Parker, Rogers and Owens Named NFCA All-Americans
5/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ?? Lauren Parker, Brittany Rogers and Chrissy Owens were all named All-Americans in an announcement by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on Wednesday.
Parker was named to the first team, Rogers was named to the second and Owens was a third team pick to give Alabama one representative on all three All-American teams. It is only the third time the Crimson Tide has had three NFCA All-Americans and first since 2001 when four players were awarded.
"With one player on each of the All-American teams it shows the strength of our team," said Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy. "This was one of the top offensive teams we have ever had here and it was a great team effort all year long. It was somebody different coming through for us in every game."
Parker, a sophomore second baseman from Port Neches, Texas, transferred from Baylor this year and put together an outstanding season for the Crimson Tide to garner first team All-American. She became the first Alabama player to earn NFCA first team All-American honors since Ashley Courtney in 2002 and is just the fifth NFCA first team All-American in school history. Her .457 batting avg. was the second highest total in school history behind four-time All-American Kelly Kretschman's .467 mark in 1998. Her .761 slugging pct. was the also the second highest total behind Kretschman's .986 1998 record while Parker's .509 on-base percentage was the fifth best total.
"I am very surprised," said Parker. "It is pretty awesome. I don't really know what to say. This season was definitely not what I expected. It just shows what great coaches and teammates I have and that I am at a great university."
In 55 games Parker added 63 hits, 47 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 45 RBI and 15 stolen bases. She is ranked fifth nationally with her .457 battting avg. and is 21st in the country in slugging pct. She improved her avg. 191 points from her freshman season and hit nine home runs after not hitting a single one last season with the Bears. She batted .444 against ranked opponents, including a 7-for-11 weekend at No. 8 LSU. She tallied hits in 37 of her 55 games with 21 multi-hit contests. She scored a run in 36 outings and drove in a run in 26 games. She led the team with 18 two-out RBI.
Rogers, a sophomore center fielder from Dacula, Ga., earned second team All-American recognition for the second straight year by the NFCA. She finished the year batting over .400 for the second consecutive season. It was only the ninth time in school history a player hit over .400. She also set the single season school record with 48 stolen bases. Her 68 runs scored were the third most in a single season and her 88 hits matched her freshman total for fourth-best in the record books.
"I shouldn't give all of the credit to myself," said Rogers. "My family, coaches and teammates played a large part in my success this season. I just wanted to go out and play hard for my teammates because they did the same for me. I am excited about what we were able to do this season as a team."
Playing in all 65 games, Rogers batted .402 with eight doubles, four triples, four home runs and 34 RBI. She accomplished the unthinkable by hitting inside and outside the park home runs from both the left and right side of the plate this season. Her 116 total bases led the team and she posted a .426 on-base percentage. She is fifth in the nation in stolen bases per game and ninth in runs per game. She also ranks in the top-50 in batting avg. She had a hit in 21 of the team's 22 games from Feb. 10 to March 14 and led the team with 30 multi-hit games for the season.
Owens, a junior pitcher from Miami, Fla., received her first All-American award by being named to the third team. She finished the year with a 24-5 overall record and 1.30 ERA with 144 strikeouts. She posted 11 shutouts and combined for five others on the year. Her 11 shutouts are the second most in single season history and her 24 victories are tied for the fifth most in a single year.
"It is an honor to receive this recognition," said Owens. "It says a lot about our school and our program to have three players named All-Americans. We play quality teams throughout the year and that makes us that much better as players."
The right-handed hurler only allowed two home runs in 149 innings, the fewest of any pitcher in the SEC, a conference which had two other All-American pitchers. Owens started the season 16-0 and is now ranked 18th nationally in ERA. She is just the 13th pitcher in school history to record 20 wins in a season and has been part of an Alabama team that has three straight seasons with two 20-game winners, the only school in the country to accomplish that feat. She is also only the fifth player to reach the 50-win plateau for her career. She also tied the school record with her 16th career save this season.
The Crimson Tide now has 21 NFCA All-American selections in the program's 11 years. All three of the 2007 All-Americans will return for the 2008 season along with three other All-South Region selections.
