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June 16, 2003
LYNCHBURG, Va. – University of Virginia softball players Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) and Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) have been named to the 11-member 2003 Virginia College Sports Information Directors (VaSID) University Division All-State Softball Team. Cavalier head coach Cheryl Sprangel has been selected as the VaSID Coach of the Year.
Larquier was picked as the second baseman on the VaSID All-State team. She was recently named to the ECAC All-Star First-Team as a second baseman and is the only freshman to capture first-team honors. In 2003, Larquier was an All-ACC pick as well as an ACC All-Tournament Team selection. Larquier had a terrific season and set several school records for a freshman. Her team-leading 12 home runs, 51 RBI and 118 total bases are school records by a first-year and her 12 homers were just one shy of the single season school mark. She also led the team with a .350 batting average (64-183) and .645 slugging percentage. Larquier posted a team-leading 28 extra-base hits in 2003 and was also third in runs scored (41).
Rojas was chosen as the Virginia All-State third baseman. It marks the third time she has captured All-State honors (2000 and 2001). Rojas also earned 2003 ECAC All-Star honors as the second-team third baseman. Rojas was a three-time All-ACC selection (2001, 2002 and 2003) after being selected as the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2000. Rojas wrapped up a tremendous career in 2003. She was second on the team with a .343 (59-172) batting average and led the team with 45 runs scored. Rojas, a member of the Venezuelan National Team, paced the Cavaliers with 16 doubles and was second on the team with 34 RBI. Rojas concludes her career with a .332 (241-726) batting average and is second all-time at UVa in home runs (25), RBI (141) and runs scored (147). She is third in hits (241), doubles (50), walks (79) and total bases (378).
Sprangel was selected as the VaSID Coach of the Year after leading UVa to a 37-26 record and a berth in the championship game of the ACC Tournament. The 37 victories are the most wins by a coach in the Commonwealth in 2003. It marks the second time Sprangel has been named the VaSID Coach of the Year as she also earned the honor in 2001 after leading the Cavaliers to a 52-17 record.
George Mason shortstop Stacy James was named the VaSID Player of the Year. George Mason and Virginia Tech both had three players named to the team, while UVa and Liberty had two selections. James Madison had one player named to the team.