Fresno State Athletics
Softball's Southern Named First Team All-American
5/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 23, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State softball right-handed pitcher Jamie Southern (Clovis, Calif.) was selected to the 2002 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America First Team at last night's banquet prior to the NCAA Division I Women's College World Series today in Oklahoma City.
Southern, who is one of the top 10 finalists for the inaugural USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, is the fifth Bulldog freshman to garner First Team All-America accolades. The other rookie Bulldogs who were selected First Team All-Americans were pitchers Terry Carpenter (1989), Lindsay Parker (1996) and Amanda Scott (1997) and outfielder Robyn Yorke (1994).
As the first player in Western Athletic Conference history to be named WAC Pitcher and Freshman of the Year in the same season, Southern led the nation in ERA all seven weeks as released by the NCAA.
Becoming just the third freshman in NCAA Division I history to tally 400 or more strikeouts in a rookie debut, she recorded 19 ten-strikeout games and threw three no-hitters, including two perfect games.
Southern, who set a school and WAC record for strikeouts in a game twice (19 and 22), posted a 33-10 record with 22 shutouts and 400 strikeouts in 351.2 innings pitched.
Establishing Fresno State rookie records in strikeouts, shutouts, wins, win/loss and being only the fourth 20-game winner as a freshman and just the second 30-game winner as a rookie, Southern completed her freshman campaign by ranking in 27 records in school, WAC and NCAA history combined.
In NCAA Division I single-season history, Southern ranks No. 16 in strikeouts and No. 17 in innings pitched. She already ranks in the school's and the league's career annals in ERA, strikeouts, strikeouts per 7/IP and saves while setting new single-season and single-game strikeout marks in Fresno State and WAC history.
Since the start of her tenure, head coach Margie Wright has produced 45 NCAA All-Americans out of the program's 48.
In addition, this is the fifth time in which a Bulldog softball player has been selected as a Honda Awards Program softball finalist. Southern joins Wend Ward (1982), Julie Smith (1991) and Amanda Scott (1999 and 2000) on the elite list.
The Honda Award Program honors top collegiate student-athlete in various sports through out the year. The National Fastpitch Coaches' Association determined the four softball finalists and will select the top softball player in the country during the WCWS.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, as awarded by the Amateur Softball Association of American, will narrow its list to three on May 31 with the national winner to be announced on June 7.
