Gator Softball Hosts NPF All-Stars on NPF Back to School Tour Monday, 7 p.m.
Monday, October 22, 2012 | Softball
After kicking off the 2012 fall softball campaign with a 5-0 start, the Orange and Blue will face a test Monday when the National Pro Fastpitch All-Stars visit Gainesville for a 7 p.m. showdown at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium as a stop on the NPF's 2012 Back to School Tour.
Gates will open at 5 p.m. for Monday's game, while Gator fans unable to attend can watch live on GatorVision, with audio from Florida softball play-by-play announcer Adam Schick and former Gator two-time All-American Michelle Moultrie.
For the third-consecutive year, Florida will take on Team NPF as part of its fall softball schedule. The Gators hosted the NPF All-Stars in the fall of 2010, while competing in a doubleheader in Daytona, Fla., last year with Daytona State College, followed by Team NPF. In both meetings, Team NPF took victories over the Orange and Blue with a 4-0 win in 2010, followed by a 6-4 victory last season.
The NPF All-Star squad is composed of professional softball athletes from each of the four National Pro Fastpitch organizations. A total of four former Gators will be making their return to the diamond at Pressly Stadium Monday for Team NPF, including 2006 SEC Player of the Year Kristen Butler (Chicago Bandits) and Florida All-Americans Kelsey Bruder (USSSA Pride), Megan Bush (Akron Racers) and Francesca Enea (USSSA Pride).
In addition to the Gator quartet returning to Gainesville, All-American second baseman Aja Paculba (Akron Racers) has also played within the NPF organization for two years with the NPF Diamonds and now the Akron Racers.
Another familiar Gator, UF head coach Tim Walton, is no stranger to success in the NPF, as Walton served as head coach of the USSSA Florida Pride (Orlando) in both 2010 and 2011. Walton led the Pride to the 2010 NPF Championship title in 2010. The championship victory and NPF trophy was the first ever in Florida Pride history. Walton's 2011 Pride squad won the 2011 regular-season title en route to the runner-up spot at the NPF Championship, while the coaching staff earned 2011 Coaching Staff of the Year honors
TEAM NPF vs. FLORIDA
| # | Name | Position | NPF Team | College | Hometown | Experience |
| 4 | Kelsey Bruder | OF | USSSA Pride | Florida | Corona, CA | 2 Years |
| 12 | Megan Bush | IF | Akron Racers | Florida | Gainesville, FL | 2 Years |
| 10 | Kristen Butler | C | Chicago Bandits | Florida | Orlando, FL | 5 Years |
| 11 | Ashley Charters | 2B | USSSA Pride | Washington | Beaverton, OR | 2 Years |
| 3 | GiOnna DiSalvatore | 1B | Carolina Diamonds | UCLA | Dunedin, FL | 2 Years |
| 28 | Andrea Duran | 3B | USSSA Pride | UCLA | Selma, CA | 4 Years |
| 10 | Francesca Enea | OF | USSSA Pride | Florida | Woodland Hills, CA | 3 Years |
| 22 | Jamee Juarez | P | USSSA Pride | Ohio State | Downey, CA | 6 Years |
| 12 | Kelly Kretschman | OF | USSSA Pride | Alabama | Indian Harbour Beach, FL | 7 years |
| 34 | Charlotte Morgan | 1B | USSSA Pride | Alabama | Riverside, CA | 3 Years |
| 8 | Angeline Quiocho | OF | Carolina Diamonds | BYU | Wood Cross, UT | 3 Years |
| 7 | Jenn Salling | IF | USSSA Pride | Washington | Burnaby, B.C., Canada | 2 Years |
| 1 | Kristina Thorson | P | Akron Racers | California | Pleasant Hill, CA | 5 Years |
| 3 | Nikia Williams | OF | USSSA Pride | Washington | Mission Viego, CA | Rookie |
TEAM NPF STAFF
Jim Beitia, head coach
Ken Kretschman, assistant coach
Sonya Montoya, athletic trainer
For live updates during all of UF's fall games, as well as during the season, follow the Gators on Twitter @GatorZoneSBall, check GatorZone.com and visit Florida on Facebook for scores, recaps and photos throughout the duration of the season.
