May 13, 2004
ATLANTA – Senior Tara Knudsen and juniors Jessica Sallinger and Liz Bartle were named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Team, announced by the league office Thursday night. Knudsen was named to the all-conference team for the third straight year, while Sallinger earns the honor for the second straight season. Bartle is a first-time honoree for the Yellow Jackets.
Knudsen is a three-time All-ACC honoree. The Thornton, Colo., native led Tech in all offensive categories and finished in the top-three in the ACC in batting average (.394), doubles (14), home runs (11), walks (35), slugging percentage (.723), on base percentage (.510) and total bases (112). She currently ranks 29th in the nation in slugging percentage.
Bartle, a junior from Coral Springs, Fla., earns the honor for the first time in her career. The designated hitter ranked second on the Tech squad in batting average (.301), home runs (6), RBI (31), slugging percentage (.497) and on base percentage (.401). She ranked eighth in the ACC in runs batted in and walks (23).
Sallinger earns the honor for the second consecutive season. The Kennesaw, Ga., native led the ACC in games started (32) and finished second in the league in wins (26), strikeouts per game (10.75), shutouts (13) and third in ERA (0.71). She finished the regular season with national rankings of seventh in K’s per game, ninth in ERA and 11th in wins.
Florida State captured all the individual awards as Jessica van der Linden was tabbed ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. FSU head coach JoAnne Graf was named Coach of the Year, while Veronica Wootson was named Freshman of the Year.
No. 24 Georgia Tech (41-15, 5-5 ACC) will take on NC State (32-25, 3-7 ACC) in the opening game of the ACC Tournament at 11 a.m. on Friday morning, in Tallahassee, Fla. All Tech games can be followed on www.ramblinwreck.com.
2004 ALL-ACC TEAM
* Liz Bartle, DH, GT
* Heather Field, SS, UVa
* Casey Hunter, P, FSU
* Natasha Jacob, OF, FSU
* Tara Knudsen, SS, GT
* Sara Larquier, 3B, UVa
* Keri Lounge, 2B, UMD
* Hannah Owings, 1B, UVa
* Emily Price, SS, UNC
* Jessica Sallinger, P, GT
* Dionne Streete, 1B, UNC
* Jessica van der Linden, OF, FSU
* Elisa Vasquez, C, FSU
* Beth Wade, 1B, FSU
* Veronica Wootson, 2B, FSU
Player of the Year: Jessica van der Linden, FSU
Freshman of the Year: Veronica Wootson, FSU
Coach of the Year: JoAnne Graf, FSU
