10 Best Fastpitch Softball Players of All Time
10 Best Fastpitch Softball Players of All Time
Fastpitch softball's popularity has been growing ever since the foundation of the sport in the early '40s in the United States. Governed by the International Softball Federation, the sport is mainly focused on females. Its popularity has led to its inclusion in the Olympics of 2020 where more than 295 teams will compete. If you are into sports betting on fan-sportsbook.com, we are sure you are going to love this news.
Here is the list of some best players of all time that you need to know about. Â Â Â Â
Dot Richardson
She is currently practicing as a physician while also serving as the coach of Liberty University's softball team. Fast-pitch softball is known because of her. Aged 13, she won ASA Women's Major Fastpitch National Championships in 1975. She is the four-time MVP and won two Olympic gold medals for being the shortstop for the USA.
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Lisa Fernandez
Lisa won 3 gold medals for team USA while setting an Olympic record as she struck 21 batters in a single game. She holds the title of three-time winner of Honda Award by winning Honda-Broderick Cup. She serves as an assistant coach at UCLA for women's softball.
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Joan Joyce
Currently the senior coach at Florida Atlantic University, she is an eight-time MVP in the National Tournament in 1961, 1963, 1968, 1971. Amongst her other achievements in sports, Joan has had 42 victories in the season of 1974.
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Donna Lopiano
Currently serving as the President and founder of Sports Management Resources (a sports consulting firm), she is a six-time national champion. She was listed as one of the "10 Most Powerful Women in Sports" by Fox Sports as she has been a nine-time All-American, and three-time ASA Softball MVP. She is a writer and a popular commentator on sports and women rights.
Jennie Finch
Named as "the most famous softball player in history," she gained popularity during the 2004 Pepsi All-Star softball game as she struck out Albert Pujols, Mike Piazza, and Brian Giles. She is the alumni of the University of Arizona and has ranked in several categories for NCCA softball.
Cat Osterman
An alumnus of the University of Texas, she is a left-handed softball pitcher who has ranked in NCCA division-1 records. She won gold in the Olympics. She made a debut by striking out 24 batters which gained her popularity.
Tanya Harding
Surrounding much controversy, Tanya Harding and was ranked in the top five pitchers in the world for over a decade. Her MVP performance is still known to have helped UCLA win the NCAA women's softball championship in 1995 but was later vacated after scholarship violations. Regardless of this fact, Tanya's competence in 4 straight Olympics for Australia has left a mark in softball.
Michelle Mary Smith
She has made her mark in the sport by winning two gold medals in the Olympics. A left-handed pitcher; she is the eight-time Japan Pro Softball League champion and MVP. She was inducted into the Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame in 2006 right after finishing college at Oklahoma. Currently, she is the lead color analyst at ESPN's college softball
Monica Abott
Named the 2007 Sportswoman of the Year, Monica Cecilia Abbott is an American athlete. She has represented the University of Tennessee and set a record for the most strikeouts in Division I softball season making her win the 2007 Honda Sports Award for the Top Collegiate Softball Player in the country and was named the 2007 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
Natasha Watley
A UCLA alumnus and Team USA member, Watley is a national championship gold winner. She was the first ever African-American female to play for team USA in softball at the Olympics.
