Virginia's Larquier Named ACC Softball Player Of The Year
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May 11, 2005
GREENSBORO, N.C. – University of Virginia third-year third baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) has beenselected as the 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference SoftballPlayer of the Year as voted by the league’s seven headcoaches. Larquier and fourth-year catcher Jenn Wynn(Herndon, Va./Herndon) have been named to the 11-memberAll-ACC First Team, while third-year right fielder JessicaTaylor and second-year second baseman Elea Crockett(Tucson, Ariz./University) have been selected to theAll-ACC Second Team. The awards were announced Wednesdayevening (May 11) at the annual pre-ACC Tournament banquetin College Park, Md.
Virginia’s four selections to the All-ACC teams ties forthe most in school history. UVa also had four playersearn All-ACC honors in 1998. This is the first season theACC has picked a first and second team. Georgia Tech ledall schools with five All-ACC selections. Florida Stateand NC State both had three players garner All-ACCaccolades. Georgia Tech’s Jessica Sallinger was named thePitcher of the Year, while Yellow Jacket head coach EhrenEarleywine is the Coach of the Year. Georgia Tech’sAileen Morales and Florida State’s Tiffany McDonald sharethe league’s Freshman of the Year award.
Larquier becomes the third Cavalier to be named ACC Playerof the Year and the first since Kristen Dennis in 2002. It is the third consecutive year Larquier has capturedAll-ACC accolades. The 2004 Louisville Slugger/NFCA ThirdTeam All-American is also UVa?s fourth three-time All-ACChonoree. Larquier is hitting .352 (69-196) with a schoolrecord 34 extra-base hits in 59 games this season. Sheleads all ACC players with a school-record tying 19doubles, seven triples, 69 hits, 53 RBI, 126 total bases,and a .643 slugging percentage. Larquier is tied withWynn for the team lead in home runs with eight and alsoleads UVa with 20 multiple-hit and 14 multiple-RBIcontests. In just three years, Larquier is tied for thirdamong all ACC players with 51 career doubles, is fifth inRBI with 153 and seventh in home runs with 27. Her 27home runs are two shy of the Virginia school record. Shealso needs just five RBI and seven doubles to tie theschool record.
Wynn, a three-year starter at catcher, captures All-ACChonors for the first time in her career. Wynn is having aterrific season as she has set career bests in severaloffensive categories. She is hitting .327 (53-162) with23 extra-base hits. The team co-captain has also hiteight home runs to tie Larquier for the team lead and hasdriven in 40 runs. She has also recorded 94 total basesand drawn 32 walks to set career highs. Wynn, who hasstarted all 59 games this season, including 41 at catcher,leads Virginia with a .442 on-base percentage. In ACCplay, Wynn batted .364 (16-44) with three home runs, 11RBI and 14 walks.
Taylor is the second Cavalier to garner All-ACC honors forthe first time with her second-team selection. Taylorstarted all 59 games in the outfield, including the final40 in right field. She is hitting a career-best .321(61-190) with 34 runs scored and 12 RBI. In ACC play,Taylor hit .316 (18-57). She has 14 extra-base hits,including her first career home run against NC State (Mar.26). She is third on the team with 17 multiple-hit games,including six three-hit performances. Taylor is eighth onUVa?s all-time stolen base list with 37.
Crockett rounds out Virginia’s All-ACC performers with herselection to the second team. It is also the first timeshe has earned All-Conference accolades. Crockett hasstarted 56 games at second base and leads the team with a.364 (64-176) batting average. She has scored 51 runs,the third highest single season total in school history. She has driven in 17 runs and walked 22 times. Crocketthas stolen 23 bases this season and is one shy of thesingle season school record. Her 40 career stolen basesranks fourth all-time. Over the last 15 games, Crockettis hitting .604 with 29 hits in her last 48 at-bats. Shealso has 92 consecutive fielding chances over the last 21games without an error. Crockett was perfect on all 75fielding opportunities in ACC play.
Virginia (29-30 9-8 ACC) begins play in the 2005 ACCChampionship, which is being held at the Terrapin SoftballComplex in College Park, Md., on Thursday, May 12. Thethird-seeded Cavaliers open the seven-team, doubleelimination tournament by playing sixth-seeded Maryland(26-19, 5-9 ACC) at 5:00 p.m.