Fresno State Athletics
Softball Opens Preseason Practice This Week
1/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Jan. 14, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - Preseason Practice Begins
A 17-player squad will have their eyes fixed and minds focused on making the program's 21st consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and the program's 13th trip to the NCAA Women's College World Series. A tall order? Indeed but the Bulldog softball program expects nothing less. Head coach Margie Wright welcomes back 12 letterwinners, including 10 starters, from a 39-19 team that captured its fourth straight Western Athletic Conference title and fifth WAC crown in six years. Coming off a medial redshirt season, freshman Jamie Southern (Clovis) is healthy. Senior Lindsay Fossatti (Tustin) along with fellow all-WAC performers Tiffany Whipple (Fresno) and Leslie Poole (Rootstown, Ohio) are back. Senior Vanessa Czarnecki (Riverside), junior Pam West (Corona) and sophomores Pam Perez (Fresno) and Lori Hoffman (Benicia) solidify the Bulldogs' experienced personnel. Five newcomers, including two high school NFCA All-Americans, will be present.
Olympic Honor - Winter Olympics That Is
Wright is making a run for the Olympics and it's not the Summer Olympics. Next week, Wright will be a support runner for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Torch Relay, which already has begun its 65-day 13,500-mile journey across the United States. The Olympic Flame, which will be carried by runners and support runners, will be in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Jan. 20. Wright will be asked to run up to two miles, about three times as far as each torchbearer, and also may be asked to carry the Olympic Torch during her route in Lake Tahoe. Wright will start her run at 7:29 p.m. from the entrance of Raley's Fashion Center on Tahoe Boulevard. Selected from among 210,000 nominations, the role of a support runner is to serve as "guardian of the flame" and to accompany and support the torchbearer carrying the Olympic Flame along the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay. Approximately 11,500 torchbearers and 4,200 support runners will participate in the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Torch Relay. The Winter Olympics begin in Salt Lake on February 8, 2002.
Meet the Team Activities
Fresno State softball "Meet the Team" activities are rapidly approaching. Reservations are being taken for the annual "Meet the Team" Dinner and Silent Auction which will be held on Sunday, Jan. 27, 12:00 p.m., at TorNino's. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by phoning the Diamond Club's Dorothy Hunter at (559) 439-0605. "Meet the Team" at Fashion Fair Mall will be Saturday, Feb. 2, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the mall's main entrance area. Schedule cards and posters will be available. For more information, phone (559) 244-2800.
Head Coach Margie Wright
Entering her 17th season as head coach of the Fresno State softball program, Margie Wright (Illinois State, 1974) has directed the Bulldogs to a national title (1998) while guiding the program to the NCAA Women's College World Series in 10 of the last 15 years. As only the second NCAA Division I coach to amass 900 or more Division I career wins, she owns an impressive 831-243-1 (.774) mark with the Bulldogs and a 22-year career record of 978-323-3 (.750). Becoming the NCAA's all-time career win leader on March 23, 2000 with a 2-1 victory over CS Northridge, Wright enters the 2002 season just 22 victories shy of being the first NCAA Division I coach to accumulate 1,000 Division I wins. Having directed the Bulldogs to the WCWS 10 times since 1986, the eight-time conference coach of the year has collected 12 outright or shared conference titles, a WAC tournament championship, 10 regional championship crowns and 16 straight NCAA postseason appearances. With a NCAA title and three national runner-up trophies to her credit, Wright is the only coach in school history to garner region coach of the year honors (seven times) and is the third head coach overall at Fresno State to garner National Coach of the Year accolades (1998). Boasting a 403-72 (.848) home field record, Wright has averaged 52 wins a year and has coached 44 All-Americans and 12 Verizon Academic All-Americans. An assistant coach for the 1996 USA Olympic softball gold medal team, Wright also helped the USA Softball National Team to a gold medal at the 1998 ISF World Championships.
1,000th NCAA Division I Win Up Next
Wright has recorded momentous milestones since becoming the program's third head coach in 1986. Recording career victories No. 200 through No. 900 at Fresno State, Wright became the NCAA's all-time winningest Division I coach with win No. 914 on March 23, 2000 (2-1 vs. CS Northridge). The 1998 National Coach of the Year enters the 2002 season 22 wins shy of being the first-ever NCAA Division I head coach to record 1,000 NCAA Division I victories. On the Division I level, only two head coaches (Wright and Judi Garman) have collected 900 or more fastpitch victories. Also, Wright is the lone active Division I coach to have collected 900 victories. Overall, only three head coaches, regardless of Division, have posted at least 900 fastpitch wins: Wright (978-323-3), Sandy Jerstad of Augustana (918-320-2) and Garman of CS Fullerton (913-374-4).
2001 Team Notables
The Bulldogs established several records last season in fewest wild pitches (4, record was 5 in 1988), fewest fielding errors (51, record was 58 in 1998), stolen bases in a game by an individual (3 by Becky Witt vs. Colorado State, tied mark) and career stolen bases (51 by Becky Witt, record was 39 by Laura Berg) ... Fresno State collected its 1,075 victory in the program's history with a 2-0 defeat over North Carolina on March 17 ... The Bulldogs are three wins shy of the program's 1,100th ... A week later, Fresno State picked up its 170th WAC win with a 4-1 victory over Loyola Marymount on March 24 ... The Bulldogs are 19 wins shy of recording the program's 200th WAC victory ... Fresno State recorded a mercy game 11 times and went extra innings four times ... The Bulldogs swiped 47 bases in 56 attempts ... The 47 stolen bases are the most by a Bulldog team since 1995 when those Bulldogs stole 47 in 54 attempts ... The 47 stolen bases by the 2001 and 1995 Bulldogs rank as the third-most in a single season in school history ... Fresno State opened the season with an invitational win at the 2001 Campbell/Cartier Tournament after going 5-0 ... The Bulldogs were the only team to ever go undefeated in the tournament's 11-year history ... Fresno State had eight games rained out in 2001 ... The Bulldogs nearly scored twice as many runs as their opponents (206-105) and posted the second-highest fielding percentage ever (.972) by a Bulldog team.
Bulldogs Snag Fourth Straight WAC Crown
Since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 1983, the Bulldogs have finished among the top three. Fresno State is the first program to capture five WAC titles and the first ever to win four consecutive crowns. The Bulldogs have posted an 81-7 (.920) mark in the last four years with five league titles in the past six years.
Caught in the Act
West laid down the law went it came to stealing -- that is stealing a base off this catcher. Throwing out 20 runners for a 74% accuracy of would-be basestealers (7-27), West not only led the nation of runners thrown out by percentage but allowed the fewest stolen bases off a Bulldog catcher ever in a season. The 20 runners thrown out ties for the third-best mark in a single season (20 by Christa Yorke, 1994).
Surging Power
Fossatti, a three-time first team all-WAC and an All-West Region performer, had her best season as a Bulldog after posting personal bests in batting (.291), RBI (33) and slugging percentage (.399). Missing out on eight games because of weather, Fossatti also would have surpassed her marks in hits, walks and total bases. Leading the team in RBI and walks, Fossatti belted her first career grand slam in Tucson against 2001 NCAA Champion Arizona and had her first career multiple-home run game on the road against Georgia. Ranked in career walks and home runs at Fresno State, Fossatti had a team-best seven multiple-RBI games. Named to her first NCAA Tournament all-regional team, she also garnered Verizon Academic All-America third team honors.
Reflecting Into a New Poole
Poole, a second team all-WAC pick, made her mark after transferring from Tennessee. Poole went from a 10-10 mark with two shutouts and 54 strikeouts in 128.1 innings for a 3.55 ERA in her rookie season to a 20-7 record with 11 shutouts and 85 strikeouts in 187.0 innings for a 1.35 ERA. Stringing together five consecutive shutout wins, including a 1-0 victory over then No. 4 Stanford, Poole was nationally ranked in ERA for two weeks. Poole had a season-best streak of 47.2 scoreless innings and during this streak she gave up 32 hits, walked nine and struck out 16 in nine appearances. Opening the year with a streak of 34.2 innings without an earned run, she also opened with a streak of 31.0 scoreless innings.
I'll Be Back
Southern, who used a medical redshirt season in 2001, injured her right shoulder in the fourth game of the season against CS Northridge at the Campbell/Cartier Tournament. Southern opened last year with a win over Iowa State and picked up a win in relief against San Diego State. Collecting a save against then No. 11 Michigan, she had tallied 18 strikeouts and gave up five hits in 12.0 innings of work. With opponents batting .116 against her in four appearances, Southern opened the year with nine strikeouts against the Cyclones in her collegiate opener. In the circle, Southern went 2-0 with two starts while recording one shutout, five hits, two walks and 18 strikeouts (10.50 SO/7) for a 0.00 ERA. At the plate, she batted .375 (3-8) with a double, sacrifice hit, walk, two strikeouts, four total bases and a .500 slugging percentage.
Fresno State Softball Celebrates Silver Anniversary
Celebrating 25 years of winning tradition will ring throughout the 2002 season for the Fresno State softball program. Recognized as a cornerstone of softball excellence since their inception, the Bulldogs boast a heritage that is hard pressed to be found elsewhere. A tradition that is held in high esteem, Fresno State softball demand for excellence has not only delivered the first national title to the university but has produced unparalleled success both on the field and in the classroom. A commemorative media guide is being produced for the 2002 season. The guides may be purchased for $15 in the Fresno State Athletics Media Relations Office.
Fresno State Softball: Undeniably Red
2002 Fresno State softball tickets can now be purchased at the Bulldog Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS are on the web at www.gobulldogs.com.
TV Schedule Announced
Fresno State softball will be televised live for six contests this season on AT&T Broadband - The Home Team (channel 14). Also heard live on the world wide web at www.gobulldogs.com, the six television softball dates include the home opener against Pacific on Feb. 27. In addition, KFSR 90.7 FM will be back to bring live radio and internet broadcasts of Bulldog softball home and road games. The radio schedule will be announced at a later date.
Preseason Softball Polls
The USA Today/NFCA Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, Jan. 23. The USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll will begin its weekly release every Wednesday during the regular-season on Feb. 20. In addition the NFCA will select a National Player of the Week during the season beginning Feb. 27 and running through May 8. The web site address for the NFCA is www.nfca.org. In addition, the Western Athletic Conference will be releasing its softball preseason coaches poll and preseason softball all-WAC honorees sometime this week. The WAC's website is www.wacsports.com.
Meet the Team at Half Time
The 2002 Fresno State softball team will make its annual appearance at half time of a men's basketball game on March 2. Just beginning a 14-game homestand, the softball team will host Santa Clara that afternoon at 1:00 p.m. before appearing at Selland Arena that evening. The men's basketball team will host Hawai'i in their final home game of the regular-season at 7:00 p.m.
Lunch with Margie
Four dates have already been penciled in on the Diamond Club's calendar to have "Lunch with Margie" at the Silver Dollar Hofbrau. Beginning at 12:00 p.m., Wright will share her thoughts on the team and opponents as well as do a question and answer session with fans once a month during the regular-season. The dates are Feb. 11, March 11, April 8 and May 6.
2002 Softball Schedule
Fresno State softball will play a 28-game homestand and a 36-plus road schedule, excluding postseason, in 2002. The Bulldogs open their season on the road with three consecutive tournaments (Fiesta Bowl, Campbell/Cartier and NFCA Leadoff) before making their first appearance at home against Pacific on Feb. 27. Beginning with UOP, the 'Dogs will enjoy a 14-game homestand, including their own four-day six-team tournament field for the Hedrick's Hallowell Chevrolet Classic (March. 7-10). Concluding its homestand with Tennessee Tech, Fresno State will then embark on a three week road swing with stops at the Kia Klassic, Portland State, Loyola Marymount, UCLA and Stanford. Appearing at Bulldog Diamond for only eight games in April (Tulsa, Louisiana Tech, Cal Poly and San Jose State), Fresno State will travel to Oklahoma City for the first West Coast-Midwest Challenge. The Bulldogs will tangle with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State at the Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium, site of the 2002 NCAA Women's College World Series. Again on the road for three straight weeks, the 'Dogs will close out their regular-season by playing six of their final eight games at Bulldog Diamond. NCAA Regional action gets underway at selected campus sites in mid-May (16-19) and the WCWS will take place the last week of the month (23-27).
National Rankings
Fresno State has been no stranger to the national polls for the last 19 years. Nationally ranked every week since 1983, the Bulldogs have been in the nation's Top 20 for 19 straight years. In the polls, the 'Dogs have been ranked No. 1 five times, No. 2 35 times, No. 3 31 times and No. 4 20 times. Fresno State has been in the poll's Top 10 in 148 of the last 162 weeks in addition to being ranked every week for 162 consecutive since the NCAA's first Top 15 poll in 1983.
NCAA Regional Rankings
The NCAA Division 1 Women's Softball Committee released its fourth and final Division I women's softball biweekly regional poll on May 10. The first three rankings listed the top ten teams in alphabetical order, only. The West Region is comprised of the Western Athletic Conference and the Big West Conference schools. In the final NCAA West Region poll, the NCAA ranked just six teams and did not list schools with records below .500: CS Fullerton, Pacific, Fresno State, Hawai'i, CS Northridge and Loyola Marymount.
Fresno State in the NCAA Tourney
Fresno State is the only program in the country to have qualified for each of the 20 NCAA Division I Women's Softball Championships. In the NCAA Tournament, Fresno State owns a 71-41 (.634) overall postseason record. In NCAA Regional action, the Bulldogs are 41-18 (.695) and 30-23 (.567) in NCAA Women's College World Series play. The Division I Women's Softball Championship Committee selected teams from the following eight regions to participate in the championship: Central, East, Northeast, South, Mideast, Midwest, West and Pacific. Twenty-one conferences were granted automatic qualification for the 2001 championship. Six conferences participated in a play-in to determine the remaining three automatic berths. In the NCAA Region II at Los Angeles, Fresno State (Western Athletic Conference) and Coastal Carolina (Big South Conference) were the only two teams to earn the NCAA automatic bid.
Top Attendance Drawer
With record ticket sales in five of the last six years and preseason sales surpassing the 1,000 plateau for the last five straight seasons, Fresno State has officially led the country in average attendance in nine of the last 11 years (unofficially in 14 of last 16) and in total attendance in eight of last 11 (unofficially in 13 of last 16). The Bulldogs drew at least 34,000 fans for the sixth consecutive year and own an astonishing 541-119-1 (.820) home field record. With more than 260,000 (260,042) fans passing through the turnstiles the past six years, Fresno State is averaging 2,261 fans per date in 115 dates at Bulldog Diamond while setting Top 25 single-date attendance marks the last six seasons, including the No. 5 all-time mark of 3,623 vs. Loyola Marymount on April 21.
2002 Top Returning Bulldogs
Sr., 1B, Vanessa Czarnecki
Had a five-game hit streak (.429, 6-14, 3 R, RBI, 3 BB, 1-1 SB, 2 SH, 6 TB) ... had seven multiple-hit performances & three multiple RBI games ... turned 14 double plays ... in career, tied for No. 7 in school history in career sacrifices (45) ... 6x Deans List ... 3x WAC all-Academic, WAC Scholar-Athlete &Fresno State Scholar-Athlete ... 2001 NFCA Scholar-Athlete.
Sr., 3B, Lindsay Fossatti
Led WAC in RBI ... hit safely in 17 of last 27 & batted .351 (26-74) with 8 R, double, 2 HR (grand slam), 19 RBI, 11 BB, 1-1 SB, 2 HBP, SH, SF, 31 TB ... in last 29 games, batted .344 (31-90, 15 R, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 2 HBP, 15 BB, SH, 2 SF, 40 TB) ... had 12 multiple-hit games & team-high seven multiple RBI games ...led team in RBI (33) & walks (29) ... hit first career grand slam vs. Arizona ... hit a pair of home runs and season-best nine total bases against Georgia (first career multi home run game) ... had career-high 5 RBI vs. Georgia ... stole first collegiate base against UC Riverside ... season-high seven-game hit streak (.545, 12-22, 3 R, 2 RBI, double, walk, 1-1 stolen base, 13 TB) ... turned four double plays ... in career, ranks No. 6 in walks at Fresno State & WAC ... also ranks No. 8 in career home runs (9) at FS ... 2001 NCAA Tournament all-regional ... 2001 Verizon Academic All-American ... 2001 Harold Haak Scholarship ... 2001 NFCA Scholar-Athlete ... 3x first team all-WAC ... 3x WAC all-academic, WAC Scholar-Athlete & Fresno State Scholar-Athlete ...6x time Deans List ... 4x Presidential List (4.0 GPA) ... Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society ... 2x WAC Player of the Week ...1999 all-West Region.
So., LHP/DP, Lori Hoffman
Led WAC in ERA ... in WAC, gave up four runs (two earned), 14 strikeouts & seven walks in 48.1 IP for a 0.29 ERA and a 5-1 league mark ... opened WAC season with a streak of 25.0 scoreless IP ... had 12 appearances vs. Top 25 teams with six starts ... owned Top 25 wins over #11 DePaul, #15 Oregon State, #8 CS Fullerton ... first collegiate start vs. #11 DePaul (W 2-1) ... made second start vs. Oregon State & got first shutout (2-0) ... season-high seven strikeouts vs. #4 Stanford ... season-best streaks of 25.0 scoreless IP & without an earned run ... went 11-10 on year with six shutouts, 58 strikeouts & 1.17 ERA in 31 appearances ... led team in doubles (12) & second in RBI (29) ... had nine multiple-hit games & six multiple RBI games ... had a six-game hit streak & batted .471 (8-17, 4 RBI, 2 BB, two doubles, triple).
So., 2B, Pam Perez
Ended WAC season with a three-game hit streak (.444, 4-9, run, RBI, 1-1 stolen base, SF) ... hit safely in five of last six games & hit .300 (6-20) with 2 runs, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 1-1 SB, HBP, SF, 9 TB ... batted .265 (9-34) with 2 runs, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 1-1 stolen base, HBP, SF and 9 TB) in last 11 games ... season-high five-game hit streak (.462, 6-13, 3 R, 2 BB, 1-1 SB) ... had six multiple-hit games & one multiple RBI game ... turned eight double plays.
Jr., RHP, Leslie Poole
One of two pitchers in WAC to tally 20 victories ... went 20-7 with 11 shutouts, 85 strikeouts & 1.35 ERA in 187.0 IP ... threw five consecutive shutout wins (including a 1-0 win vs. #4 Stanford) ... season-best streak of 47.2 scoreless IP (gave up 32 hits, walked nine & struck out 16 in 6 starts & 3 relief) ... opened year with a streak of 34.2 IP without an earned run & 31.0 scoreless IP ... in last 103.1 innings, has given up 18 runs -- 17 earned -- 21 walks & 43 strikeouts for a 1.15 ERA ... season-best six strikeouts vs. two teams ... turned two double plays ... had two one-hitters, three two-hitters & two three-hitters ... 3x WAC Pitcher of the Week ... 2001 Fresno State Scholar-Athlete ... 2001 second team all-WAC.
Jr., C, Pam West
Led nation in percentage of runners thrown out with 20 (74%, 7-27) ... the seven stolen bases are the fewest ever given up ... the 20 would-be basestealers thrown out is the third-best mark in school history ... had one pick off ... turned two double plays ... had a five-game hit streak & batted .500 (6-12, 2 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB, HBP) ... had four multiple hit games & one multiple RBI game ... 2x Fresno State Scholar-Athlete ... 2000 WAC all-Academic.
Sr., LF, Tiffany Whipple
Returning leader in batting, hits, runs, and stolen bases ... finished second on team in batting (.333), hits (59), runs (40), & multiple-hit games (16) ... season-high nine-game hit streak (.452, 14-31, 9 R, double, 3 RBI, BB, HBP, SF, SH, 4-4 SB, 15 TB, .484 slug pct.) ... in last 41 games, batted .352 (44-125) with 31 runs, 11 RBI, 4 doubles, triple, 7 walks, 9-11 stolen bases, 3 HBP, 4 SH & SF... ended WAC play with a five-game hit streak & batted .429 (6-14) with five runs, double, triple, RBI, walk, sacrifice, 1-1 stolen base & nine total bases ... WAC Player of the Week ... 2x Deans List ... 2000 Fresno State Scholar-Athlete & WAC all-Academic... 2001 NFCA Scholar-Athlete ... 2001 second team all-WAC.
