University of Pittsburgh Athletics
McCann, Andrews Named to All-Big East Second Team
5/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
McCann, Andrews Named to All-Big East Second Team
5/10/2002
Senior second baseman Clare McCann hit .312 in 2002 with a career-high 14 RBIs. |
PITTSBURGH- Senior second baseman Clare McCann and sophomore catcher/designated player Heather Andrews were named to the All-Big East Second Team yesterday in Roanoke, Va. Voting was conducted among the league's 11 head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
The Pittsburgh softball team equalled a season-best with 21 victories as well as the most wins in the conference with six in 2002. McCann and Andrews are the third and fourth Panthers to earn second team honors in the program's five-year history. In 2000, Amy Steich (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) and former Panther Robin Johnston were second-team honorees.
McCann (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) had a breakthrough senior year, playing in 46 of the team's 54 games and starting 39 of them, including the last 38 games of the year at second base. She hit .312 overall with 16 runs scored, 35 hits, 14 runs batted in and eight stolen bases, all of which were career highs. Her. batting average was the third highest in a single season in Pittsburgh annals. Her fielding was stellar, making just four errors in 171 chances for a .977 fielding percentage. From Feb. 16-April 18, McCann enjoyed a 35-game errorless streak, the longest in Panther history for an infielder.
In Big East play, McCann led the Panthers with a .286 batting average while starting all 20 contests. She also had five runs scored and seven RBIs with four stolen bases in five attempts. In the field, she made just one error while recording 69 putouts and 26 assists for a .990 fielding percentage.
"Clare worked very hard to have the season she did and to earn this honor is a credit to her hard work and determination," said Pittsburgh head coach Michelle Phalen.
Andrews (Zelienople, Pa./Riverside) also had a breakthrough year, considering she had just six hits in 103 at-bats as a freshman. This past season, she hit .223, collecting 23 hits and five runs scored. She was among the team leaders in RBIs with 15 and had the first two home runs of her career against Rutgers on March 24 and Connecticut on April 15. She shared the starting duties at catcher, where she recorded 142 putouts and 19 assists against just three errors. When she wasn't behind the plate, she was inserted into the starting lineup as the designated player because of her strong bat.
In conference play, Andrews had 10 hits, including two doubles and two home runs and tied for second on the team with seven RBIs. Her slugging percentage of .391 was tied for the best on the team with shortstop Angela Blackmon (San Diego, Calif./Palomar C.C.).
"Heather improved so much from her freshman year in hitting, catching and in game preparation," Phalen said. "She even played shortstop for us in one game which showed me she'd do anything to get on the field and play."
In awards handed out on Thursday evening, Notre Dame's Jarrah Myers was named the Player of the Year, Villanova's Theresa Hornick was named Pitcher of the Year and Syracuse's Tanya Rose earned Rookie of the Year honors. Notre Dame had seven of the 12 All-Big East First Team honorees.
