Written for the LSWA
BATON ROUGE — LSU sophomore Dani Hofer was the unanimous choice as Pitcher of the Year and joined teammates Leslie Klein and Jazz Jackson and coach Yvette Girouard along with Southeastern Louisiana’s Arica Rodriguez as the major winners in this year’s Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana College Softball team announced Saturday.
The team was voted on by an LSWA panel after nominations were made by the softball playing four-year colleges and universities in the state. The voting was based on the regular season play of the teams through their conference tournaments.
Along with Hofer, senior Klein was the narrow choice as Hitter of the Year, while Jackson earned Freshman of the Year honors. SLU’s Rodriguez was named the Newcomer of the Year for non-freshman playing their first year in the state and LSU’s Girouard was named the Coach of the Year.
Hofer was 23-2 on the year with a 1.27 ERA. The Safety Harbour, Fla., native posted 234 strikeouts in 170.2 innings and opponents batted .150 against her. She ranked 14th in the NCAA in ERA and ranked in the top 10 in the Southeastern Conference in wins, ERA and strikeouts. She had no-hitters against Southern Miss and Missouri State and struck out 10 or more batters in seven different games. Hofer was chosen First Team All-SEC and second team NFCA All-South Region.
Klein finished her career by rewriting most of the LSU record book including career home runs (32), doubles (64) and RBI (192). In her senior season, she hit .390 with 21 doubles, eight home runs, 58 RBI, 41 runs scores and she stole 21-of-25 bases, while holding a .674 slugging percentage. She led the SEC in doubles and was second in RBI and total bases, while ranking in the top 10 in six other categories. Finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year had a school-record 17 multiple RBI games and knocked in the game winner on 15 occasions, including six wins over nationally-ranked teams.
The 5-4 Jackson burst on to the scene at LSU, handling left field for the Tigers and slapping her way to a .394 average with 15 RBI and 39 runs scores. The member of the SEC Freshman team stole 15-of-16 bases and led LSU with 23 multiple-hit games, including seven games with at least three hits. During the year she had a 13-game and a 10-game hitting streak.
Southeastern’s Rodriguez was supposed to have her debut season after transferring from junior college in 2006, but a shoulder injury kept her from playing, making this her debut season in the state and the second baseman showed no ill effects hitting .297 with seven home runs with 39 RBI. The second team Southland Conference selection ranked eighth in the league in RBI and tied for fifth in the SLC with 13 doubles.
The state coaching honor for Girouard is her 13th in her distinguished career at Louisiana-Lafayette and now at LSU. This year she took the Tigers to their eighth SEC Western Division championship and fifth SEC Tournament Championship. The Tigers were ranked No. 3 in the country and won the Palo Alto Regional before losing to Arizona State in the Super Regional. The Tigers were 11-6 against nationally-ranked teams in 2007 and for her career passed the 1,100 win mark.
Joining Hofer (pitcher), Jackson and Klein (outfield) on the first team were: Pitcher — Emily Turner, LSU; Catcher — Killian Roessner, LSU; First Base — Lacey Bertucci, Louisiana-Lafayette; Second Base — Brooke Brodhead, McNeese State; Shortstop — Kat Harrell, Nicholls State; Third Base — Leah Peterson, Nicholls State; Outfield — Emma Barnes, Louisiana Tech; Designated Player — Dee Dee Henderson, LSU; Utility — Holly Tankersley, Louisiana-Lafayette.
LSWA All-Louisiana College Softball Team
First Team
Pos.NameSchoolYearHometownNotes
PDani HoferLSUSo.Safety Harbour, Fla.23-2, 1.27 ERA, 234 Ks, SEC Tourney MVP
PEmily TurnerLSUSr.Chula Vista, Calif.19-6, 1.17 ERA, 176 Ks, Two Ws vs. No. 1 Tennessee
CKillian RoessnerLSUSo.Manasquan, N.J..371 BA, 14 2B, 6 HR, 35 RBI, 1st team all-region
1BLacey BertucciLouisiana-LafayetteSr.Folsom, La..281 BA, 14 HR, 44 RBI, 1st team SBC
2BBrooke BrodheadMcNeeseJr.Lafayette, La..370 BA, 70 H, 12 HR, 1st team SLC
SSKat HarrellNicholls StateJr.League City, Texas.453 BA, 38 R, 22 RBI, 1st team SLC
3BLeah PetersonNicholls StateSr.Berwick, La..355 BA, 11 HR, 45 RBI, 2nd team SLC
OFEmma BarnesLouisiana TechSo.Sacramento, Calif..347 BA, 32 R, 16 RBI, 1st team WAC
OFJazz JacksonLSUFr.Houston, Texas.394 BA, 15 RBI, 15-16 SB, 2nd team all-region
OFLeslie KleinLSUSr.Sunrise, Fla..390 BA, 8 HR, 58 RBI, 2nd team all-region
DPDee Dee HendersonLSUJr.Atlanta, Texas.345 BA, 29-31 SB, 1st team academic all-district
UtilHolly TankersleyLouisiana-LafayetteJr.Kirbyville, Texas.405 BA, 18 HR, 61 RBI, 1st team all-region
Hitter of the Year — Leslie Klein, LSU
Votes — Klein 5, Tankersley 4, Kat Harrell 1
Pitcher of the Year — Dani Hofer, LSU
Votes — Hofer 10
Freshman of the Year — Jazz Jackson, LSU
Votes — Jackson 7, Brittany Cuevas 3
Newcomer of the Year — Arica Rodriguez, Southeastern Louisiana
Votes — Rodriquez 6, Tayl’r Hollis 4
Coach of the Year — Yvette Girouard, LSU
Votes — Girouard 9, The Lotief’s 1
Second Team
P — McCaslin Carson, Louisiana College; Brittany Cuevas, Louisiana-Lafayette
C — Jenny Clay, McNeese State
1B — (tie) Katherine Horton, Louisiana College; Amy Thibodeaux, Nicholls State
2B — Heather Hanson, Louisiana-Monroe
SS — Courtney Chappell, Southern
3B — Heather Sherrill, Southeastern Louisiana
OF — Micah Rhodes, Centenary; Karli Hubbard, Louisiana-Lafayette; Kodi Butler, Nicholls State
DP — Ashley Cameron, Louisiana Tech
Util — Allison McClain — Centenary
Honorable Mention
P — Rachel Ray, Southeastern Louisiana; 3B — Melissa Verde, Louisiana-Lafayette