Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - Weeks following their magical run to the Women's College World Series, honors continued to be handed to Virginia Tech senior pitcher Angela Tincher and head coach Scot Thomas. The pair was named Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Pitcher and Coach of the Year, respectively, today, as announced by VaSID.
Also joining the Hokie duo in receiving VaSID University Division all-state softball team top honors were George Mason's Ashli Breau and Radford's Shannon Keefe, who were named the state organization's Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively.
For the third-straight year, Tincher (Sr., Eagle Rock, Va.) has been named VaSID Pitcher of the Year, capping off a star-studded career for the right-hander. The senior was named the 2008 USA Softball National Player of the Year, following a season in which she was 38-10, with a 0.63 ERA, 679 strikeouts and 75 walks during 344 innings of work. The three-time All-American finished her career with 2,149 strikeouts, ranking third in NCAA history.
Thomas guided the Hokies to their first Women's College World Series appearance after upsetting No. 6 Michigan in the NCAA Super Regionals.Virginia Tech finished the year ranked No. 8 in both the USA Softball/ESPN.com and NFCA/USA Today polls, following a 49-19 season. The state coaching honor is the fifth for Thomas, making him the only head coach in VaSID history to be named Coach of the Year five times (1999, 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2008).
Joining Tincher on the first team from Virginia Tech was Erin Ota, who made the second team as a freshman in 2006. Tech placed three players on the second team: catcher Kelsey Hoffman, Charisse Mariconda at third base and Jenna Rhodes as the designated player. For Mariconda, it's her second all-state honor while it's the first for both Hoffman and Rhodes.
Breau (So., Vienna, Va.) set school single-season records in batting average (.421), home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.752). The sophomore was also named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Mid Atlantic Region first team and the All-CAA second-team squads.
Keefe (Fr., Lemont Township, Ill.) was named Big South Freshman of the Year and was a first-team all-conference selection during her first season as a utility player for the Highlanders. She ranked second in the Big South in home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.675), while batting .366 with 30 runs scored, six doubles and 23 RBIs.
All in all, 22 players were named to the first and second team listings, including nine student-athletes who notched a spot on last year's all-state squad. Radford, following a record-setting 46-15 mark, dominated the all-state squad with seven representatives. Virginia Tech followed with five all-state honorees, while Hampton, Longwood and Norfolk State had multiple all-state sections. George Mason, James Madison and Liberty each had one student-athlete honored by the state organization for her efforts on the softball diamond.
2008 VaSID University Division All-State Softball Team
VaSID All-State First Team
C - Sarah Himan - Radford
1B - Beth Bennett - Liberty
2B - Erin Ota - Virginia Tech
SS - Ryan Washington - Longwood
3B - Vicki Madden - Radford
OF - Angela Basler - Hampton
OF - Hope Creasy - Radford
OF - Brittany Davis - Hampton
DP/UTL - Ashli Breau - George Mason
P - Ashley Taylor - Radford
P - Angela Tincher - Virginia Tech
VaSID All-State Second Team
C - Kelsey Hoffman - Virginia Tech
1B - Jeanette Sauceda - Norfolk State
2B - Jenn Everhart - Radford
SS - Kristen Shifflett - Radford
3B - Charisse Mariconda - Virginia Tech
OF - Ashley Carlson - Radford
OF - Brianeisha Eure - Norfolk State
OF - Caitlin Hooe - Longwood
DP/UTL - Jenna Rhodes - Virginia Tech
P - Amanda Black - Hampton
P - Meredith Felts - James Madison
Player of the Year
Ashli Breau - George Mason
Pitcher of the Year
Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech
Rookie of the Year
Shannon Keefe, Radford
Coach of the Year
Scot Thomas, Virginia Tech