BUFFALO, NY- The University at Buffalo
softball team announced its team awards for the 2010 season last
week. Head coach Jennifer Teague made the following
presentations:Kristin
Waldron and Alyssa
Ward were selected as the Most Valuable Offensive and
Defensive players, respectively; Kate
Kraus was selected as the Most Improved; Terese
Diaz was selected as the Ace in the Circle and the True
Blue Award went to Sharon
Barr.
The Most Valuable Player Award is given to the student-athlete
who makes the most significant contribution to the accomplishments
of the team through her skills and leadership. Sophomore Kristin
Waldron earned the award for the second consecutive year as she led
the Bulls offensively with 60 hits, 34 RBIs and a .330 batting
average. She also finished the season with a new school record for
most triples in a career, with 10. Freshman Alyssa Ward was a
standout third baseman, who also spent time in the catcher's spot.
She was one of only two players to start all 55 games for the
Bulls, while knocking in 40 hits and 22 RBIs. Defensively, Ward
tallied 116 putouts and led the team in assists with 106, while
maintaining a .974 fielding percentage.
The Most Improved Player Award is presented to the
student-athlete who has made the greatest stride or improvement in
her performance from the previous season or from the beginning of
the season to the end of the season. Junior transfer Kate Kraus saw
significant strides in her first year with the Bulls. She appeared
in six games on the mound for Buffalo, making her first Division-I
appearance on March 19, versus Coastal Carolina. She struck out
seven batters, in 14 innings pitched throughout the season. The Ace
in the Circle Award is presented to the team's most outstanding
pitcher. Sophomore Terese Diaz was presented the award for the
second consecutive year, after earning seven wins on the mound.
Diaz struck out 152 batters, in 147.1 innings pitched, in 2010.
After two seasons, Diaz already ranks third all-time for strike
outs (354) and wins (21).
The coaches present the True Blue Award to the student-athlete
who gives 110% every day on the field and shows outstanding
commitment to the team, on and off the field. Senior Sharon Barr
was presented with this year's award. Barr was an intricate part of
the Buffalo offense and defense as a four year starter and has left
her mark in the UB record books collecting a number of all-time
pitching records, including the all-time leader for appearances and
games started. In addition to being an all-around player and team
leader, Barr appeared in a record number of 43 games, starting 28
of them in 2010.
The Bulls finish their 2010 campaign with a record of 21-34 (
9-15 MAC) after making their second ever appearance in MAC
post-season play.
