2001 WPSL Season
LeagueWomen's Pro Softball League
Sportsoftball
2001 WPSL Draft

The 2001 Women's Professional Softball League season was the first year that the WPSL suspended play before relaunching the league in 2004 under the name National Pro Fastpitch. From 1997, WPSL operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL).

Teams

When the WPSL suspended the 2001 season, there were four teams in the league: Tampa Bay FireStix, Akron Racers, Ohio Pride, and Florida Wahoos. When the league relaunched in 2004 as the NPF, the Racers were the only WPSL team to continue playing.

Milestones and Events

The 2001 year began as normally scheduled for the WPSL. The league had its draft in December 2000 and had a schedule for the upcoming season. However, on February 27, 2001, WPSL announced that the 2001 had been cancelled, and the league would focus on expansion for a league relaunch in 2002. (The relaunch was eventually postponed until 2004.) To maintain public awareness of the league and to test future markets for expansion, in lieu of a WPSL season the league sponsored the "Tour of Fastpitch Champions" during the summer, featuring a team of WPSL All-Stars against a team of USA and international Olympians, called WPSL Gold.[1]

The WPSL announced a plan to restart play in "six to eight markets in 2002, with growth to 12 markets by 2004." The tour moved through 14 cities, as the two WPSL teams played each other and other international and local all-stars. Ten of these games were televised, eight on ESPN2 and two "live" on ESPN, a first for the WPSL.[2] In 2002, the league continued to explore where its new teams would play, and had a 2003 tour as an opener to the return of league play in 2004.

College Draft

Before play was suspended, WPSL held their regularly scheduled 2001 WPSL Senior Draft.[3][4] Many draftees never played in the league, but some did, even making an All-Star team. These results are indicated below.

+ Denotes player who has been selected for at least NPF All-Star team
# Denotes player who never played in the NPF

Draft Selections

Round 1

Pick

Player

Pos.

College

Drafted by

WPSL/NPF Experience

1Courtney Dale#P/OFUCLATampa Bay FireStixNever played in NPF
2Lindsey Collins+CArizonaAkron RacersNPF All-Stars(2003),
NY/NJ Juggernaut(2004)
3Becky Lemke#PArizonaOhio PrideNever played in NPF
4Ashley Lewis#PLSUFlorida WahoosNever played in NPF

Round 2

Pick

Player

Pos.

College

Drafted by

WPSL/NPF Experience

5Allison AndradeINFArizonaAkron RacersNPF All-Stars(2003),
California Sunbirds(2004)
6Lisa Carey#SSOklahomaOhio PrideNever played in NPF
7Ashli Barrett#COklahomaFlorida WahoosNever played in NPF
8Kim DePaul#3BWashingtonTampa Bay FireStixNever played in NPF

Round 3

Pick

Player

Pos.

College

Drafted by

WPSL/NPF Experience

9Serita Brooks#OFFlorida StateOhio PrideNever played in NPF
10Lauren BauerOFArizonaFlorida WahoosNPF All-Stars(2003),
NY/NJ Juggernaut(2004),
Arizona Heat(2005)
11Ginger Jones-Powers1BAlabamaTampa Bay FireStixTexas Thunder(2004)
12Racheal Goodpaster#SSUNLVAkron RacersNever played in NPF

Round 4

Pick

Player

Pos.

College

Drafted by

WPSL/NPF Experience

13Brenda Iglesia#3B/DPCal State FullertonFlorida WahoosNever played in NPF
14Andrea Davis#UTOklahomaTampa Bay FireStixNever played in NPF
15Nicole Giordano#OFArizonaAkron RacersNever played in NPF
16Toni Mascarenas3BArizonaOhio PrideArizona Heat(2005–06)

Round 5

Pick

Player

Pos.

College

Drafted by

WPSL/NPF Experience

17Bronwyn Blair#OFVirginia TechTampa Bay FireStixNever played in NPF
18Janette Koshell#OF/PTennesseeAkron RacersNever played in NPF
19Lupe Brambila#OFUCLAOhio PrideNever played in NPF
20Charla Moore#PTexasFlorida WahoosNever played in NPF

Round 6

Pick

Player

Pos.

College

Drafted by

WPSL/NPF Experience

21Kelley Askew#C/OFAlabamaAkron Racers Never played in NPF
22Stephanie Swenson#PUCLAOhio Pride Never played in NPF
23Jamie Fuente#PNebraskaFlorida Wahoos Never played in NPF
24Sarah Farnworth#P/OFCal State NorthridgeTampa Bay FireStix Never played in NPF

Tour Rosters

The rosters of the 2001 WPSL All-Stars[5] and WPSL Gold[6] are listed below:

WPSL Gold

#NamePositionCollegeHometown
44Laura BergOFFresno StateSanta Fe Springs, CA
2Jennifer Brundage3BUCLAAnn Arbor, MI
6Crystl BustosSSPalm Beach Community CollegeSanta Clarita, CA
22Sheila Douty1BUCLADiamond Bar, CA
16Lisa FernandezP/3BUCLALong Beach, CA
4Danielle HendersonPUMassCommack, NY
21Kelly KretschmanOFAlabamaIndian Harbour Beach, FL
10Teri Klement-GoldbergOFColorado StateFt. Collins, CO
11Jackie LanceOFNew MexicoNorth Delta, BC
3Jennifer McFallsUT INFTexas A&MGrand Prairie, TX
32Michele SmithP/1BOklahoma StateCalifon, NJ
23Michelle VenturellaCIndianaIndianapolis, IN
12Erin WhiteC/OFIowa StateRichmond, BC
7Cindy Yan Fang2BBeijing, China

Head Coach: Judy Martino

WPSL All-Stars

NamePositionCollegeHometownYears in WPSL
Monica Armendarez3B/UTIndianaCarlsbad, NM3
Patti BenedictOFMichiganLamont, FL3
Kaci ClarkPUCLABrentwood, TN3
Danielle CoxOFFlorida StateAnniston, AL2
Julie CrandallCUNLVSan Jose, CA2
Jaime Foutch1B/OFOklahoma StateEdmond, OK1
Stephanie KlaviterPMinnesotaNew Ulm, MN2
Lyndsey KleinSSUCLARoseville, CA1
Amy KylerPCleveland StateMarshallville, OH3
Marty LaudatoCBloomsburgMalvern, PA4
Kim MaherOF/UTFresno StateOakland, CA1
Kendall Richards3B/UTTexas A&MEugene, OR2
Julie Smith2BFresno StateGlendora, CA1
Kellyn TateOFMichiganChesterfield, MO3

Head Coach: Tim Kiernan

Tour Schedule and Results

WPSL Gold schedule and results:[7]

DateW/LScoreOpponentPitcherLocation
6/1W7-5WPSL All-StarsFernandez (1-0)Plant City, FL
6/8W8-0WPSL All-StarsFernandez (2-0)Allentown, PA
6/9W5-4WPSL All-StarsHenderson (1-0)Allentown, PA
6/14W5-2WPSL All-StarsSmith (1-0)Oklahoma City, OK
6/15W6-2WPSL All-StarsHenderson (2-0)Oklahoma City, OK
6/17L1-2USA Red[lower-alpha 1]Fernandez (1-2)Los Angeles, CA
6/23L2-3WPSL All-StarsHenderson (2-1)Akron, OH
L2-3WPSL All-StarsSmith (1-1)Akron, OH
6/24W14-1WPSL All-StarsFernandez (3-1)Akron, OH
6/28W4-1Tennessee All-StarsSmith (2-1)Chattanooga, TN
6/29T1-1[lower-alpha 2]WPSL All-StarsN/AChattanooga, TN
7/1W6-5WPSL All-StarsFernandez (4-1)Houston, TX
7/2L1-2WPSL All-StarsSmith (2-2)Houston, TX
7/4Cancelled[lower-alpha 2]WPSL All-StarsN/APlant City, FL
7/13W9-0White Sox All-StarsFernandez (5-1)Rockford, IL
7/14W5-0WPSL All-StarsSmith (3-2)Rockford, IL
7/21L0-1CanadaHenderson (2-2)Madison, WI
7/22W4-0CanadaFernandez (6-1)Madison, WI
7/31Cancelled[lower-alpha 2]WPSL All-StarsN/APlant City, FL
8/8W3-0WPSL All-StarsFernandez (7-1)Salem, VA
8/9L2-4WPSL All-StarsHenderson (2-3)Salem, VA
8/9W2-0WPSL All-StarsFernandez (8-1)Salem, VA
8/17W6-0WPSL All-StarsFernandez (9-1)Akron, OH
8/18W3-2WPSL All-StarsSmith (4-2)Akron, OH
W6-3WPSL All-StarsFernandez (10-1)Akron, OH
8/29W4-0WPSL All-StarsSmith (5-2)Omaha, NE
8/30W2-1WPSL All-StarsFernandez (2-1)Omaha, NE

WPSL All-Stars schedule and results:[9]

DateW/LScoreOpponentPitcherLocation
6/1L5-7WPSL GoldKlaviter (0-1)Plant City, FL
6/8L0-8WPSL GoldClark (0-1)Allentown, PA
6/9L4-5WPSL GoldKyler (0-1)Allentown, PA
6/14L2-5WPSL GoldKyler (0-2)Oklahoma City, OK
6/15L2-6WPSL GoldKlaviter (0-2)Oklahoma City, OK
6/17W1-0USA Blue[lower-alpha 1]Kyler (1-2)Los Angeles, CA
6/23W3-2WPSL GoldClark (1-1)Akron, OH
6/23W3-2WPSL GoldKyler (2-2)Akron, OH
6/24L1-14WPSL GoldKlaviter (0-3)Akron, OH
6/29T1-1[lower-alpha 2]WPSL GoldN/AChattanooga, TN
7/1L5-6WPSL GoldKyler (2-3)Houston, TX
7/2W2-1WPSL GoldKlaviter (1-3)Houston, TX
7/4Cancelled[lower-alpha 2]WPSL GoldN/APlant City, FL
7/14L0-5WPSL GoldKlaviter (1-4)Rockford, IL
7/14W7-0White Sox All-StarsKyler (3-3)[lower-alpha 3]Rockford, IL
7/31Cancelled[lower-alpha 2]WPSL GoldN/APlant City, FL
8/8L0-3WPSL GoldKlaviter (1-5)Salem, VA
8/9W4-2WPSL GoldKyler (4-3)Salem, VA
L0-2WPSL GoldClark (1-2)Salem, VA
8/17L0-6WPSL GoldClark (1-3)Akron, OH
8/18L2-3WPSL GoldKlaviter(1-6)Akron, OH
L3-6WPSL GoldKyler (4-4)Akron, OH
8/29L0-4WPSL GoldKyler (4-5)Omaha, NE
8/30L1-2WPSL GoldClark (1-4)Omaha, NE

Game notes

  1. 1 2 The USA Olympic softball team split into two teams, USA Red and USA Blue, to play a doubleheader against the two WPSL tour teams.[8]
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Called due to rain
  3. ↑ Perfect game

References

  1. ↑ "NPF History". profastpitch.com. 4 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2008-07-05. Retrieved 19 July 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ↑ ""Tour of Fastpitch Champions" Features Olympians/All-Stars". ProSoftball.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2003. Retrieved 22 July 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ↑ "2001 Women's Pro Softball League Senior Draft". ProSoftball.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2001. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Twenty-four collegiate seniors drafted by Women's Pro Softball League's four teams". ProSoftball.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2001. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "2001 WPSL All-Stars". ProSoftball.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2002. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "2001 WPSL Gold". ProSoftball.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2002. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "2001 WPSL Gold Team Results". ProSoftball.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2002. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  8. ↑ Lance Swan (17 June 2001). "WPSL Teams Split With USA National Teams". NFCA.org. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "2001 WPSL All-Star Team Results". ProSoftball.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2002. Retrieved 22 July 2015.

See also


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