Feb. 19, 2008
DENVER – Georgia Tech seniors Savannah Brown, Aileen Morales and Brittany Barnes were each selected in Monday’s National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Senior Draft. Brown was taken in the first round, fifth overall by the Rockford Thunder. Morales was a second-round selection (10th overall) by the Chicago Bandits, while Barnes was picked in the fourth round (23rd overall) by the Akron Racers.
Tech had three of the four players chosen from the ACC and tied Oklahoma for the most picks from one school in the nation. Due to NCAA regulations, an active college senior-athlete is not eligible to sign with her respective franchise until their 2008 season is completed.
“This senior class has made a huge impact on the Georgia Tech program and I know they still have more in them in their college careers,” head coach Sharon Perkins said. “To have three players drafted says a lot about where you are as a program, but more importantly, it says even more about these three outstanding young ladies. Whether it’s on the ball field or in a corporate setting, all three will be ultra-successful when they leave the Institute.”
Three other Yellow Jackets have played in the NPF. Tara Knudsen (2001-04) was the first after being drafted by the New England Riptide in 2004. Jessica Sallinger (2002-05) signed with the Chicago Bandits two years ago after being selected in the second round of the NPF Senior Draft her senior season, while Caitlin Lever (2005-07) also played for the Bandits last season.
Major League Baseball is the Official Development Partner of National Pro Fastpitch in the category of women’s professional fastpitch softball. The partnership, which began the fall of 2002, is part of The Commissioner’s Initiative on Women and Baseball, a league-wide effort to help Major League Baseball and the 30 Major League Clubs build stronger relationships with female audiences.
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL).
2008 NPF Senior Draft Results
Round 1
1 (1) – Philadelphia Force – Katie Burkhart, Pitcher, Arizona State
2 (2) – Philadelphia Force – Megan Gibson, Pitcher, Texas A&M
3 (3) – Akron Racers – Angela Tincher, Pitcher, Virginia Tech
4 (4) – New England Riptide – Anjelica Selden, Pitcher, UCLA
5 (5) – Rockford Thunder – Savannah Brown, Catcher, Georgia Tech
6 (6) – Washington Glory – Taryne Mowatt, Pitcher, Arizona
Round 2
1 (7) – Chicago Bandits – Rachel Folden, Catcher, Marshall
2 (8) – Philadelphia Force – Savannah Long, Infielder, Oklahoma
3 (9) – Chicago Bandits – Emily Nichols, Catcher, Iowa
4 (10) – Chicago Bandits – Aileen Morales, Shortstop, Georgia Tech
5 (11) – Akron Racers – Kate Robinson, Pitcher/First Base, Hawaii
6 (12) – Rockford Thunder – Lauren Eckermann, Pitcher, Oklahoma
Round 3
1 (13) – Rockford Thunder – Tonya Callahan, First Base, Tennessee
2 (14) – New England Riptide – TJ Eadus, Catcher, Creighton
3 (15) – Akron Racers – Shannon Doepking, Catcher, Tennessee
5 (17) – Akron Racers – Angelena Mexicano, Shortstop, Illinois
6 (18) – Akron Racers – Susan Ogden, Catcher, Oklahoma
Round 4
1 (19) – Rockford Thunder – Sandy Vojik, Utility, DePaul
2 (20) – Rockford Thunder – Beth Boden, Shortstop, Tennessee Tech
3 (21) – Philadelphia Force – Tory Yamaguchi, Catcher, Indiana
4 (22) – New England Riptide – Jordan Praytor, Utility, Alabama
5 (23) – Akron Racers – Brittany Barnes, Infielder, Georgia Tech
6 (24) – Washington Glory – Cambria Miranda, Utility, Oregon State
