Teams, cities and stadiums
National Pro Fastpitch teams
| 2011 NPF Season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Pro Fastpitch |
| Sport | softball |
| Duration | June 9, 2011 – August 14, 2011 |
| Number of teams | 4 |
| TV partner(s) | ESPN |
| 2011 NPF Draft | |
| Top draft pick | Kelsi Dunne P Alabama |
| Picked by | NPF Diamonds |
| Regular Season | |
| Ringor Cup (Best record) | USSSA Pride |
| Cowles Cup | |
| Champions | Chicago Bandits |
| Runners-up | USSSA Pride |
| Finals MVP | Monica Abbott Chicago Bandits |
The 2011 National Pro Fastpitch season was the eighth season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The Tennessee Diamonds were rebranded as the NPF Diamonds for the 2011 season. The Diamonds were a "traveling team," playing each of their five 'home stands' at five different venues, from Calgary, Alberta to Lexington, North Carolina. [1]
Akron Racers named as their coach Jake Schumann, who was also with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball coach. [2]
NPF Diamonds signed Tim Kiernan as head coach. Kiernan had previously coached professional softball with WPSL's Virginia Roadsters in 1999, NPF Tour Teams in 2001 and 2003, and the Sacramento Sunbirds in 2004. [3]
The Chicago Bandits moved into their new stadium Ballpark at Rosemont. It is the first ballpark specifically built for a women's professional softball team, and its address, 27 Jennie Finch Way, pays tribute to one of their most famous players. [4]
The 2011 NPF Senior Draft was held March 16, 2011, in Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The NPF Draft was broadcast on MLB.com. [5] NPF Diamonds selected pitcher Kelsi Dunne of Alabama as the first overall pick. [6]
Source [7]
| Team | GP | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USSSA Pride | 39 | 30 | 9 | .769 | - |
| Akron Racers | 39 | 22 | 17 | .564 | 8 |
| Chicago Bandits | 40 | 20 | 20 | .500 | 10.5 |
| NPF Diamonds | 38 | 6 | 32 | .158 | 23.5 |
The 2011 NPF Championship Series was held at McMurry Park in Sulphur, Louisiana August 18–21. All four teams qualify and were seeded based on the final standings. The first seed played the fourth seed on a best-of-three series, and the second seed played the third seed in another best-of-three series. The winners played each other in a best-of-three series that determined the champion.
The games were broadcast on ESPN2, with color analysis by former NPF player and two-time Olympian Jennie Finch and three-time Olympian Leah O'Brien-Amico. Bernie Guenther called the play-by-play. [8]
| NPF Semifinals (Best-of-3) | NPF Championship (Best-of-3) | ||||||||
| 1 | USSSA Pride | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | NPF Diamonds | 0 | |||||||
| 1 | USSSA Pride | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | Chicago Bandits | 2 | |||||||
| 2 | Akron Racers | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | Chicago Bandits | 2 | |||||||
| 2011 NPF Semifinals Chicago Bandits defeat Akron Racers 2-0 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Date | Score | Series (CHI-AKR) | Location | |||
| 1 | August 18 | Chicago Bandits 8, Akron Racers 1 [9] | 1-0 | Sulphur, Louisiana | |||
| 2 | August 19 | Chicago Bandits 7, Akron Racers 4 [10] | 2-0 | Sulphur, Louisiana | |||
| 2011 NPF Semifinals USSSA Pride defeat NPF Diamonds 2–0 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Date | Score | Series (USSA-NPF) | Location | |||
| 1 | August 18 and 19 | USSSA Pride 8, NPF Diamonds 7 [10] | 1-0 | Sulphur, Louisiana | |||
| 2 | August 19 | USSSA Pride 7, NPF Diamonds 0 [10] | 2-0 | Sulphur, Louisiana | |||
| 2011 NPF Championship Series Chicago Bandits defeat USSSA Pride 2-0 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Date | Score | Series (CHI-USSSA) | Location | |||
| 1 | August 20 | Chicago Bandits 4, USSSA Pride 3, (8 innings) [11] | 1-0 | Sulphur, Louisiana | |||
| 2 | August 21 | Chicago Bandits 10, USSSA Pride 3 [12] | 2-0 | Sulphur, Louisiana | |||
| Team | Top Batter | Stats. |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bandits | Nikki Nemitz | 2-4 3RBIs 2B |
| USSSA Pride | Natasha Watley | 2-4 2RBIs |
| Team | Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bandits | Monica Abbott (W) | 7.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| USSSA Pride | Jordan Taylor (L) | 0.1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| USSSA Pride | Sarah Pauly | 2.2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| USSSA Pride | Danielle Lawrie | 3.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 NPF Championship Series MVP | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Club | Stats. |
| Monica Abbott [13] | Chicago Bandits | 3-0 30Ks 2.17 ERA SV 0.79 WHIP (16Hs+7BBs/29.0 IP) [14] |
Source: [15]
| Ringor Cup (Best regular season record) |
|---|
| USSSA Pride |
| Award | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Player of the Year Award | Jessica Mendoza | USSSA Pride |
| Pitcher of the Year (tie) | Monica Abbott | Chicago Bandits |
| Cat Osterman | USSSA Pride | |
| Rookie of the Year | Alisa Goler | Chicago Bandits |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Bianca Mejia | NPF Diamonds |
| Offensive Player of the Year | Natasha Watley | USSSA Pride |
| Home Run Award | Alisa Goler | Chicago Bandits |
| Diamond Spike Award [note 1] | Natasha Watley | USSSA Pride |
| Coaching Staff of the Year | USSSA Pride -- Tim Walton (HEAD COACH) and Beth Torina (ASSISTANT COACH) | |
| Jennie Finch Award [note 2] | Jessica Mendoza | USSSA Pride |
| 2011 All-NPF Team | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Name | Team | |
| Pitcher | Monica Abbott | Chicago Bandits | |
| Pitcher | Cat Osterman | USSSA Pride | |
| Pitcher | Kristina Thorson | Akron Racers | |
| Pitcher | Danielle Lawrie | USSSA Pride | |
| Catcher | Samantha Marder | Akron Racers | |
| 1st Base | Nicole Trimboli | Akron Racers | |
| 2nd Base | Ashley Charters | USSSA Pride | |
| 3rd Base | Andrea Duran | USSSA Pride | |
| Shortstop | Natasha Watley | USSSA Pride | |
| Outfield | Megan Wiggins | Chicago Bandits | |
| Outfield | Jessica Mendoza | USSSA Pride | |
| Outfield | Alyssa Haber | USSSA Pride | |
| At-Large | Danielle Zymkowitz | Chicago Bandits | |
| At-Large | Shannon Doepking | Chicago Bandits | |
| At-Large | Brittany McKinney | NPF Diamonds | |
| At-Large | Charlotte Morgan | USSSA Pride | |
| At-Large | Bianca Mejia | NPF Diamonds | |
Jennie Lynn Finch Daigle is an American former softball player. She played for the Arizona Wildcats softball team from 1999 to 2002, where she won the 2001 Women's College World Series and was named collegiate All-American. Later she led the United States women's national softball team to the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She also pitched for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch from 2005 to 2010.
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), formerly the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL), was a professional women's softball league in the United States. The teams battled for the Cowles Cup.
The Akron Racers were a women's softball team based in Akron, Ohio. They have moved to Cleveland and been renamed the Cleveland Comets in 2018. The team was started by Joey Arietta in 1999 to participate in the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). From 2004-2017, they have played as a member of National Pro Fastpitch (NPF).
The Chicago Bandits were a women's professional softball team based in Rosemont, Illinois. Since the 2005 season, they have played as a member of National Pro Fastpitch (NPF). The Bandits won the 2008 NPF championship, defeating the Washington Glory in the final game of the championship series. The team won their second NPF championship following the 2011 season when they won the championship series two games to none over the USSSA Pride. Following the 2015 season the team won its third NPF championship defeating the USSSA Pride two games to none. They played their home games at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois. The team folded in 2021 when the NPF disbanded.
The 2014 National Pro Fastpitch season was the 11th season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup. Play began on May 30 in Salisbury, Maryland, between the Pennsylvania Rebellion and the USSSA Pride.
The 2015 National Pro Fastpitch season was the 12th season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2013 National Pro Fastpitch season was the 10th season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2012 National Pro Fastpitch season was the ninth season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). The 2012 season is especially notable because due to weather and scheduling issues, the NPF Championship Series was not completed and no Cowles Cup champion was named.
The 2010 National Pro Fastpitch season was the seventh season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2009 National Pro Fastpitch season was the sixth season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2008 National Pro Fastpitch season was the fifth season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2007 National Pro Fastpitch season was the fourth season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2006 National Pro Fastpitch season was the third season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2005 National Pro Fastpitch season was the second season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2004 National Pro Fastpitch season was the first season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2003 National Pro Fastpitch season was the final year before the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL) relaunched with league play in 2004. In November 2002, WPSL announced that it was taking a new name, National Pro Fastpitch, and that it would spend 2003 as a year of touring before resuming competitive play. From 1997 to 2002, the league operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL).
The 2002 Women's Pro Softball League season was a year after the WPSL suspended play in 2001 and before it rebranded, toured, and resumed competitive play as National Pro Fastpitch in 2003 and 2004. From 1997 to 2002, the league operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL).
The 2016 National Pro Fastpitch season was the 13th season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2018 National Pro Fastpitch season was the 15th season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The 2019 National Pro Fastpitch season was the 16th season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
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