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LUPER WINS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
A record
four Aggie softball players named first team DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., May 7, 2008 – North Carolina A&T freshman softball pitcher Jennifer Luper has compiled more accolades in a year than most players gather in a career. She added to her collection on Wednesday night by being named the 2008 MEAC Rookie of the Year awarded to her at the MEAC Softball Tournament Banquet. Luper (Fort Mill, S.C.) was also named first-team All-MEAC along with three other teammates. Joining Luper on the first team were sophomore shortstop Yahamma White (Lancaster, S.C.), sophomore second baseman Lillian Bullock (Anchorage, Alaska) and senior right fielder Chaola Simmons. White and Bullock earned first-team honors for the second consecutive season, while Simmons (Raeford, N.C.) was making her first appearance on an all-conference team. Four players are the most Aggies ever selected to a first-team all-conference softball team. “I was intrigued by all the first-team players we had called,’’ said head coach Mamie Jones. “I have been here a while and I have never seen that before tonight. It was a good feeling because it shows just how hard these ladies have worked to get to this point. Now we have to move on from this and do our best to win this tournament. Jones’ softball team begins play in the MEAC Tournament Thursday at 1:30 p.m., when they face Delaware State. If the Aggies are successful in the tournament, Luper will be a big part of it. Luper became the Aggies No. 1 pitcher two months ago and has excelled in that role. She won a school-record 20 games this season as she enters the tournament 20-4 on the season. During the season, she was named MEAC Pitcher of the Week twice and MEAC Rookie of the Week once. On April 28, she received the Aggie Club Award for Excellence at the N.C. A&T All-Sports Banquet. Luper has pitched 162.2 innings, struck out 99 batters and compiled a 2.50 ERA this season. “When a freshman comes in and performs like she did it means she is doing what it takes in practice to get the job done,’’ said Jones. “Her work ethic is unbelievable and she deserves the honor because of that.” While Luper has been able to gather awards at rapid pace early, Simmons has gradually turned herself into a stellar performer for Jones. As a freshman Simmons batted .250, had just a .256 slugging percentage, nine RBIs and no doubles. This season she is batting .336 as the Aggies lead-off hitter with 23 RBIs, a .460 slugging percentage and five doubles. She will likely end her career with a better than .300 average. After a season where she led the nation in runs as freshman, White proved her success was no beginners’ luck. She ranks 12th in the nation in runs scored per game this season. She ranks 41st in the nation in stolen bases and 70th in the nation in batting average (.391). She has recorded an impressive 134 hits and scored 109 runs in only two seasons. Bullock’s freshman season earned her respect from opposing pitchers this season. She still posted impressive power numbers. She hit .369 with seven home runs and a team-leading 37 RBIs. She has a .723 slugging percentage with nine doubles and eight triples. Pitchers pitched around her this season, therefore she drew 26 walks. She is fourth in the nation in triples per game, 41st in slugging percentage and 35th in runs scored per game.
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