May 9, 2002
PROVO, Utah - UNLV senior pitcher and designated player Geney Orris was chosen the Mountain West Conference's Player of the Year, it was announced at the league's season-ending awards ceremony on Wednesday.
Orris hit .326 on the year with 13 home runs and 42 RBI, ranking among the league's top five players in nearly every offensive category while boasting a 9-7 record as a starting pitcher. The Brea, Calif., native was even more dominant in conference play, recording a 5-1 mark in the circle and an impressive .356 average at the plate.
A first time postseason honoree, Orris was joined on the All-Mountain West Conference team by freshman third baseman Pauline Glenn. Glenn earned respect after impressing the league's coaches with consistent defense at the hot corner and her big bat in the lineup. In her first season with the Rebels, the Tucson, Ariz., product belted 11 home runs, four of which were game-winners, and drove in 34 runs.
Regular season champ San Diego State carried away the most hardware, earning a league-high seven all-conference nods. The Aztecs' ace pitcher Bre DeSanta headlined the group, praised as both the Pitcher and Freshman of the Year while SDSU head coach Kathy Van Wyk was chosen Coach of the Year by her peers.
The third-seeded Rebels open play in the Mountain West Conference Tournament against No. 6 Colorado State on Thursday at 11:30 a.m.
2002 Mountain West Conference Softball Awards
Player of the Year: Geney Orris, UNLV Pitcher of the Year: Bre DeSanta, San Diego State Freshman of the Year: Bre DeSanta, San Diego State Coach of the Year: Kathy Van Wyk, San Diego State
2002 All-Mountain West Conference Softball Team Name Team Ht. Yr. Pos. Hometown (Previous School) Michelle Carter New Mexico 5-8 Sr. C/3B Albuquerque, N.M. (Highlands College) Brooke Chaffee New Mexico 5-2 Sr. 2B Topeka, Kan. (Washburn Rural HS) Cassie Chavez New Mexico 5-5 Fr. SS/3B Carlsbad, N.M. (Carlsbad HS) Bre DeSanta SDSU 5-7 Fr. P Scottsdale, Ariz. (Horizon HS) Joann Figueroa SDSU 5-8 So. SS Phoenix, Ariz. (Moon Valley HS) Kelly Glass* New Mexico 5-6 Jr. OF Las Vegas, Nev. (Bonanza HS) Pauline Glenn UNLV 5-4 Fr. 3B Tucson, Ariz. (Sahuaro HS) Tiffany Goudy SDSU 5-6 Sr. OF Paso Robles, Calif. (Colorado State) Niki Hayhurst* Utah 5-11 Jr. 1B Keizer, Ore. (McNary HS) Sarah Hershman* SDSU 5-5 Sr. 2B San Diego, Calif. (Mt. Carmel HS) Oli Keohohou*# BYU 5-5 So. OF Newbury Park, Calif. (Newbury Park HS) Janna Kovensky SDSU 5-10 So. OF San Diego, Calif. (Rancho Bernardo HS) Molly McLean* Utah 5-8 Sr. OF Riverton, Utah (Bingham HS) Kelcy Murphy SDSU 5-9 So. 3B/1B San Diego, Calif. (Rancho Bernardo HS) Kellie Nordhagen* SDSU 5-6 Sr. OF Valencia, Calif. (Hart HS) Geney Orris UNLV 5-8 Sr. P/DP Brea, Calif. (Brea Olinda HS) Kari Pringle BYU 5-7 Sr. 2B West Valley, Utah (Ricks College) Melissa Stahnke* Utah 5-8 So. SS Ridgefield, Wash. (Ridgefield HS) Lyndsey Trevis* Utah 5-10 Sr. 3B Glendora, Calif. (Glendora HS) Liz Vanderlindon BYU 5-1 Sr. OF Draper, Utah (Ricks College)
