STATE COLLEGE, Pa., May 10, 2004 - The Penn State softball team (25-32, 8-12 Big Ten) held its annual award banquet over the weekend, naming five award winners for the 2004 season. Junior Leigh Murray (Fairfax Station, Va.) was voted Most Valuable Player by her teammates for the 2004 season, while senior Shana Rigglamen (Seaford, Del.) earned the Blue-White Award, which is presented to the player who exemplifies commitment, desire and unity toward the Penn State softball program.
Murray has been one of the team's top batters most of this season, and is currently hitting .302. The junior outfielder is one of only two players to start every game this season for the Lions. Her 21 RBIs leads the teams, as does her slugging percentage (.450) and homeruns (6).
Riggleman has made a solid comeback from an ACL injury last fall to compile a 9-5 record in 15 starts thus far. Her career victory mark of 26 in just three years is approaching the top 10 all-time in school history. She has a team-leading 1.76 ERA and has also tacked-on three saves this season.
Garnering Most Offensive Player honors was freshman Jen Williams (Stillwater, Okla.), who leads the team in batting average this season. Penn State's lead-off hitter, Williams is batting .357 after an outstanding 7-for-8 weekend vs. Ohio State. She leads Penn State in the hits department with 65-of-182 batting for the season. She is also in the top 20 in the country and leads the Big Ten in stolen bases, successfully reaching base on 34-of-38 attempts. Williams' stolen base total for this season is tied for third-best ever in school history.
Junior Scarlett Neal (Huntington Beach, Calif.) was named Most Defensive Player after putting in a solid effort in the Nittany Lion outfield all season. Neal has a .920 fielding percentage and accounted for 45 putouts for the Lions. She started 52 of Penn State's 57 games in the outfield, and made appearances in all but one game.
Freshman Kari Lucas (State College, Pa.) earned most improved honors after working her way into the starting line-up at second base for 22 of the past 25 games. Lucas is batting .191, sixth best on the team, and has one homerun and two RBIs. She also is 4-of-4 on stolen bases and has a .956 fielding percentage, third highest of any starter.
