May 25, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame juniors Melanie Alkire (Union City, Calif.) and Jennifer Sharron (Agoura Hills, Calif.) have been named second-team All-Americans Wednesday by Louisville Slugger and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The two are the school’s first softball players to earn All-America honors since 1996.
“We are absolutely thrilled for both Jen and Mel and the team and the program as well,” Irish head coach Liz Miller said. “As we always tell the team, individual awards are team awards and one doesn’t happen without the other.
“It definitely shows that this program is moving upward and forward and in the direction of our goals. I’m sure that these two will be very strong leaders in our program again next year.”
Alkire led the Irish in almost every offensive category, including batting average (.376), hits (73), doubles (15), RBI (school record – 64) and home runs (school-record 13). The team’s starting shortstop earned the BIG EAST Player-of-the-Year award for the second straight season and was one of two unanimous selections to the all-BIG EAST first team. Alkire, who went 7-1 in the pitching circle, also was named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Mideast Region First Team for the second consecutive season, while picking up BIG EAST Tournament MVP honors in 2000.
“I’m both surprised and exited,” Alkire said. “It’s an award that I’ve been working toward on a personal-level, but it also is good recognition for the softball program.”
Sharron became only the second pitcher in Notre Dame history to record back-to-back 20-win seasons and tally two, 20-win seasons in her career. The program’s first southpaw pitcher finished the season with a 26-7 overall record and a 0.88 earned-run average, while setting single-season records for most wins (26), games started (32), complete games (27) and innings pitched (229.2).
Sharron earned her place in BIG EAST softball history after becoming just the second pitcher to earn the BIG EAST Pitcher-of-the-Year award three times (1998-2000). She also was named to the all-BIG EAST first team for the third straight season, was tabbed for Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Mideast Region First Team honors and earned a spot on the NCAA all-region squad for the second straight season in 2000.
“I think it’s a honor for the team and the coaches, and not just for Mel and I,” Sharron said. “It’s a step to getting the recognition that the program needs.”
Alkire and Sharron led the 2000 Irish to back-to-back BIG EAST championships, finishing the season with a #17 national ranking and a 47-14 record, the best record in school history. The Irish advanced to the NCAA regionals for the second straight season, going 1-2 with a win over Illinois-Chicago.
Notre Dame Softball All-Americans
Second Team
2000 – Jennifer Sharron, Melanie Alkire
1995 – Terri Kobata
Third Team
1996 – Katie Marten
1995 – Katie Marten
1994 – Terri Kobata
LOUISVILLE SLUGGER/NFCA DIVISION I ALL-AMERICANS
FIRST TEAM | |||
Position | Name, School | Year | Hometown |
Pitcher | Courtney Blades, Southern Mississippi | Sr. | Baton Rouge, LA |
Pitcher | Amanda Scott, Fresno State | Sr. | Clovis, CA |
Pitcher | Jennifer Spediacci, Washington | Sr. | Fremont, CA |
Catcher | Keri McCallum, Mississippi State | Sr. | Port Orchard, WA |
1B | Ginger Jones, Alabama | Jr. | Northport, AL |
2B | Stephanie Hastings, LSU | Jr. | Houston, TX |
3B | Ashlee Ducote, LSU | Jr. | Alexandria, LA |
SS | Natasha Watley, UCLA | Fr. | Irvine, CA |
OF | Tiffany Clark, Louisiana-Lafayette | Sr. | San Bernardino, CA |
OF | Kelly Kretschman, Alabama | Sr. | Indian Harbour Beach, FL |
OF | Jessica Mendoza, Stanford | So. | Camarillo, CA |
UT | Jenny Topping, Washington | Fr. | Whittier, CA |
DP | Lisa Carey, Oklahoma | Jr. | Topeka, KS |
At-Large/C | Ashli Barrett, Oklahoma | Jr. | Oklahoma City, OK |
At-Large/UT | Tarrah Beyster, Oregon State | Sr. | San Diego, CA |
At-Large/P | Jamie Graves, Washington | Sr. | Phoenix, AZ |
At-Large/OF | Kellie Wilkerson, Mississippi State | So. | Jacksonville, FL |
SECOND TEAM | |||
Position | Name, School | Year | Hometown |
P | Jennifer Sharron, Notre Dame | Jr. | Agoura Hills, CA |
Pitcher | Britni Sneed, LSU | So. | Houston, TX |
Pitcher | Kirsten Voak, Arizona State | So. | Fremont, CA |
Catcher | Sunny Smith, Utah | Sr. | Pleasant Grove, UT |
1B | Sarah Beeson, Stanford | So. | Tucson, AZ |
2B | Lyndsey Klein, UCLA | Sr. | Roseville, CA |
3B | Toni Mascarenas, Arizona | Jr. | Garden Grove, CA |
SS | Melanie Alkire, Notre Dame | Jr. | Union City, CA |
OF | Serita Brooks, Florida State | Jr. | Cottondale, AL |
OF | Jaime Clark, Washington | Fr. | Tustin, CA |
OF | Nicole Giordano, Arizona | Jr. | Saugus, CA |
DP | Dana Degen, Hawaii | Sr. | La Mesa, CA |
At-Large/OF | Lauren Bauer, Arizona | Jr. | Santa Ana, CA |
At-Large/2B | Lindsey Gardner, Texas | Fr. | Katy, TX |
At-Large/UT | Alicia Smith, Hofstra | Sr. | Katonah, NY |
At-Large/P | Dana Sorensen, Stanford | Fr. | San Diego, CA |
At-Large/P | Leigh Ann Walker, Nebraska | So. | Tucson, AZ |
THIRD TEAM | |||
Position | Name, School | Year | Hometown |
Pitcher | Holly Killion, Western Illinois | Sr. | Coal Valley, IL |
Pitcher | Shelley Laird, Alabama | So. | Spring, TX |
Pitcher | Jennifer Stewart, Oklahoma | So. | Yukon, OK |
Catcher | Jessica Bashor, Iowa | Fr. | Riverside, CA |
1B | Brandi Cross, Massachusetts | Fr. | Diamond Bar, CA |
1B | Monica Lucatero, Cal State Fullerton | So. | Santa Ana, CA |
1B | Jana Mower, Louisiana-Lafyaette | Jr. | Olathe, KS |
2B | Keisha Shepperson, East Carolina | Jr. | Richmond, VA |
3B | Kelly Ramsey, North Carolina | So. | Del Mar, CA |
SS | Rachael Goodpaster, UNLV | Jr. | Fair Oaks, CA |
OF | Lisa Ciavardini, Hofstra | Jr. | Brewster, NY |
OF | Naomi Fitzgerald, Baylor | Jr. | College Grove, TN |
OF | Karen Gulini, Penn State | Sr. | Easton, PA |
UT | Lindsey Chouinard, DePaul | Fr. | Fresno, CA |
DP | Stefanie Volpe, Michigan | So. | Plymouth, MI |
At-Large/SS | Amy Berman, Southern Mississippi | Sr. | Newbury Park, CA |
At-Large/UT | Marissa Young, Michigan | Fr. | Santa Ana, CA |
At-Large/C | Lindsey Collins, Arizona | Jr. | Fountain Valley, CA |
At-Large/2B | Lovie Jung, Fresno State | So. | Westminster, CA |
At-Large/OF | Erin Evans, Oklahoma | Fr. | Lawton, OK |
At-Large/SS | Tara Asbill, LSU | Sr. | Elgin, SC |
At-Large/P | Kristi Hanks, Iowa | So. | Santa Fe, TX |