Release
This Week...The University of Hawai`i (32-17, 13-3 WAC) takes its final road trip of the season this week...the final six games, a doubleheader at Centenary College (19-34) in Shreveport, La., on Wednesday, April 30, and the final four Western Athletic Conference games at Louisiana Tech (16-34, 6-6 WAC) May 2-3 in Ruston, La.
UH Head Coach...Bob Coolen (Wesleyan, 1980) is in his 12th campaign with the Rainbow Wahine and owns a 448-275-1 (.619)...he is UH's all-time leader in softball wins...prior to UH, Coolen spent five years as the head coach at Bentley (MA) College where he compiled a 72-93 record...Coolen's overall record is 520-368-1 in 17 seasons...Coolen is 1-0 vs. Centenary and 3-1 at Louisiana Tech.
Coolen Notches 500th Career Win...Bob Coolen picked up his 500th career win against UC Riverside March 8 (4-1) at the Malihini Tournament in Honolulu...he is in his 17th season as a head coach...Coolen began the season ranked 31st on the NCAA Division I Winningest Active Coaching list entering 2003 trailing Rosemary Holloway of Louisiana-Monroe (492-553-3).
Rainbow Wahine History...Hawai`i completed its 18th season since adding softball in 1985...UH has compiled an all-time record of 599-470-1, while winning the Big West Conference title in 1994 and making 5 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, all under Bob Coolen...in 18 seasons, UH has an all-time 330-186 record at home, 171-195 on the road, and 98-89-1 at neutral sites.
Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium...Hawai`i is in its 19th season of softball and its 6th in the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium...the following is a year-by-year breakdown of the home win-loss record: 1985 (4-7), 1986 (6-14), 1987 (16-7), 1988 (15-11), 1989 (8-12), 1990 (13-19), 1991 (24-9), 1992 (18-11), 1993 (14-16), 1994 (25-8), 1995 (26-5), 1996 (19-11), 1997 (21-14), 1998 (30-2), 1999 (19-3), 2000 (12-11), 2001 (20-5), 2002 (18-13), 2003 (20-6)...UH is 119-40 in all home games at RWSS since 1998.
Hawai`i Road Headquarters & Itinerary...Hawai`i is in Shreveport already and are staying at the Holiday Inn Express (318-631-2800)...on Thursday morning, the team leaves for Ruston and is staying at the Hampton Inn (318-251-3315)...the team returns to Honolulu on Sunday at 8:13 p.m. on Delta #219.
Coogan Picks up Third WAC Pitcher of the Week Honor This Season...Melissa Coogan, a sophomore, went 3-0 last week in the WAC at home against San Jose State...she posted a 0.00 ERA limiting the Spartan offense to a .141 batting average, shutting SJSU out twice...it was Coogan's third WAC Pitcher of the Week honor this year after also being honored Feb. 24 and April 21...Stacey Porter, a junior, notome run...it is the sixth weekly WAC award handed out to a UH player this year...April Crowell has been honored twice (Feb. 10 & March 31) and both Denise Dahlberg (March 10) and Stacey Porter (April 21) once.
Recapping San Jose State Series...Hawai`i went 3-1 at home last week against San Jose State, finishing the home portion of the schedule at 20-6...as a team, UH hit .276 against SJSU led by Stacey Porter's .500 average (6-for-12) with three home runs and four runs...Kate Judd batted .455 with a homer and three runs...Trisha Ramos (.444) and Tracie Uchima (.429) were the only other two players to bat more than .200...Melissa Coogan went 3-0 posting two shutouts and did not allow an earned run sporting a 0.00 ERA...Shannon Tabion (0-1, 1.75 ERA) suffered the 2-1 loss in eight innings in the final game limiting the Spartans to four hits.
Scouting the Ladies...Centenary enters the week 19-34 overall and are coached by Mark Montgomery (First Season)...Centenary, 11-9 at home this year, has lost 19-of-its-last-21and closes out its 2003 schedule with the Rainbow Wahine...the Ladies are led by Jordan Lansdale (.271), Lauren Koehn (.267), and Lauren Brownlee (.250)...Centenary has some very good team speed as indicated by it 85 (of 119) stolen bases...in the circle, the two pitchers that have thrown the most are Cheyenne Daries (9-15, 2.50 ERA) and Cathy Byrne (6-13, 2.69 ERA).
Scouting the Lady Techsters...Louisiana Tech enters the week 16-34 overall and 6-6 in the WAC coached by Sarah Dawson (First Season)...Hawai`i is 3-1 against the Lady Techsters, winning 3-of-4 at Ruston last year...LTU is batting .229 as a team with a staff earned run average of 2.60...individually for LTU, they are led offensively by Brittany Stanley (.301), who is the only batter over the .300 mark...Stanley (15) and Amber Miles (16) have swiped 31 of the team's 48 bases this season...in the circle, the duo of Marla Pinkston (11-15, 2.08 ERA) and Kristin Rupp (5-16, 2.86) have split the starting duties this year.
Friendly Confines of RWSS...The Rainbow Wahine finished the season 20-6at home in the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium this season...as a team, UH hit .295 and owns a 1.52 ERA...individually, Stacey Porter is slugging .431 (22-51) at home with three doubles, a triple, three homers, 13 RBI, and 14 runs...others enjoying success at home are Tracie Uchima (.400), Kate Judd (.327), and Noelle Izumi (.317)...April Crowell is hitting .296 with three double, four home runs, and 12 RBI...Melissa Coogan is 10-3 at RWSS posting a 1.03 ERA...Shannon Tabion is 3-2 with a 2.56 ERA...Paula Blanning is 0-0 making two appearances and has not allowed a run.
UH on the Road...Hawai`i is 12-11 on the road, including a 5-5 record at neutral sites...UH played only one WAC road series, splitting its four games at Fresno State, which included UH's first-ever doubleheader sweep of the Bulldogs...UH is batting .252 as a team hitting 16 of its 31 homers on the road...led by Stacey Porter (.413) with six homers, 11 RBI, and 18 runs...April Crowell is the only other regular to bat over .300 posting a .329 average with five home runs, eight runs, and 17 RBI...Tracie Uchima leads the squad in those 23 games with 12 runs...in the circle, the three pitcher staff sports a 2.30 ERA led by Melissa Coogan (9-6, 1.88 ERA) who has notched four of her 12 shutouts away from RWSS...Shannon Tabion is 2-4 with a 2.95 ERA and Paula Blanning is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA.
Frequent Flyers...With the Pacific Ocean between the closest Division I softball team, Hawai`i racks up a ton of frequent flyer miles...in 2002, the team posted approximately 19,400 miles to various tournaments and league series...when it's all said and done in 2003, UH will log 25,924 air miles making it one of the most traveled teams in the country.
Hawai`i Among the WAC Leaders...Hawai`i is tied for first in batting (.279) and ranked second in pitching (1.74 ERA) and third in fielding (.962)...individually, first baseman Stacey Porter leads the WAC in batting (.460), hits (63), and tied in both homers (13) and total bases (123)...Melissa Coogan is first the WAC in wins (26) and second in ERA (1.49).
UH Career Records in Sight for Judd, Porter...Senior shortstop Kate Judd and junior first baseman Stacey Porter continue to move up the UH career lists...Judd is six doubles away from breaking Julie Luft's (44) mark while third in homers chasing teammate Porter (1st, 34)...Porter broke Degan's HR mark against Nevada...Porter is also listed among the leaders in RBI (4th, 104), doubles (33), and walks (2nd, 65)...Trisha Ramos is 7th in career doubles (30).
Regional Sites Announced...The NCAA announced eight regional sites today for the upcomin 64-team tournament...Alabama, Michigan, Arizona, Cal State Fullerton, Fresno State, Texas, Florida, and Nebraska are hosting, but the teams from those areas are not guaranteed a spot in the field.
WAC Tie-breakers...If UH sweeps LTU this weekend, the Rainbow Wahine earn its first-ever WAC crown...if UH is swept, they are eliminated...as of today in the 6-team league, only San Jose State and Nevada have been eliminated from the conference title race...the WAC tie-breaking procedures are as follows: (2-Teams) it begins with head-to-head competition...if two teams are tied and split the series, then begin comparisons from the 3rd place team down...(3+ teams) has three different comparisons...(a) the teams compare records of the tied teams against each other as the team with the best record receives the highest seed...(b) if a tie is for first place, then compare each team's records against the next highest/untied team and work your way down (ie. if three teams are tied, then begin comparisons of records with the fourth-place team...(c) if a tie still remains after a and b, the WAC office shall conduct a draw.
Next UP...Hawai`i ends the regular season in Ruston this week...the regional selection show is slated for Sunday, May 11, at 4 p.m. HST on ESPNews.
