BATON ROUGE — Two-time LSU All-American Leslie Klein was named a preseason second-team All-American by ESPN on Wednesday.
Having been previously named to the USA Softball National Player of the Year Watch List for 2007, the center fielder was one of 24 players selected for the inaugural preseason All-America squad. She joins four other Southeastern Conference players named to the first and second teams.
Klein, a 2004 and 2006 NFCA and Easton All-American, was a first-team All-SEC and All-Louisiana selection a year ago. The senior from Sunrise, Fla., is one of four LSU players in school history to earn multiple All-America honors.
The hard-hitting lefty currently ranks in the top 10 in 10 separate LSU career offensive categories. Overcoming a pair of ACL injuries during her LSU career which cost her a redshirt season in 2003 and limited her production in 2005, she holds the school record for career slugging percentage, pounding away at a .591 clip to go along with a .360 career batting average.
Klein also ranks fifth in both career home runs and career RBIs, needing just nine round trippers to top the school record and only 42 RBIs to move into first place. Last season, she ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in nine separate categories, including batting average, RBIs and home runs.
LSU will open the 2007 season on Friday against Memphis at Tiger Park in the Easton Tiger Classic at 3:30 p.m. The Tigers will continue play on Friday against Middle Tennessee State at 5:45 p.m.
On Saturday, the tournament will begin with Middle Tennessee State against Centenary at 9 p.m. LSU will start play against Missouri at 1:30 p.m. before concluding its day against Centenary at 3:45 p.m. Bracket play begins on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. and concludes with the championship game at 2 p.m.
First Team:
Catcher: Chelsi Lake, Baylor, Senior, Keller, Texas
First Base: Garland Cooper, Northwestern, Senior, Mission Viejo, Calif.
Second Base: Dominique Lastrapes, Washington, Senior, Mission Viejo, Calif.
Shortstop: Kristie Fox, Arizona, Senior, San Diego, Calif.
Third Base: Whitney Mollica, Massachusetts, Sophomore, Windham, N.H.
Outfield: Kaitlin Cochran, Arizona State, Sophomore, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Outfield: Kellie Middleton, Georgia, Senior, Norcross, Ga.
Outfield: Caitlin Lowe, Arizona, Senior, Tustin, Calif.
Outfield: Jordan Praytor, Alabama, Sophomore, Vancouver, Wash.
Pitcher: Monica Abbott, Tennessee, Senior, Salinas, Calif.
Pitcher: Katie Burkhart, Arizona State, Junior, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Pitcher: Anjelica Selden, UCLA, Junior, Vacaville, Calif.
Second Team:
Catcher: Callista Balko, Arizona, Junior, Tucson, Ariz.
First Base: Whitney Haller, Georgia Tech, Sophomore, Marietta, Ga.
Second Base: Veronica Wootson, Florida State, Senior, Fontana, Calif.
Shortstop: Jodie Legaspi, UCLA, Senior, Garden Grove, Calif.
Third Base: Megan McAllister, Georgia, Senior, Carlsbad, Calif.
Outfield: Leslie Klein, LSU, Senior, Sunrise, Fla.
Outfield: Cambria Miranda, Oregon State, Junior, Camarillo, Calif.
Outfield: Norrelle Dickson, Oklahoma, Senior, Orange, Calif.
Pitcher: Eileen Canney, Northwestern, Senior, Paradise, Calif.
Pitcher: Taryne Mowatt, Arizona, Junior, Corona, Calif.
Pitcher: Danielle Lawrie, Washington, Sophomore, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada