COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M great Shawn Andaya will become the first softball player inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame after being selected to the Class of 2011, the TSHOF Induction Committee announced today.
 "It's pretty amazing to be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, especially being the first softball player inducted," Andaya said. "That says a lot. I can't even begin to tell you how great this honor is. I came from California to Texas to play on a national championship team, and to now be inducted into the state's hall of fame feels pretty remarkable."
The Texas A&M Athletics Hall-of-Famer becomes the 25th member of the TSHOF associated with Texas A&M, joining the ranks of Aggie inductees like John David Crow and Gene Stallings. She is also the first Aggie female on the list. Â
Andaya, who currently resides in College Station, was a three-time All-American and was the winning pitcher in the Aggies' 1987 National Championship title game. The hurler posted a 114-28 record with 10 saves in her four years at A&M, setting an NCAA career record with 1,234 strikeouts.
Andaya led the Aggies to three national championship games during her career and still holds the record for most innings pitched in a single Women's College World Series (WCWS) game, with 25. Then a freshman, Andaya won the game with an RBI in the 25th inning.
Andaya capped her career with a national title, throwing a perfect game in the 1-0 victory over UCLA in a WCWS elimination game. The Aggies defeated UCLA again to take the '87 NCAA title.
"My most memorable moment from A&M is winning the national championship, of course," Andaya said. "I also have two memorable moments of playing in national championship games and losing, but to be able to end my career on top was really special. Softball wasn't an Olympic sport at that time - I was done with softball. Not many people can say that they finished their sport on top, achieving the highest pinnacle their sport has to offer."
The Aggie All-American was named to the WCWS All-Tournament three times and was also selected to the NCAA 25th Anniversary Women's College World Series team. Andaya became a member of the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.
Texas A&M women's basketball Head Coach and 2010 National Champion Gary Blair was also named to the TSHOF Class of 2011. Blair led the Aggies to the program's first-ever national championship last season and is one of only three NCAA Division I coaches to lead two different teams to the NCAA Final Four.
"I feel especially proud to be going into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in the same year as Coach Blair," Andaya said. "For one thing, it shows how far women's sports have come at A&M. When I came here, women's sports weren't as popular as they are now. I'm proud that Coach Blair and I are getting inducted in the same year - for women's sports in general, and for women's sports at A&M."
Committee Chair Dave Campbell and the TSHOF will hold a banquet for the ten inductees in February 2012. The date, time and ticket prices for the event are to-be-announced. Others being inducted into the Class of 2011 are Mack Brown, Fred Couples, G.A. Moore, Jr., Dave Parks, Tobin Rote, Bubba Smith, Lovie Smith and Andre Ware.
The Texas A&M softball team kicks off the 2012 season in Tempe, Ariz., at the Kajikawa Classic on Feb. 10. To learn more about Aggie softball, log on to AggieAthletics.com.