Ritter, Haas Lead Contingent of Four U-M All-Americans
6/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Four members of the top-ranked University of Michigan softball team earned Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America recognition as announced today (Thursday, June 2) by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Junior pitcher Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) and junior second baseman Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) earned first-team distinction for the first time in their respective careers, while shortstop Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) and designated player Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) are All-Americans for the second straight season with third-team selections. Both were second-teamers a year ago with Motykca earning the honor as a pitcher.
Haas gives Michigan three repeat All-Americans from last season after being a third-team member in 2004.
One of three finalists for the USA Softball College Player of the Year award, Ritter is in the midst of one of the best seasons ever for a Michigan pitcher. The junior is 33-2 with a 0.92 earned run average and a U-M single-season record 357 strikeouts heading into tonight's opening-round Women's College World Series matchup vs. DePaul. Ritter helped Michigan gain its eighth WCWS appearance as she earned both Wolverine wins in the Super Regional vs. Washington, including a one-hitter in the series' first game. Already the owner of three-no-hitters this season, Ritter is just the third Michigan pitcher to win 33 games in a season and has moved into the No. 2 spot on the school career strikeout list with 694.
Haas gives the Wolverines two juniors on the first team after posting one of the best seasons in school history at the leadoff spot. Haas is batting .374 with nine home runs and a team-leading 16 doubles while fielding second base at a .962 rate. She has hit safely in 53 of Michigan's 65 games this season and leads the Maize and Blue with 26 multi-hit games, including seven three-hit efforts. Haas also tops Michigan with 86 hits this season and is just three shy of matching the single-season school record.
Merchant has solidified her place among the best players in school history with a second straight All-America accolade after putting together possibly the most productive offensive season by a Wolverine. Merchant has posted a school-record 21 home runs this season and became the career Michigan home run leader with 46 long balls. Among the top players in the nation in home runs and slugging percentage (.798), Merchant is tied for the school record with 64 runs scored in 2005. The senior co-captain and four-year starter has 61 RBI on the season, moving her into fourth place on the U-M career list.
Fellow co-captain Motycka repeats as an All-American, but at a different position as the third-team designated player with a .367 batting average, 13 home runs and 46 RBI. The former Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and All-America second-teamer as a hurler, Motycka has transformed herself into one of Michigan's more dangerous sluggers. She is now tied for fifth on the Michigan career home run list after connecting for a key two-run blast in the Super Regional third-game victory over Washington.
All-American Notes
• This marks the third time Michigan has placed two players on the first-team. The others occasions were in 1998 (Sara Griffin, Traci Conrad) and 1995 (Kelly Kovach, Griffin).
• Jennie Ritter and Tiffany Haas are the first Michigan first-team selections since Kelsey Kollen (1999-2002) in 2001 as a second baseman.
• Jennie Ritter is only the second Michigan pitcher named to the first team, joining Kelly Kovach (1992-95) in 1995.
• Michigan's four All-Americans this season match the school record, set in 1998 (Sara Griffin, Traci Conrad, Melissa Gentile and Kellyn Tate).
• Jessica Merchant remains the only Michigan shorstop ever named to the All-America team after earning her second such nod.
• Nicole Motycka is the second Michigan player to garner the honor as a designated player (Stefanie Volpe-2000).
• Nicola Motycka is the third Michigan player named All-America at two different positions. The others were Marissa Young (utility-2000, '03; pitcher-2002) and Stefanie Volpe (designated player-2000; third baseman-2002).
• Tiffany Haas is only the second Wolverine second baseman named to the All-America first team, joining Kelsey Kollen (2001). The pair are the only All-America second basemen at Michigan and both are two-time selections. Kollen was a second-teamer in 1999 and Haas was a third-team member last season.
