckeye annals.
The all-region accolades accompany several other honors bestowed on the Buckeyes this year. On the field, Allen was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and joined Smith and Roth on the all-conference first team. Roth also added another decoration to her career by being named to the Academic All-District IV First Team. West and Allen also `made the grade’ on the second team.
OSU opens NCAA Region 6 action against Central Michigan at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Ann Arbor, Mich.
All-Great Lakes Region First Team Pitcher Marisa Young Michigan Pitcher Amber Puchalski Central Michigan Catcher Stacy Roth Ohio State First Base Sarah West Ohio State Second Base Jennifer Link Ohio State Third Base Stefanie Volpe Michigan Shortstop Lindsey Hamma Illinois Outfield Anna Smith Ohio State Outfield Edel Leyden Illinois-Chicago Outfield Theresia Taylor Illinois State Utility Wendy Allen Ohio State Designated Player Amanda Rivera Illinois-Chicago
Second Team Pitcher Amy Harre Southern Illinois Pitcher Katie Chain Ohio State (1)Pitcher Allison Aquilar Illinois-Chicago (2)Pitcher Lisa Keenan Akron (3)Pitcher Audra Rast Illinois State Catcher Monica Schock Michigan First Base Erin Norton Penn State Second Base Kelsey Kollen Michigan Third Base Jennifer Tripken Penn State Shortstop Becky Monson Central Michigan Outfield Amber Stachura Illinois-Chicago Outfield Gina Bianchini Penn State Outfield LeeAnn Butcher Illinois (4)Outfield Krista Peters Detroit-Mercy Utility Michelle Bender Central Michigan Designated Player Kelly Creek Southern Illinois
(1) Automatic selection as Horizon League Co-Pitcher of the Year (2) Automatic selection as Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Year (3) Automatic selection as Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year (4) Automatic selection as Horizon League Player of the Year
