June 8, 2001
The University of Notre Dame softball team continued its trend of capturing noteworthy post season awards this week as junior Jarrah Myers (Carbondale, Kan.) and senior Jen Sharron (Agoura Hills, Calif.) were named to the Verizon Academic All-America First Team on Thursday, June 7.
Myers and Sharron join Meghan Murray (1997) and Katie Marten (1996) as Notre Dame’s all-time first-team selections. It is Myers second career selection (the Irish catcher was named to the third team last season) and Sharron’s first selection of her career.
Both Myers and Sharron were selected as All-Americans by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association this year, making the duo just the second and third Irish players to earn athletic and academic All-America honors in the same season. Katie Marten (1994-97) accomplished the feat in 1995 and 1996.
The teammates also are linked through their softball activities this summer. Myers and Sharron joined Irish senior Lizzy Lemire (Irvine, Calif.) as Notre Dame’s first-ever selections to the United States National Softball Team, which is currently playing an exhibition tour on the West Coast. Myers and Sharron are both members of the Blue team, which will compete in the 2001 Canada Cup (Vancouver, June 30-July 6) and the 2001 Pan Am Qualifier in Maracay, Venezuela, July 29 to August 5.
Myers completed the 2001 season with a .380 batting average on the softball field and a 3.67 grade point average in the classroom with a major in earth science. She led the Irish in RBI (41) and home runs (seven) while also earning the team’s Rockne Scholar-Athlete Award.
Sharron became the first BIG EAST Conference pitcher to earn the league’s pitcher-of-the-year award four consecutive seasons in 2001, finishing the season with a 1.13 ERA and 27-4 record. She struck out 224 batters this season and also hit .318 at the plate with three home runs and 17 RBI. Sharron boasts a 3.27 grade point average with a major in film, television and theater.