2015 Softball Review
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2015 SOFTBALL REVIEW Led the Southeastern Conference in three major Record: 60-7 Overall, 18-5 SEC Team Highlights categories: wins (60), ERA (1.63) and fielding Won the program’s second-straight national title, percentage (.981) NCAA Finish: 1st defeating Michigan two games to one in the final The Gators and their opponents were caught stealing of the Women’s College World Series 11 and 12 times, respectively; however, UF had 81 SEC Finish: 1st In the 34-year history of the WCWS, 12 different more steals (94) than its foes (13) teams have claimed the national title. Florida Florida’s .981 fielding percentage in 2015 is the best SEC Tournament Finish: T-3rd joins UCLA (2003, 2004 / 1988, 1989, 1990 / mark in school history, eclipsing the .979 mark set in 1984, 1985) and Arizona (2006, 2007 / 1996, 2013 1997 / 1993, 1994) as the only three programs to All-Americans: 3 – Lauren Haeger, Kelsey The Gators committed just 33 errors (UF record), which claim NCAA titles in consecutive years. is seven fewer than any previous squad Stewart (first team); Aleshia Ocasio (third team) In the 11 years of the Regional–Super Regional– Junior Kelsey Stewart and former Gator Michelle WCWS format, Florida is the fifth No. 1 seed to NFCA All-Southeast Region: 4 – Lauren Haeger, Moultrie both were selected to USA Softball’s National win the title (Florida – 2015; Oklahoma – 2013; Team following the season Kirsti Merritt, Aleshia Ocasio (first team); Kelsey Arizona State – 2011; Arizona – 2007; Michigan Freshman Nicole DeWitt and incoming frosh Kelly Stewart (second team) – 2005). Barnhill both were invited to USA Softball’s Women’s Florida ranked No. 1 on the 2015 ESPN/USA Junior National Team following the season WCWS All-Tournament: 4 – Lauren Haeger Today preseason poll. The last preseason No. 1 Walton completes the 2015 campaign with a 552-121 (MOP), Nicole DeWitt, Aubree Munro, Kelsey team to win the NCAA title is Arizona in 2007. (.820) record at UF and boasts a 675-185 (.785) career Stewart The Florida-Michigan meeting marked the fifth record as a head coach. Walton is 64-23 (.735) in the consecutive year a Southeastern Conference NCAA Tournament as a head coach, while the Florida Honda Award: Lauren Haeger team appears in the WCWS Championship program moved to 32-18 (.640) in NCAA Regional play, USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Series. 15-3 (.833) in Super Regional play and 22-12 (.647) in Year: Lauren Haeger Finished the season 60-7 – tied with UM for the WCWS action highest win total in the country Walton, assistant coach Jennifer Rocha and former SEC Female Athlete of the Year: Lauren Haeger Notched the Gators’ third 60-win season assistants Kenny Gajewski and Stacie Pestrak SEC Player of the Year: Kelsey Stewart Recorded Florida’s seventh 50-win season (volunteer) were named the 2015 National Fastpitch SEC Pitcher of the Year: Lauren Haeger Advanced to the WCWS for the seventh time in Coaches Association Division I National Coaching Staff the past eight seasons of the Year All-SEC: 3 – Lauren Haeger (first team), Kirsti Ranked first in the country in winning percentage; That was the first NFCA national honor received by the Merritt (first team), Kelsey Stewart (first team) first in fielding percentage; 22nd in scoring; 29th UF staff in program history. Walton and his staff were slugging percentage and 32nd in home runs per previously named NFCA Southeast Region Coaching th th Freshman All-SEC: 2 – Nicole DeWitt, Aleshia game; 4 in ERA; and 11 in on base percentage Staff of the Year four times (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011). th Ocasio Recorded the 900 win in program history on April 26, a 9-1 win over Texas A&M. Head coach Tim Walton notched career win No. Individual Highlights SEC Academic Honor Roll: 7 - Bailey Castro, 550 at UF on the fourth day of the WCWS (May Nicole DeWitt Taylore Fuller, Briana Little, Kathlyn Medina, Kirsti 31), when the Gators downed Auburn, 3-2, in . Named to the WCWS All-Tournament Team Merritt, Aubree Munro, Taylor Schwarz nine innings to advance to the Championship . Named to the SEC All-Freshman Team Series . Two-time SEC Freshman of the Week (Week 9 and 11) SEC First-Year Honor Roll: 4 - Becca Shipper Picked up the No. 1 National Seed in the 2015 Janell Wheaton, Kayli Kvistad, Megan Reed NCAA Tournament, UF’s seventh-straight top- . Finished the season with a .331 average, which ranked five national seed third on the team and was the third-highest clip Letterwinners Returning/Lost for 2015 season: Was one of five SEC teams in the eight-team recorded by a UF freshman (min. 100 AB) 14/6 WCWS field. Before this year, the Pac-12 was . Hit .341 off right-handed pitching, .360 with runners on the last league to send five teams to the WCWS base, .346 with runners in scoring position and .500 (5- Departing Players (all seniors): Bailey Castro, (1999) for-10, 17 RBI) with the bases loaded Jessica Damico, Lauren Haeger, Briana Little, Received a NCAA Tournament bid for the 16th . 60 games / 53 starts Francesca Martinez, Kathlyn Medina time in school history and hosted NCAA . Recorded 14 multi-hit games, which led the freshman Regionals at KSP Stadium for the 11th straight class Newcomers: 7 (Kelly Barnhill, Brooke Clemens, season, including each year under Tim Walton . Notched seven multi-RBI games Amanda Lorenz, Lily Mann, Sophia Reynoso, Boasted four NFCA All-Southeast Region Team . Sent UF to the WCWS Championship Series with a Theresa Swertfager, Alexandra Voss) members: Lauren Haeger, Kirsti Merritt, Aleshia single to left field which scored Justine McLean in the Ocasio (first team); Kelsey Stewart (second bottom of the ninth inning, to give the Gators a thrilling team) extra-inning victory over Auburn, 3-2 Lauren Haeger, Kelsey Stewart (first team) and . Ranked third on the team in doubles with 10 Aleshia Ocasio (third team) went on to earn All- Recorded a perfect fielding percentage (58 putouts, 20 America honors, bringing the tally to 15 athletes . assists) with 29 honors under Tim Walton, as the Gators have had at least one All-American each of the last nine years, including a first-team selection for Lauren Haeger eight straight seasons . USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Had three All-SEC selections and two SEC All- . 2015 WCWS Most Outstanding Player Freshman Team members . Second Gator to win the Honda Award for softball Lauren Haeger was the 2015 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year and . One of three finalists for the Collegiate Women Sports Florida joins UCLA and Arizona as the only three became the first Gator to receive the award, Award programs to claim NCAA titles in consecutive years. which is considered the most prestigious honor in . Nominated for two ESPY Awards Division I women’s softball . SEC Female Athlete of the Year Lauren Haeger is the 2015 SEC Female Athlete . SEC Pitcher of the Year of the Year - eighth Gator (and fifth female) to . First Team NFCA All-Southeast Region (P) earn honor . First Team All-SEC (P) . Owned an 9-2 record against ranked opponents 2015 Schedule & Results striking out 65 batters in 73.2 innings in those . Two-time National Player of the Week (NFCA, Week 2; Record: 60-7 games espnW, Week 8) Home: 29-2 Away: 13-3 Neutral: 18-2 SEC: 18-5 . Three-time SEC Pitcher of the Week (Weeks 2, 9 and . Fourth Gator freshman in five years with 100+ Date Opponent Result 11) strikeouts FEBRUARY . Finished the 2015 season with a 32-2 record after . Recorded two saves and two seven-inning one- 6 vs. Hampton & W, 17-0 (5) beginning the year with 24 consecutive victories to hitters throughout the season 7 vs. No. 8 Michigan & W, 2-1 7 vs. Illinois State & W, 8-0 (5) mark the best start to a campaign in Gator history 8 vs. Jacksonville & W, 9-0 (5) . Held an 15-2 record against ranked opponents Kelsey Stewart 8 @ USF (rv) & W, 10-5 11 @ Jacksonville W, 16-1 (5) . Finished the season with the fourth-best ERA in the . 2015 NFCA First Team All-American nation, 1.23 13 NC STATE (RV) W, 1-0 . 2015 NFCA All-Southeast Region Second 14 NC STATE (RV) W, 5-3 . Earned the win in Game 1 of each of Florida’s eight Team 14 IOWA W, 8-0 Southeastern Conference series 15 IOWA W, 8-0 . 2015 SEC Player of the Year . 67 games / 67 starts 15 NC STATE (RV) W, 3-0 . 2015 All-SEC First Team 20 LIBERTY # W, 11-0 (5) . Finished the season with a team-best 19 homers and 21 ILLINOIS STATE # W, 4-1 71 RBI, which ranked 26th and 15th in the country . 2015 SEC All-Defensive Team 2015 WCWS All-Tournament Team 21 KANSAS (RV) # W, 7-1 . Hit .433 in the NCAA Tournament, .364 vs. left-handed . 22 MERCER # W, 20-3 (5) pitching and .363 with runners on base . Started all 67 games 22 MERCER # W, 10-3 Set the Florida and SEC career home run record with . Recorded the second 100+ hit season of 25 NO. 15 UCF W, 2-1 . 27 vs. No. 2 Oregon $ W, 3-0 her 66th, a grand slam at Georgia on April 18 in Game her career and the third in Gator history 27 vs. Cal Poly $ W, 6-1 1 of a doubleheader . Scored the third-most runs in a single 28 vs. UC Davis $ W, 9-0 (5) .