Jan. 22, 2010
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
When you consider that Freshman All-America quarterback Robert Griffin was left off the Baylor Football All-Decade Team, it says something that pitcher Whitney Canion was a no-brainer pick for the Baylor Softball All-Decade team.
She's that good!
Not only did the hard-throwing left-hander shatter Baylor's single-season strikeout record by 151 K's, she's already fifth on the career list with 415. The 2009 Big 12 Conference Freshman and Pitcher of the Year, Canion highlights an all-decade squad that also features three-time All-America third baseman Brette Reagan off the 2009 team.
Overall, this is a team that's packed with power with players like catcher Chelsi Lake, first baseman Ashley Monceaux, DP Tessa Lynam and Reagan. And then there's coach Glenn Moore's "Jets," the speedsters that top the single-season and career list for stolen bases and triples: shortstop Kim Wilmoth, utility player Harmony Schwethelm and outfielders Naomi Fitzgerald and Kelly Osburn.
And just in case Canion gets tired - she had 37 complete games last season - you can always turn to an impressive staff of Lisa Ferguson, Cristen Vitek and Joni Miller. With an all-star cast like that, six NCAA Regional appearances, two Super Regionals and a 2007 World Series berth, this truly was a decade to remember for Baylor softball.
Here are the capsule bios for the 2000-09 Baylor All-Decade Softball Team:
C Chelsi Lake (2004-07):
Three-time, first-team All-Big 12 and third-team All-American in '06, when she hit .362 with 18 homers, 16 doubles and 52 RBIs; first-team All-Region in 2004 and '06; USA Softball National Player of the Year finalist in '05; ranks first in career homers (44), doubles (48) and RBIs (184). Career: .317, 48 doubles, 44 homers, 184 RBIs, .580 slugging percentage
1B Ashley Monceaux (2006-07):
First-team All-American and USA Softball National Player of the Year finalist in '07, when she set single-season school records for batting average (.413), hits (81), doubles (19), homers (20) and RBIs (71); junior college All-American was also first-team All-Big 12 in '06; 2nd in career batting average (.380), fourth in homers (28) and fifth in RBIs (100) despite playing just two years. Career: .380, 30 doubles, 100 RBIs, .716 slugging percentage
2B Carrie Leerberg (2002-05):
Versatile player who started at 2B, 3B, catcher, left and right field and DP; 1st-team All-American and All-Big 12 in '04, when she hit .372 with five triples and 28 stolen bases; one of the original "Jets," ranks fourth all-time with 68 career steals and tied for first with 9 triples; bothered by hamstring as senior, but still hit .320 with three triples and 13 stolen bases. Career: .303, nine triples, 42 RBIs, 68-of-80 on stolen bases.
3B Brette Reagan (2006-09):
Only three-time All-American in school history, earning second-team honors in 2006 and third-team honors in '07 and '08; first-team All-Region in 2006, '08 and '09, when she came back from a torn ACL to hit .333 with nine homers; in `07, hit ..341 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs to lead Bears to Big 12 title and first trip to the World Series; set school record with 133 career walks and ranks second in homers (41) and RBIs (156). Career: .353, 38 doubles, 41 homers, 156 RBIs, .642 slugging percentage
SS Kim Wilmoth (2002-05):
Four-year starter at SS and all-time leader in games played (252) and starts (247); second-team All-Big 12 in 2003 and '05, when she hit .401 with three triples and 26 stolen bases; All-Tournament at 2004 Waco Regional and '05 Big 12 Tournament; tied for school record with nine triples, ranks second with 92 stolen bases. Career: .318, 113 runs, 213 hits, nine triples, 92-of-117 on stolen bases.
OF Kelly Osburn (2003-06):
Two-time first-team All-Big 12 in 2006 and '05, when she hit .368 with 18 doubles, five triples, seven homers and 26 stolen bases; first-team All-Region in '06; Big 12 All-Tournament in '05; four-year starter in left field; career record-holder with 164 runs, ranks second in career walks (106) and stolen bases (80) and third in homers (38). Career: .321, 43 doubles, seven triples, 38 homers, 108 RBIs, .567 slugging percentage
OF Kelly Levesque (2002-04):
Transfer from LSU earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2003 and '02, when she hit .326 with 10 doubles, three triples, two homers and 18 stolen bases; second-team All-Region in '02; three-year starter in center field after playing for 2001 LSU team that went to the World Series. Career: .287, 24 doubles, seven triples, 40-54 on stolen bases
OF Naomi Fitzgerald (1998-2001):
School's first softball All-American in 2000, when she earned thirrd-team honors from the NFCA after hitting a then school-record .411; 1st-team All-Region as a senior in '01, when she hit .353 with three triples, 15 stolen bases and a .413 on-base percentage. ; all-time leader in career hits (247) and multi-hit games (69). Career: .341, 113 runs, 27 doubles, six triples, .386 on-base percentage
DP Tessa Lynam (2004-06):
Transfer from LSU put up big power numbers in just two-plus seasons, finishing with 27 home runs, 26 doubles, 95 RBIs and a .593 slugging percentage; second-team All-Big 12 and All-Region in '05 and '06, when she hit .333 with 19 doubles, 13 homers and 54 RBIs; solid No. 2 pitcher in '05, going 11-2 with a 2.27 ERA and four saves. Career: .305, 26 doubles, 27 homers, 95 RBIs; 15-4, 2.78 ERA, 115.2 innings, 102 strikeouts
Utility Harmony Schwethelm (2003-06):
Ultimate utility player, started six different positions as a freshman and then was the everyday rightfielder in '04, centerfielder in '05 and SS in '06; second-team All-American in '05, when she hit .360 with single-season records for hits (81), triples (six) and stolen bases (36); first-team All-Big 12 and All-Region in '04 and '05; career leader in stolen bases (102) and attempts (117). Career: .326, 136 runs (2nd), 235 hits (2nd), 9 triples (1st), 102-of-117 on stolen bases
P Lisa Ferguson (2004-07):
Staff ace and first-team All-Big 12 on '07 World Series team, when she was 26-8 with a 1.96 ERA, four saves and 189 strikeouts; second-team All-Big 12 and All-Region in '06, when she had 20 wins, four saves and 175 K's; all-time leader in career wins (82), saves (19) and total appearances (174) and tied for second in career strikeouts with 610. Career: 82-32, 19 saves, 1.80 ERA, 806.2 innings, 610 strikeouts
P Cristin Vitek (2002-05):
First-team All-Big 12 in '04, when she registered a school-record 31 wins, tied her own mark with a 0.89 ERA, tossed three no-hitters and had a then school-record 264 strikeouts; 2nd-team All-Big 12 and All-Region as a freshman in '02; set NCAA record with 28 strikeouts in 1-0, 16-inning win over North Carolina in 2004 Waco Regional; holds six career marks, including ERA (1.41) and strikeouts (759). Career: 74-38, nine saves, 1.41 ERA, 738.2 innings, 759 strikeouts
P Joni Miller (2000-03):
1st-team All-Big 12 in '02, when she was 18-7 with a then school-record five saves, a 1.05 ERA and 134 strikeouts; as sophomore in '01, was second-team All-Big 12 and All-Region pick, setting school records for starts (41), wins (27), ERA (1.40) and saves (five) and tied the mark for shutouts (11); ranks fourth in career wins (65), second in saves (10) and third in ERA (1.75). Career: 65-36, 10 saves, 1.75 ERA, 646.2 innings, 447 strikeouts
P Whitney Canion (2009-present):
Big 12 Freshman and Pitcher of the Year in '09, when she was 27-17 with 10 shutouts, one save, a 1.80 ERA and a school-record 415 strikeouts; also set school records for starts (46), complete games (37) and innings pitched (291.2); in second collegiate game, tossed a three-hit shutout to upset then-No. 1 Florida, 1-0. Career: 27-17, 1.80 ERA, 291.2 innings, 415 strikeouts
