2011 WCWS Team Honored at UF vs. UAB Football Game
Monday, September 12, 2011 | Softball
Florida's 2011 Women's College World Series squad was honored at halftime Saturday during the Florida vs. UAB football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Gators turned in one of the most impressive seasons in program history last spring, cruising through NCAA Championship play to a fourth straight WCWS appearance, becoming the first SEC program to do so. The Gators played their way to the 2011 Championship Series against Arizona State, finishing the season ranked No. 2 as the national runners-up.
The team captured its fourth straight SEC Eastern Division title after battling back and sweeping Tennessee in the final weekend of regular-season play after hitting a six-game losing streak mid-way through the 2011 campaign. Senior Kelsey Bruder and head coach Tim Walton picked up SEC individual awards as the 2011 SEC Player of the Year and 2011 SEC Coach of the Year, respectively. Florida placed a nation-leading number of student-athletes on the NFCA All-America teams, with six total, while turning in four Academic All-America selections to lead the country as well.
Bruder was additionally honored in the first quarter of Saturday's game as the 2011 Honda Sports Award winner for softball, designating her as the top collegiate athlete in the sport last year. Walton presented Bruder with the Honda Award on the 10-yard line of Florida Field. The two-time USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week, Bruder had two walk-off hits in Florida's series over SEC rival Alabama, enabling the Gators to take the series. She additionally strung together a career-long 14-game hit streak that carried over from 2010 to the beginning of 2011. Bruder is part of the “winningest class” in University of Florida history (288-33), leading the Southeastern Conference through league play in runs (32), doubles (10), slugging percentage (.883), hits (40), RBI (36) and home runs (11).
Florida had three seniors selected in the 2011 National Pro Fastpitch Senior Draft last spring in Bruder (USSSA Pride), Megan Bush (Akron Racers) and Aja Paculba (NPF Diamonds). Another four Gators are currently representing USA Softball on the USA Women's and Junior Women's National Teams, with 2011-12 senior Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) on the Women's National Team and freshmen Jessica Damico (Gray Summit, Mo.), Lauren Haeger (Peoria, Ariz.) and sophomore Cheyenne Coyle (West Hills, Calif.) on the Junior Women's National Team.
Stay posted to www.GatorZone.com for information on UF's 2011 fall softball schedule and stay up with the Gators on Twitter @GatorZoneSBall.
