North Carolina State University Athletics
Sims' Player of the Year Award Leads Softball Honors
5/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Abbie Sims was named 2007 ACC Player of the Year, and three other Wolfpackers took All-ACC distinction as announced by the conference at the annual ACC Championships banquet on Wednesday, May 9. Along with Sims, Jen Chamberlin and Shanna Smith picked up first-team accolades, while Heather Gelbard was named to the second team.
Sims, the first-ever NC State player to be named ACC Player of the Year, had an impressive 2007 campaign as she tossed four no-hitters, including a perfect game. She owns the third-best pitching record (26-5) in the league, which ranks among the top-10 in the nation. In addition, Sims is one of five pitchers in ACC history to have collected 1,000 or more career strikeouts (1,069). The senior from Artesia, N.M., also saw action as an outfielder for the Wolfpack, compiling a .314 batting average with 25 runs scored, 11 home runs and 27 RBIs on the year.
“It’s an honor to receive this award from the ACC,” said Sims. “For four years I have been blessed with playing alongside a group that gives a total team effort 100% of the time. None of this would be possible without my teammates.”
One of two ACC student-athletes to receive national player of the week recognition in 2007, Sims was tabbed by USA Softball (March 20) and Louisville Slugger/NFCA (April 22). She was also the only student-athlete named ACC Player of the Week four times this season. This marks Sims’ third appearance on the All-ACC first team, following showings in 2005 and 2006.
“I’m very proud of her,” said head coach Lisa Navas. “It’s a great honor for Abbie. She’s been one of the top players in this league since day one, and she’s done an exceptional job this year.”
Hailing from San Mateo, Calif., Chamberlin stands as the all-time leader in ACC career home runs with 49. A first-team All-ACC selection in 2005 and a second-team member a season ago, Chamberlin batted .373 in league play this year, tied for seventh-best in the conference. Chamberlin leads the Wolfpack program all-time in career home runs, RBIs, total bases, walks and games played.
“Jen’s been a mainstay of power in our lineup for four years now,” said Navas. “She is well deserving of this honor.”
Picking up league recognition for the first time in her career, Smith batted .404 in ACC play this season, third-best in the entire league. She hit a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning to give NC State a series-clinching win, 4-2, against No. 19 Florida State in the third game of a pivotal ACC-opening set in Raleigh on March 4. From Albemarle, N.C., Smith has started and played in every game the past two seasons.
“I’m excited that Shanna is finally getting recognized for the outstanding job that she’s done the past three years,” said Navas. “She is a phenomenal shortstop.”
A second-team all-league selection in 2005, Gelbard returns to the second team this year after leading State with a .341 overall batting average. A native of Miami, Fla., Gelbard has collected at least 60 hits during each of her four seasons in a Wolfpack uniform. Her 63 hits on the year so far stand just three shy of her personal-best 66 set in 2005. Gelbard leads the Wolfpack program in several all-time career categories, including batting average, games started, at-bats, hits, and doubles. She was named a third-team 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America by CoSida.
“Heather has been the most consistent hitter that we have had every year we’ve been playing,” said Navas. “She is the key to our offense. She gets us started every time we take the field.”
Second-seeded NC State will take on seventh-seeded Boston College at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, during the first round of the 2007 ACC Championships. Live stats will be available via GoPack.com, while ACC Select will offer live video coverage of the entire tournament online
2007 ALL-ACC SOFTBALL TEAMS AND INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
First Team
Yuruby Alicart, Florida State
Savannah Brown, Georgia Tech
Whitney Haller, Georgia Tech
Caitlin Lever, Georgia Tech
Aileen Morales, Georgia Tech
Amber Jackson, Maryland
Jen Chamberlin, NC State
Shanna Smith, NC State
Abbie Sims, NC State
Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech
Second Team
Jenna Macchi, Boston College
Britney Thompson, Boston College
Whitney Buckmon, Florida State
Tiffany McDonald, Florida State
Monica Montez, Florida State
Veronica Wootson, Florida State
Lisa Norris, North Carolina
Heather Gelbard, NC State
Kelly Haller, Virginia
Callie Rhodes, Virginia Tech
Caroline Stolle, Virginia Tech
ACC Player of the Year
Abbie Sims, NC State
ACC Pitcher of the Year
*Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech
ACC Freshman of the Year
Monica Montez, Florida State
ACC Coach of the Year
Scot Thomas, Virginia Tech
*Unanimous selection
Sims, the first-ever NC State player to be named ACC Player of the Year, had an impressive 2007 campaign as she tossed four no-hitters, including a perfect game. She owns the third-best pitching record (26-5) in the league, which ranks among the top-10 in the nation. In addition, Sims is one of five pitchers in ACC history to have collected 1,000 or more career strikeouts (1,069). The senior from Artesia, N.M., also saw action as an outfielder for the Wolfpack, compiling a .314 batting average with 25 runs scored, 11 home runs and 27 RBIs on the year.
“It’s an honor to receive this award from the ACC,” said Sims. “For four years I have been blessed with playing alongside a group that gives a total team effort 100% of the time. None of this would be possible without my teammates.”
One of two ACC student-athletes to receive national player of the week recognition in 2007, Sims was tabbed by USA Softball (March 20) and Louisville Slugger/NFCA (April 22). She was also the only student-athlete named ACC Player of the Week four times this season. This marks Sims’ third appearance on the All-ACC first team, following showings in 2005 and 2006.
“I’m very proud of her,” said head coach Lisa Navas. “It’s a great honor for Abbie. She’s been one of the top players in this league since day one, and she’s done an exceptional job this year.”
Hailing from San Mateo, Calif., Chamberlin stands as the all-time leader in ACC career home runs with 49. A first-team All-ACC selection in 2005 and a second-team member a season ago, Chamberlin batted .373 in league play this year, tied for seventh-best in the conference. Chamberlin leads the Wolfpack program all-time in career home runs, RBIs, total bases, walks and games played.
“Jen’s been a mainstay of power in our lineup for four years now,” said Navas. “She is well deserving of this honor.”
Picking up league recognition for the first time in her career, Smith batted .404 in ACC play this season, third-best in the entire league. She hit a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning to give NC State a series-clinching win, 4-2, against No. 19 Florida State in the third game of a pivotal ACC-opening set in Raleigh on March 4. From Albemarle, N.C., Smith has started and played in every game the past two seasons.
“I’m excited that Shanna is finally getting recognized for the outstanding job that she’s done the past three years,” said Navas. “She is a phenomenal shortstop.”
A second-team all-league selection in 2005, Gelbard returns to the second team this year after leading State with a .341 overall batting average. A native of Miami, Fla., Gelbard has collected at least 60 hits during each of her four seasons in a Wolfpack uniform. Her 63 hits on the year so far stand just three shy of her personal-best 66 set in 2005. Gelbard leads the Wolfpack program in several all-time career categories, including batting average, games started, at-bats, hits, and doubles. She was named a third-team 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America by CoSida.
“Heather has been the most consistent hitter that we have had every year we’ve been playing,” said Navas. “She is the key to our offense. She gets us started every time we take the field.”
Second-seeded NC State will take on seventh-seeded Boston College at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, during the first round of the 2007 ACC Championships. Live stats will be available via GoPack.com, while ACC Select will offer live video coverage of the entire tournament online
2007 ALL-ACC SOFTBALL TEAMS AND INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
First Team
Yuruby Alicart, Florida State
Savannah Brown, Georgia Tech
Whitney Haller, Georgia Tech
Caitlin Lever, Georgia Tech
Aileen Morales, Georgia Tech
Amber Jackson, Maryland
Jen Chamberlin, NC State
Shanna Smith, NC State
Abbie Sims, NC State
Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech
Second Team
Jenna Macchi, Boston College
Britney Thompson, Boston College
Whitney Buckmon, Florida State
Tiffany McDonald, Florida State
Monica Montez, Florida State
Veronica Wootson, Florida State
Lisa Norris, North Carolina
Heather Gelbard, NC State
Kelly Haller, Virginia
Callie Rhodes, Virginia Tech
Caroline Stolle, Virginia Tech
ACC Player of the Year
Abbie Sims, NC State
ACC Pitcher of the Year
*Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech
ACC Freshman of the Year
Monica Montez, Florida State
ACC Coach of the Year
Scot Thomas, Virginia Tech
*Unanimous selection
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