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2001
(2001 Team Photo)
Softball's Jarrah Myers and Jen Sharron Named
First-Team Academic All-Americans
Irish pitcher and catcher combination become the 13th and
14th Academic All-Americans in Notre Dame softball history.
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.
The
two are the school's first softball players to earn All-America honors
since 1996.
"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
Softball's
Jennifer Sharron Named To The 2000 NCAA Region 8 All-Tournament Team
Irish
ace had a 0.40 earned-run average in three appearances.
May 23, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Notre Dame junior pitcher Jennifer
Sharron (Agoura Hills, Calif.) has been named to the all-regional team
for her performance at last weekend's NCAA Region 8 Softball Tournament
in Ann Arbor, Mich. Sharron led the 17th-ranked Irish (47-14) to a 1-2
mark at the regional, including a 2-0 victory over Illinois-Chicago.
Sharron appeared in all three games, going 1-1 with a 0.40 earned-run average and recording a complete-game shutout over the Flames, her 12th solo effort of the season. Sharron allowed just one run, nine hits and struck out 12, while not giving up an extra base hit in almost 18 innings. The three-time BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year also was 2-for-9 at the plate with a walk.
For the season, Notre Dame's first-ever southpaw pitcher was 26-7 overall
with a 0.88 earned-run average and 246 strikeouts. She set school single-season
records for games started (32), innings pitched (229.2), most wins (26)
and complete games (27).
Sharron earned her third consecutive BIG EAST Pitcher-of-the-Year award, while setting a school-record for wins with 26. A junior lefthander, Sharron is a three-time first team all-BIG EAST honoree and earned second team all-Mideast region honors last season.
First lefthanded pitcher in Notre Dame history...the team’s primary starter...has good command of a variety of pitches...an intense competitor...played with Gordon’s Panthers last summer, winning the 18 and under Gold Amateur Softball Association national championship. As A Freshman (1998): Became the first Notre Dame pitcher and first freshman to ever win the BIG EAST pitcher of the year award...selected to the BIG EAST first team and all-rookie squad...led the BIG EAST with a 0.90 earned-run average in nine conference games...posted a BIG EAST record of 7-1 and allowed only seven earned runs in 54.1 innings pitched...led the Irish pitching staff in wins with a 15-8 mark...also tops for the team in appearances (29), games started (24), complete games (15), shutouts (7), innings pitched (158.2), batters faced (685), low opponent batting average (.205)...first career win against Canisius was also a 15-0 shutout victory...second career shutout came in a 7-0 win over Western Illinois...threw a two-hitter against Valparaiso and a career-high nine strikeouts in seven innings of work...had three shutouts against BIG EAST teams and combined with Kelly Nichols for another one against Villanova...limited both Providence and Seton Hall to one hit each in complete game, shutout wins...shut out Indiana for her ninth win of the season...struck out five of the 10 batters she faced in three innings in a 11-0 win against Villanova...named BIG EAST co-pitcher of the week on April 27 for her two shutout wins over Villanova. Prep And Personal: Won three letters in softball at Thousand Oaks High School, leading her team to the state semifinals as a senior...two-time all-state selection...three-time Los Angeles Times all-star and pitcher of the year in ‘97...played with the club team Gordon’s Panthers, finishing second at the 1997 18-and-under gold national championships...conference and Ventura County MVP as a senior...ended her career with school records of 35 shutouts, 10 no-hitters, seven perfect games and 715 strikeouts...also had school-record 15 strikeouts in one-game...had a 3.917 grade-point average for the 1998 fall semester...holds a 3.167 cumulative grade-point average...born September 14, 1979, in Panorama City, Calif....enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters. Sharron’s Career Statistics Year GP-GS-CG IP H R ER BB K SO/7 WP BK AVG HR W-L SV ERA PO-A-E-% 1998 29-24-15 158.2 124 61 42 37 86 3.81 10 1 .205 1 15-8 0 1.85 12-28-10-.800Career Bests |
First lefthanded pitcher in Notre Dame history...possesses dominant rise ball...should be an immediate addition to the Irish pitching staff. Prep and Personal: Won three letters in softball at Thousand Oaks High School, leading her team to the state semifinals as a senior...first team division I all-state selection as a senior and second-team selection as a junior...three-time Los Angeles Times all-star and pitcher of the year in 1997...played with the club team Gordon's Panthers, finishing second at the 1997 18-and-under gold national championships...three-time all-conference and all-Ventura County selection...was named MVP of both as a senior...ended her career with school records of 35 shutouts, 10 no-hitters, seven perfect games and 715 strikeouts...also had school-record 15 strikeouts in one-game...born September 14, 1979, in Panorama City, Calif....enrolled in the First Year of Studies. |
1-2000
