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April 8, 2002

GREENSBORO, N.C. – University of Virginia fourth-year All-American Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) has been selected as the Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Player of the Week as announced Monday (April 8). It marks the third time this season Dennis has garnered the conference’s weekly award. In six Virginia contests last week, Dennis registered a 5-1 record in the circle and also hit .500 in those games.

Dennis, a second-team All-American in 2001, led Virginia to the title of the Tar Heel Invitational (April 6-7) with a perfect 4-0 record. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tar Heel Invitational after registering all four Cavalier wins in the circle. On the week, Dennis was 5-1 in 25.1 innings and allowed just two unearned runs on 18 hits. She struck out 26 batters and walked only three. Dennis earned two of the wins as a starter and was 3-1 in four relief appearances. Dennis improved her record to 20-6 on the season and became UVa’s first 20-game winner since Michelle Collins won 25 games in 1994. She has a career-best 0.79 ERA in 2002 and has set new career bests for innings pitched (159.1) and strikeouts (209).

Dennis also had a great week at the plate as she produced eight hits in 16 at-bats for a .500 batting average and drove in six runs. Among Dennis’ hits were three doubles and two home runs. She also walked eight times with three intentional free passes. She drove in the game-winning runs in UVa’s 4-3 come-from-behind victory over North Carolina (April 6) and 1-0 win over Georgia Tech (April 7). With her first double of the week, Dennis set a new Virginia record for career doubles with 52. She also tied the ACC record with her 54th career, double which came against Georgia Tech. On the season, Dennis is hitting an impressive .424 (59-139) with 42 RBI and 37 walks. She also leads the team in doubles (14), home runs (9), slugging percentage (.748) and on-base percentage (.542).

The Cavaliers (37-14) return to action on Saturday, April 13 when they host Villanova at The Park in Charlottesville. The first game is scheduled to begin at 12 noon. UVa then plays an ACC doubleheader against North Carolina at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (April 14).

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