USD Softball 2006

2 USD SOFTBALL LOOKS TO SENIOR LEADERSHIP IN 2006 Coming off a personal-best 18 win season , head coach Melissa McElvain returns for her 5th season with San Diego. The Toreros set some milestones last season , including defeating San Diego State for the first time in school history and a record number of athletes received conference honors in the Pacific Coast Conference. USO took on their cross-town rivals at SDSU's softball stadium on March 9. The Toreros sealed the 2-0 victory when Christina Haake (Goleta, CA) struck out SDSU's Megan McDonald to end the game marking USD's first victory over San Diego State in their 40-game rivalry. San Diego then went on to begin conference play with a 4-game sweep of St. Mary's (April 2-3). At the conclusion of the 2005 season , six USO athletes were honored by the conference, more than any other school in the league. Juniors Gina McFarland (P/OF, Santa Rosa, CA) and Ashlee Nunes (SS, Roseville, CA) and sophomores Alicia Massei (1 B, Chino Hills, CA) and Danielle Treiber (2B, Orange, CA) were all honored with fi rst-team awards. Junior Sara Mason (C, Santa Rosa, CA) and freshman Kathleen Bonja (3B, San Dimas, CA) earned honorable mention . The

2006 TORERO SOFTBALL OUTLOOK

Senior Ashlee Nunes, 1st team

all-conference in 2005 . Toreros also had eight athletes earn All-Academic Conference Honors (K. Delpit, Ramos, McFarland, Mason, Merchain, Hightower, McClelland, and Pujol). The Toreros lost only four athletes last season ( two seniors, two juniors) and have nine players returning to their line-up (6 position players, 3 pitchers), including their six All-Conference athletes from 2005. "We have tremendous leadership and experience on this year's team," McElvain said. "Our seniors are very special as well as terrific models of the ideal student-athlete." The 2006 schedule includes tough non-conference opponents such as #12 Oregon State, #13 University of Wash– ington, #14 Fresno State, and #17 DePaul , all of whom will be participating in the Fresno State Tournament. "Our challenging pre-season and tournament schedule should sufficiently prepare us for our conference season ," McElvain said . "Our schedule is extremely challenging and very exciting ." USO will also take on cross-town rival San Diego State, another tough opponent, once at home and once at SDSU . Seniors Gina McFarland (P/OF, Santa Rosa, CA) and Erin Harmonson (P, San Diego, CA) have been named team captains this spring and look to lead the Toreros to a winning season. Sen iors Ashlee Nunes (SS, Roseville, CA), Marissa Merchain (C/1 B, La Mirada, CA) and Sara Mason (C/3B, Santa Rosa, CA) will also provide leadership to the team as well. "This senior class has the skill and ability to lead the team to a very successful season ," McElvain said . Sophomore Kathleen Bonja (3B, San Dimas, CA),

the 2005 USO Team Rookie of the Year and co-MVP, returns after a stellar season in which she made 41 starts in 42 ap– pearances with 16 runs, 14 RBI, 14 doubles, and a .336 batting average. San Diego travels to two tournaments this season at UC Riverside (February 10-12) and Fresno State (March 9-12). The annual USO Invitational takes place on February 25-26 and includes UC Riverside, Utah State University and University of Nevada-Reno for the eight game event. The Toreros will also take on cross-town rival San Diego State on February 15 (away) at 6 pm and again on March 1 (home) at 6 pm. They begin conference play at home with a double header against Santa Clara on April 8 at noon.

2006 Team Captains Seniors Gina McFarland & Erin Harmonson

2006 University ofSan Diego Torero Softball