BATON ROUGE — The LSU softball team should be solid at the catcher position for the 2008 season and for many years to come as Tigers earned two of the 10 Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year awards, it was announced on Tuesday.
Senior Killian Roessner was named the 2007 NCAA Division I honoree, while incoming freshman Starla Guffey earned the High School honor.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association and Diamond Sports, the NFCA’s Official Protective Equipment, annually honors the top catcher in each of 10 divisions: NCAA (Divisions I, II and III), NAIA, NJCAA (Divisions I, II and III), Cal JC, Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) and high school. The award winners are determined by divisional committees of NFCA members.
As a junior in 2007, Roessner was named an NFCA First-Team All-American after breaking the LSU single-season record and leading the SEC with 19 runners caught stealing. Throwing out nearly 60 percent of would-be base stealers, the Manasquan, N.J., native allowed only 28 stolen bases on the year. She also is tied for the league lead and the school single-season record with four runners picked off. In addition, she allowed just two passed balls and eight wild pitches on the season.
Equally as impressive at the plate, Roessner recorded the third most hits in consecutive at-bats in NCAA history, posting 10 straight hits in 10 consecutive at-bats. Hitting .354 on the year, she ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in doubles with a career-best 15, while also posting career highs with six home runs, 36 RBIs and 23 runs scored. With 17 multiple-hit games and nine multiple-RBI games, she knocked in the game-winning run in six games this year, including a win over nationally ranked Florida.
A two-time NFCA first-team high school All-American, Guffey was also named the Louisiana Sports Writer’s Association’s Class 5A Most Outstanding Softball Player for the second straight season and earned her third straight Louisiana all-state team honor. The St. Amant High School graduate hit .484 with 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 43 runs batted in. She was also a member of the Louisiana Softball Coaches Association East-West All-Star game.
While going a perfect 14-for-14 in stolen bases herself, Guffey threw out five of the eight would-be base stealers while picking off an amazing 11 runners. Fielding at a .946 clip, the Prairieville native scored 56 runs and had an on-base percentage better than .500. Leading St. Amant to state championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006, she guided the Gators to a quarterfinal appearance in 2007.
2007 Diamond Sports Catchers of the Year
NCAA Division I – Killian Roessner, LSU
NCAA Division II – Amber Lanier, Columbus State
NCAA Division III – Hannah Shalett, Ithaca College
NAIA – Jayme Boyer, Oklahoma Baptist
NJCAA Division I – Amanda Duran, Pima Community College
NJCAA Division II – Renee Welty, Chandler-Gilbert Community College
NJCAA Division III – Lyndsi Gocken, Joliet
Junior College – Cal JC Keri Franks, Diablo Valley College
NWAACC – Kristin Wilson, Walla Walla Community College
High School – Starla Guffey, St. Amant High School