May 12, 2004
Texas A&M Head Coach Jo Evans, pitcher Jessica Kapchinski and freshman Sharonda McDonald highlight the Aggie portion of the 2004 All-Big 12 Softball team announced on Wednesday at the Big 12 Softball Awards Banquet. The Aggies brought home the coach of the year, pitcher of the year and freshman of the year awards as well as having six players named to the first and second teams and five players honored as academic all-conference.
"I am really excited about the representation we received on the first and second team as well as the individual and academic awards," Evans commented. "Anytime you have two player of the year awards is quite an honor."
Kapchinski, a senior from Humble, Texas, was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year after posting a 16-6 overall mark with a 1.05 ERA. IN 15 conference appearances, Kapchinski posted a 12-2 record and a league-best 0.38 ERA in 91 innings pitched.
"What a great year for her in conference," Evans stated. "Her stats were the best of any pitcher and she took our team someplace where people didn't think we were going to go. I thought she clearly deserved this award."
McDonald, a centerfielder from Houston, Texas, was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after leading the league in stolen bases and hits. She is second in conference games with a .356 average and is also second in runs scored.
"I really thought she deserved this award," Evans continued. "She is the one freshman that I saw in the conference that came in and made a huge impact right off the bat. As you can see, she is very well respected by my fellow coaches."
Evans is in her eighth season at Texas A&M and was named, by her peers, as the Big 12 Coach of the Year for the first time while at A&M. She has garnered four other conference coach of the year honors at different stops during her 18 years as a head coach. The Aggies enter the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 2 seed and ended the regular season ˝ game behind conference champ Nebraska. The 2004 season is the highest finish in the nine-year history of the conference.
"Being named the coach of the year by my peers is certainly an honor and I can't think of a bigger honor that a coach could ever have. I am humbled by it and I appreciate the vote of confidence I get from my fellow coaches. You don't get this kind of award without great players stepping up on the field and without a great coaching staff. I have two great assistances who are mature, loyal and know the game. They give great insight into our program and know what is best for us. It is certainly not an award that you get by yourself. It is shared with my coaching staff and with my players. It is very much an honor."
Six Aggies were named to the All-Big 12 team on Wednesday with three on the first team and three on the second. Kapchinski, McDonald and shortstop Adrian Gregory were named to the first team while outfielders Jana James and Rocky Spencer along with catcher Nicole Robinson were named to the second team.
"It has been a good day for Texas A&M softball," stated Evans. "It is nice to see the coaches recognize our players as being impact players in the conference."
Five Aggies were honored as all-academic performers including Gregory and sophomores Jill Weynand and Lindsay Park on the first team while Robinson and Spencer were named to the 2004 Academic All-Big 12 second team.
Evans was very proud of her five all-academic honorees and is proud of the effort they have put forth on the field and in the classroom.
"Academically this was the best year so far for us so far. It is nice to see our kids recognized for their hard work in the classroom. They have been getting things done on the field for several years and now we are just as strong academically."
The No. 2-seed Aggies will take on the winner of the 5 p.m. game between Texas Tech and Kansas at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
Live audio and stats will be available on AggieAthletics.com.