Softball Kicks Off Season with Bullpen Club Dinner
February 04, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 4, 2010
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - The University of Louisville softball team held its third annual Bullpen Club Fundraiser Dinner on Saturday, Jan. 30 at the Galt House. The dinner, which was sponsored by Executive Communications, featured two-time Olympic medalist Jennie Finch as the keynote speaker.
Jennie Finch has been a national team member since 2001 and has been instrumental USA Softball's tremendous success, earning two Olympic medals, two Pan American Games Championships and three World Cup Championships. Finch made her mark as a pitcher, helping Team USA to a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics with a 2-0 record and a 0.00 ERA. While playing at the University of Arizona (1999-02), Finch helped the Wildcats win a national title in 2001 and was a three-time All-American, and two-time Honda Award winner as the nation's top collegiate pitcher. The two-time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year set an NCAA record, going 32-0 in 2001 and still holds the NCAA record for consecutive wins with 60.
This year's Bullpen Club Dinner saw a record-attendance of 275 people - including several alumnae - on hand as the 2010 team was introduced. The softball program also awarded the inaugural `Spirit of Softball" award recipient, Don Dobina. Finch concluded the evening with a motivational talk in which she related her own experiences with USA Softball and as a college athlete.
The Cardinals enter the 2010 season ranked No. 21 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball and No. 22 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association preseason coaches' polls. They are also the preseason favorite to win the BIG EAST Conference Tournament which will be held at Ulmer Stadium May 13-15.
U of L is coming off a record-setting 2009 season, posting a program-best 48-11 record and reaching its sixth consecutive NCAA regional. Louisville was a mainstay in the top 25 rankings and achieved a program-high ranking of 14th in both the NFCA and USA Softball polls while closing the season at No. 24 in the NFCA poll. Eleven letterwinners and seven starters return from last year's team including All-American and 2009 BIG EAST Player of the Year senior catcher Melissa Roth who was also recently selected as an alternate to the 2010 USA Softball national team. All-American senior pitcher Kristen Wadwell The Cards also welcome eight newcomers to the 2010 team. U of L will open the 2010 season Feb. 12-14 at the Marriott Tournament in Houston.
