Brittany Mack Named SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year

Brittany Mack, the 1st overall pick made by the USSSA Pride in the 2012 NPF Draft, was named a 2012 SEC Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year on May 9.  Mack, a pitcher at Louisiana State University, shares the honor with Jennifer Fenton of Alabama.

Mack, an LSU senior, will graduate on May 18 with a degree in Kinesiology with a human movement concentration.

In addition to softball and studies, Mack stands out as the founder of the Geaux Play Foundation, which she started at LSU earlier this year.  Geaux Play allows special needs children to play sports and be physically active.  Mack and fellow LSU athletes visit schools in the Baton Rouge area and play sports with children with disabilities each week, including softball, baseball, football, kickball, and soccer.  Eventually, Mack’s goal is to spread the Geaux Play program across Louisiana, and, eventually, the entire nation.

For the complete All-Conference Announcement from the SEC, visit SECDigitalNetwork.com.

 

Michelle Moultrie Named SEC Player of the Year

Michelle Moutlrie, the 12th overall pick to the USSSA Pride in the 2012 NPF Draft and the University of Florida centerfielder, was named by the 2012 All-Conference Player of the Year by the Southeastern Conference on May 8.

Moultrie is only the 4th Florida player to garner this award, and the 2nd Gator to do so within the last four years.  Moultrie leads the SEC in batting average at .395 and fielding percentage with a perfect 1.000.

A Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Finalist, Moultrie also ranks 16th in the NCAA in runs per game at 1.07.  In the SEC, Moultrie also ranks 3rd in hits, doubles, and on-base percentage.

Moultrie also earned a spot in the outfield on the SEC All-Conference First Team.

For the complete All-Conference Announcement from the SEC, visit SECDigitalNetwork.com

SEC and SBC Honor Pride Draftees

Both the Southeastern Conference and the Sun Belt Conference have honored USSSA Pride Draftees, making their All-Conference player announcements today, May 8.

The Pride’s 12th 2012 NPF Draft pick, Michelle Moultrie of the University of Florida, was recognized as the 2012 SEC Player of the year.  Moultrie leads the SEC in both batting average at .395 and fielding percentage with a perfect 1.000. Moultrie also holds a position in the outfield on the SEC All-Conference first team

Number 1 pick Brittany Mack was awarded the 2012 SEC Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year title. Mack, a pitcher at Louisiana State University, majors in Kinesiology with a human movement concentration.  In addition to softball and studies, Mack has also founded Geaux Play, a foundation that she started at the beginning of the season whose goal is to allow special needs children to play sports and be physically active.

Rounding out the Pride Draftee’s presence in the SEC All-Conference selections, 5th overall draft pick Kristyn Sandberg was named to the First Team All-SEC.  The catcher from the University of Georgia was the only Bulldog who landed on the first team’s list.  Sandberg leads the SEC in on-base percentage at .547, which puts her 13th in OBP nationally.

In the Sun Belt Conference, Christi Orgeron was honored as the SBC Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.  Orgeron, the 20th pick in the 2012 NPF Draft, leads the nation in RBI with 89 and RBI per game at 1.82.  Oregeron also leads the SBC in 5 different categories, earning her an outfielder position on the SBC All-Conference First Team.

For complete All-Conference Announcements from both the SEC and the SBC, visit SECDigitalNetwork.com and SunBeltSports.org.

About USSSA Florida Pride
The USSSA Florida Pride is a professional franchise in the National Pro Fastpitch League that is owned and operated by USSSA. The amateur organization of USSSA has multi-sport coverage and encompasses teams and players from the United States and abroad.
About NPF
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball since 2002.

Pride Draftees Close Out Regular Season, Stand Out Nationally

As the NCAA’s regular softball season draws to a close and conference tournaments (and eventually the 2012 Women’s College World Series) approach, let’s look at where the  2012 USSSA Pride Draftees and their college teams stand.

8th overall draft pick Valerie Arioto and her Cal Bears rank number 1 in all three of the major national polls (NCAA, USA Today/NFCA Coaches, and ESPN.com) with a 48-3 record and one series to go.  On May 10-11, the Bears will face off against #2 Arizona State.

Individually, University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Christi Orgeron and Arioto find themselves in the national top ten best in 4 and 5 fields, respectively. Orgeron, the 20th overall pick in the 2012  NPF Draft, holds the top spot in the nation for RBI per game with 1.82, while Arioto has had the most walks of any player in the NCAA this season at 1.35 per game.

5th overall pick Kristyn Sandberg of Georgia currently ranks 13th nationally in on-base percentage at .547, and Nikia Williams, the 16th draft pick, has the 15th most sacrifice flies nationally with 4.0. Michelle Moultrie of Florida, the 12th draft pick, was 16th in runs per game with 1.07, and 1st Pick Brittany Mack ranked 40th in strikeouts-per-seven-innings with 8.0.

4th-pick Andrea Harrison of UCLA currently holds the 47th spot nationally in home runs per game with.27.  Harrison and UCLA will take on Oregon this Sunday in the closing series of their regular season from May 10-12.

Below, see in full where the 2012 USSSA Pride Draftees and their teams rank, courtesy of the NCAA.

TEAM RANKINGS:

School USSSA Pride Draftee NCAA Rank USA Today/NFCA Coaches Rank ESPN.com Rank
California Valerie Arioto

1

1

1

Florida Michelle Moultrie

7

6

7

UCLA Andrea Harrison

11

17

17

Louisiana-Lafayette Christi Orgeron

13

5

6

Georgia Kristyn Sandberg

15

11

11

Washington Nikia Williams

17

14

15

LSU Brittany Mack

24

22

24

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS:

Homeruns Per Game

6

Valerie Arioto (.41)

7

Christi Orgeron (.41)

23

Kristyn Sandberg (.31)

47

Andrea Harrison (.27)

Batting Average

60

Valerie Arioto (.398)

66

Michelle Moultrie (.395)

73

Christi Orgeron (.391)

RBI Per Game

1

Christi Orgeron (1.82)

23

Valerie Arioto (1.08)

67

Andrea Harrison (.88)

90

Kristyn Sandberg (.83)

Earned Runs Average

16

Valerie Arioto (1.29)

Strikeouts Per Seven Innings

26

Valerie Arioto (8.4)

40

Brittany Mack (8.0)

Victories

60

Valerie Arioto (19.0)

Walks

1

Valerie Arioto (1.35)

20

Nikia Williams (.79)

27

Kristyn Sandberg (.76)

35

Christi Orgeron (.73)

Triples

25

Nikia Williams (4.0)

25

Michelle Moultrie (4.0)

Stolen Bases

68

Michelle Moultrie (.39)

Sacrifice Flies

15

Nikia Williams (4.0)

Slugging Percentage

3

Valerie Arioto (1.009)

12

Christi Orgeron (.872)

22

Kristyn Sandberg (.832)

65

Andrea Harrison (.701)

84

Michelle Moultrie (.667)

Runs Per Game

3

Christi Orgeron (1.29)

12

Valerie Arioto (1.12)

16

Michelle Moultrie (1.07)

Homeruns

4

Valerie Arioto (21.0)

7

Christi Orgeron (20.0)

17

Kristyn Sandberg (17.0)

On-Base Percentage

2

Valerie Arioto (.626)

13

Kristyn Sandberg (.547)

Brittany Mack, one of the best pitchers at LSU

Courtesy of Albert Burford, Sports Contributor and LSUReveille

2012 is an exciting year for the NPF, it is also an exciting time for LSU’s star pitcher Brittany Mack who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NPF Draft.

Recently she has started to hand the pitching reins over to another player at LSU, junior Rachele Fico as was demonstrated at a game recently against Georgia on Senior Day at Tiger Park.  Fico was ranked No. 7 in the SEC in strikeouts thrown and No. 12 in the conference with a 2.40 ERA.

According to LSUReveille  “Mack was named to the 2011 NFCA All-America Third Team and the 2011 All-Southeastern Conference First Team at the conclusion of last season…[she] ranked in the top six in the SEC in wins, batters struck out, earned run average and home runs allowed.

This is definitely an exciting time for Fastpitch softball!

About USSSA Florida Pride
The USSSA Florida Pride is a professional franchise in the National Pro Fastpitch League that is owned and operated by USSSA. The amateur organization of USSSA has multi-sport coverage and encompasses teams and players from the United States and abroad.
About NPF
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball since 2002.