May 16, 2007
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WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- In a vote of the league's eight head coaches, ARIZONA STATE outfielder Kaitlin Cochran was named the Pacific-10 Conference Softball Player of the Year. Arizona State's Katie Burkhart was named Pitcher of the Year, OREGON freshman Jennifer Salling was named Newcomer of the Year and ARIZONA center fielder Caitlin Lowe received Defensive Player of the Yearhonors. Coach of the Year was awarded to Arizona's Mike Candrea, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.
Cochran, a sophomore from Yorba Linda, Calif., led the Sun Devils to their best Conference finish in 16 years. Arizona State was 13-8 in the Pac-10 and finished runner-up for the first time since 1991 and much was due to Cochran's prowess at the plate. The sophomore leads the nation in batting average entering the postseason with a .506 average. Cochran ranks first in the Pac-10 in batting average, slugging percentage (.931), on-base percentage (.621), runs scored (70), hits (88), home runs (18), total bases (162), and walks (47). She is tied for third in RBI with 57. Her slugging percentage is the nation's fourth best and her runs per game average ranks eighth. Cochran's hits and home run totals both set new ASU single-season records. She is just the second Sun Devil to be named Player fo the Year, and first since Jodi Rathbun shared the award with UCLA's Lisa Longaker in 1987. Cochran was the Newcomer of the Year her freshman season in 2006.
Burkhart, a junior from San Luis Obispo, Calif., handled the pitching side of things for Arizona State. The Pac-10 leader in both ERA (1.01) and strikeouts (429), Burkhart posted a record of 30-11. Her strikeout total broke her own single-season record at Arizona State, and she passed Kirsten Voak (1999-2002) as the Sun Devils' career strikeout leader. Her 1,069 K's ranks seventh on the Pac-10 career charts, having recently passed Arizona's Jennie Finch (1999-2002). Burkhart went the distance in 34 of her 35 starts, and posted 12 shutouts and two saves. Opponents hit just .133 vs. Burkhart, best in the Pac-10. Her ERA is the nation's seventh lowest, and her 11.1 strikeouts per seven innings ranks sixth. Burkhart has had 25 games of double-digit strikeouts this seaon, and was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week on three occasions, as well as a USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week award for the week of Apr. 9-15. She is the first Sun Devil to earn Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year honors.
Also receiving honors for the Sun Devils are:senior third baseman, Bianca Cruz (first team), junior second baseman, Mindy Cowles (Second Team), senior catcher and team captain Heidi Knabe (Honorable Mention) and junior outfielder Jackie Vasquez (Honorable Mention).
FIRST TEAM
Player School Yr Pos Hometown
Kaite Burkhart ASU JR P San Luis Obsipo, Calif.
Ashley Charers WASH JR SS Newburg, Ore.
Kaitlin Cochran ASU SO OF Yorba Linda, Calif.
Krista Colburn UCLA JR OF Mukilteo, Wash.
Bianca Cruz ASU SR 3B Surprise, Ariz.
Lisa Dodd UCLA SR 2B San Diego, Calif.
Kristie Fox ARIZ SR SS San Diego, Calif.
Danielle Lawrie WASH SO P/DP Langley, B.C.
Jodie Legaspi UCLA SR SS Garden Grove, Calif.
Caitlin Lowe ARIZ SR OF Tustin, Calif.
Cambria Miranda OSU JR UT Camarillo, Calif.
Taryne Mowatt ARIZ JR P Corona, Calif.
Jennifer Salling ORE FR SS Port Coquitlam, B.C.
Dena Tyson WASH SR 1B Corona, Calif.
SECOND TEAM
Player School Yr Pos Hometown
Suzie Barnes ORE SR 2B Lake Forest Park, Wash.
Mindy Cowles ASU JR 2B Riverside, Calif.
Alissa Haber STAN FR OF Newark, Calif.
Sari-Jane Jenkins ORE SO OF Salem, Ore.
Natalie Johnson OSU SR OF Lake Oswego, Ore.
Megan Langenfeld UCLA FR P/1B Bakersfield, Calif.
Dominique Lastrapes WASH SR 2B Mission Viejo, Calif.
Mia Longfellow OSU SR SS Ramona, Calif.
Brianne McGowan OSU SR P/DP Reno, Nev.
Chelsie Mesa ARIZ SR 2B Yuma, Ariz.
MissyPenna STAN SO P/UT Miami, Fla.
Jackie Rinehart STAN SR OF Reno, Nev.
Alex Sutton CAL SR OF Morgan Hill, Calif.
Ann Marie Topps ORE SR DP Costa Mesa, Calif.
HONORABLE MENTION
Player School Yr Pos Hometown
Adrienne Acton ARIZ JR OF Marana, Ariz.
Tricia Aggabao STAN JR 2B Walnut, Calif.
K'Lee Arredondo ARIZ FR OF Tempe, Ariz.
Callista Balko ARIZ JR C Tucson, Ariz.
Neena Bryant ORE FR OF Placentia, Calif.
Maddy Coon STAN SO DP Chappaqua, NY
Jaisa Creps UCLA SR C Valencia, Calif.
Joanna Gail ORE JR 3B Poway, Calif.
Sherina Galvan OSU SR 3B Moreno Valley, Calif.
Lauren Greer WASH JR OF Placentia, Calif.
Tara Henry UCLA SR OF Orange, Calif.
Whitney Holum UCLA SR OF/DP Rancho San Diego, Calif.
Heidi Knabe ASU SR C Simi Valley, Calif.
Shannon Koplitz STAN FR UT New Orleans, La.
Marnie Koziol WASH SO OF Renton, Wash.
Kristi Leiter ORE SR 1B Lake Stevens, Wash.
Gina Leomiti CAL SO OF/UT San Diego, Calif.
Bernice Masaniai CAL FR C/UT Stanton, Calif.
Ta'Tyana McElroy OSU SR P Los Angeles, Calif.
Christina Schallig CAL FR 1B Carson, Calif.
Anjelica Selden UCLA JR P Vacaville, Calif.
Vernae Sevilla CAL FR 2B Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Kaila Shull UCLA FR OF/C Lodi, Calif.
Michelle Smith STAN JR 3B Agoura Hills, Calif.
Jackie Vasquez ASU JR OF Tucson, Ariz.
DeAnn Young OSU SO 1B Camarillo, Calif.
PAC-10 PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kaitlin Cochran, ASU
PAC-10 PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Katie Burkhart, ASU
PAC-10 NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Jennifer Salling, Oregon
PAC-10 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Caitlin Lowe, Arizona
PAC-10 COACH OF THE YEAR
Mike Candrea, Arizona