April 7, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Fordham sophomore pitcher, Jen Mineau (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Hoosic Valley Central) was announced one of collegiate softball's elite as she was named a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist by officials from the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America on Wednesday.
Mineau, the Rams No. 1 pitcher, is the only sophomore and the lone representative of the Atlantic 10 on a list selected out of 20 schools and seven Division I conferences. The Rams' sophomore is also the only player selected from the Northeast Region.
"I am so proud of Jen, and happy for our program to get recognition," said Fordham softball's head coach Bridget Orchard. "She has worked really hard and deserves everything she gets. I am honored to coach her and see her improvement every day."
Through just 36 games this season, Mineau (18-5), has broken the records for strikeouts in a single game twice, (18 then 19), the single season strikeout count (288) and shutouts in a season (7). She's been named Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week twice (Feb. 22, March 1) and is on pace to set Fordham's single season ERA record with her current ERA of 0.72.
Mineau has struck out the side 27 times in 154.2 innings pitched. She's allowed just 70 hits and 22 runs in 30 appearances. She has had the four best strikeout performances in Fordham history with 19 against Dayton in the first game on March 28. She set the record earlier in the season with 18 against Morehead State (Feb. 20) and Winthrop (March 20), 16 vs. Memphis (March 6) and 15 vs. Texas A&M (Feb. 25).
In the first weekend of play, Mineau set two Fordham records as she pitched a seven-inning perfect game in the season-opener against Morehead State (Feb. 20). The seven-inning perfect game was the first ever in Fordham's 25 year history. She also threw a school record of 18 strike outs en route to a 10-0 win. It was the second perfect game and third no-hitter of Mineau's career, while the 18 strikeouts broke the school record of 14, set by Sara Kinney in 2007. Since then, Mineau broke her own record striking out 19 batters at Dayton on March 28 for the new record. Overall, it was the third perfect game in team history and fourth no-hitter.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced at the opening of the NCAA 2010 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female college softball players across the country. Past winners of this award include UCLA's Stacey Nuveman, Florida State's Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner, Texas pitcher Cat Osterman, Tennessee's Monica Abbott, Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher and Washington's Danielle Lawrie.
The Top 25 list represents 20 schools and seven different NCAA Division I Conferences. The list is comprised of 10 seniors, seven juniors, one sophomore and seven freshman. The 2010 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be chosen from the 25 finalists.
2010 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalists
Name (School) - Year - Position - Hometown
Valerie Arioto (California) - Junior - Utility - Pleasanton, Calif.
Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi State) - Senior - Catcher/Infield - Cordova, Tenn.
*Kayla Braud (Alabama) -Freshman - Infielder - Eugene, Ore.
*Raven Chavanne (Tennessee) - Freshman - Third Base/Outfield -Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Francesca Enea (Florida) - Senior - Outfield - Woodland Hills, Calif.
Amber Flores (Oklahoma) - Senior - Infield - Calexico, Calif.
*Kenzie Fowler (Arizona) - Freshman - Pitcher - Tucson, Ariz.
*Teagan Gerhart (Stanford) - Freshman - Pitcher/Infielder - Norco, Calif.
Alissa Haber (Stanford) - Senior - Outfield- Newark, Calif.
Sarah Hamilton (Florida State) - Junior - Pitcher - Tallahassee, Fla.
Megan Langenfeld (UCLA) - Senior - Pitcher/First Base - Bakersfield, Calif.
Brittany Lastrapes (Arizona) - Junior - Outfield - Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Danielle Lawrie (Washington) - Senior - Pitcher - Langley, B.C.
*Blaire Luna (Texas) - Freshman - Pitcher - Austin, Texas
*Jen Mineau (Fordham) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Schaghticoke, N.Y.
*Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma) - Freshman - Pitcher - San Jose, Calif.
Melissa Roth (Louisville) - Senior - Catcher - Long Beach, Calif.
*Hope Rush (Georgia Tech) - Freshman - Pitcher/DP - Stockbridge, Ga.
Taylor Schlopy (Georgia) - Junior - Pitcher/Outfield - West Hills, Calif.
Kirsten Shortridge (LSU) - Senior - Pitcher/Outfield- Keller, Texas
*Jenn Salling (Washington) - Junior - Infield - Port Coquitlam, B.C.
Danielle Spaulding (North Carolina) - Senior - First Base/Pitcher - Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
*Jordan Taylor (Michigan) - Junior - Pitcher - Valencia, Calif.
Rhea Taylor (Missouri) - Junior - Outfield - Buford, Ga.
Jen Yee (Georgia Tech) - Senior - Second Base - North Delta, B.C.
*Was not on Top 50 Watch list
