Hokie ClubOKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, announced today the selection of Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher (Eagle Rock, Va.) as the recipient of the Seventh Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award. After being a top 10 finalist in 2007, Tincher has dominated the competition in 2008 with a nation-best 0.62 ERA.
The USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award, in its seventh year, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by NCAA Division I collegiate softball players across the country.
The 2008 ACC Pitcher of the Year, Tincher has put her mark in the NCAA record books this season. At No. 3 for most NCAA career strikeouts (2,121), the senior hurler is currently leading the nation in ERA at 0.62 behind former Player of the Years Monica Abbott and Cat Osterman. With 651 strikeouts this season in 329.0 innings pitched, she also leads the nation with 14.0 strikeouts per seven innings.
"It's very exciting and right now I am just trying to let it sink in. This is something I have watched on TV and read about before and now it be even in that group is so amazing," said Tincher. "I am excited for our team mostly. If we had not had the success as a team this year, I don't think I would have ever had this opportunity. We have great coaches and support staff behind us and this is such an honor."
With a 38-8 record, Tincher has led the Hokies to their first-ever Women's College World Series appearance. She has 37 double-digit strikeout performances this season and four no-hitters. She picked up her 100th career win at NC State on March 22 and became the ACC's all-time leader in victories on April 16. On March 26, 2008, she made softball history with a no-hit 1-0 shutout against the USA Softball Women's National team. Tincher has not only excelled on the field but off as she had made the Dean's List every semester of College. She recently graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in finance, insurance and business law with a 3.84 GPA.
"She does a great job representing her family our team and our University. I am so proud of her accomplishments and she is very deserving of this award," said Virginia Tech head coach Scot Thomas. "This is a great award for her as well as for the University."
The three finalists for the 2008 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award including Tincher were University of Tennessee senior Tonya Callahan and Texas A&M Senior Megan Gibson.
A replica of the award will be placed in a permanent display in the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, along with photos of the winner. An additional replica of the award will be presented to the player's academic institution at a designated event in the fall.
Abbott won the 2007 award days before she led the Tennessee Lady Vols to its first-ever WCWS best-of-three Championship series. Osterman of the University of Texas became the first three-time winner of the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award in 2006 after leading her Longhorns to the Big 12 regular season title and a berth into the NCAA Women's College World Series. Past winners of the award include Stacey Nuveman (UCLA-2002), Osterman (Texas-2003, 2005, 2006) and Jessica Van der Linden (Florida State-2004).