2011 National Pro Fastpitch season

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.

2011 NPF Season
LeagueNational Pro Fastpitch
Sportsoftball
DurationJune 9, 2011 – August 14, 2011
Number of teams4
TV partner(s)ESPN
2011 NPF Draft
Top draft pickKelsi Dunne P
Alabama
Picked byNPF Diamonds
Regular Season
Ringor Cup
(Best record)		USSSA Pride
Cowles Cup
ChampionsChicago Bandits
  Runners-upUSSSA Pride
Finals MVPMonica Abbott
Chicago Bandits

Teams, cities and stadiums
Team City Stadium
Akron Racers Akron, Ohio Firestone Stadium
Chicago Bandits Rosemont, Illinois (Chicago Area) Ballpark at Rosemont
NPF Diamonds Nashville, Tennessee Various
USSSA Florida Pride Kissimmee, Florida Osceola County Stadium and Champion Stadium
National Pro Fastpitch teams

Milestones and events

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]

Player acquisition

College draft
Further information: 2011 NPF Draft

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]

Notable transactions

League standings

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

NPF Championship

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.[8]

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.[9]

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
GameDateScoreSeries
(CHI-AKR)		Location
1August 18Chicago Bandits 8, Akron Racers 1[10]1-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2August 19Chicago Bandits 7, Akron Racers 4[11]2-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2011 NPF Semifinals
USSSA Pride defeat NPF Diamonds 2–0
GameDateScoreSeries
(USSA-NPF)		Location
1August 18 and 19USSSA Pride 8, NPF Diamonds 7[11]1-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2August 19USSSA Pride 7, NPF Diamonds 0[11]2-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2011 NPF Championship Series
Chicago Bandits defeat USSSA Pride 2-0
GameDateScoreSeries
(CHI-USSSA)		Location
1August 20Chicago Bandits 4, USSSA Pride 3, (8 innings)[12]1-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2August 21Chicago Bandits 10, USSSA Pride 3[13]2-0Sulphur, Louisiana
NPF Championship Series MVP
Player Club
Monica Abbott[14] Chicago Bandits

Annual awards

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

Award notes
  1. The Diamond Spike Award is given to the player with the most stolen bases
  2. The Jennie Finch award is given to the player who best exemplifies the character and qualities of its famous namesake, and who is considered to positively impact the game both on and off the field.
2011 All-NPF Team
Position Name Team
PitcherMonica AbbottChicago Bandits
PitcherCat OstermanUSSSA Pride
PitcherKristina ThorsonAkron Racers
PitcherDanielle LawrieUSSSA Pride
CatcherSamantha MarderAkron Racers
1st BaseNicole TrimboliAkron Racers
2nd BaseAshley ChartersUSSSA Pride
3rd BaseAndrea DuranUSSSA Pride
ShortstopNatasha WatleyUSSSA Pride
OutfieldMegan WigginsChicago Bandits
OutfieldJessica MendozaUSSSA Pride
OutfieldAlyssa HaberUSSSA Pride
At-LargeDanielle ZymkowitzChicago Bandits
At-LargeShannon DoepkingChicago Bandits
At-LargeBrittany McKinneyNPF Diamonds
At-LargeCharlotte MorganUSSSA Pride
At-LargeBianca MejiaNPF Diamonds

See also

References
  1. Graham Hays (20 August 2011). "NPF Diamonds fall short but prove they belong". espnW,con. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  2. "Islanders' Jake Schumann to coach in pro softball league during summer". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  3. "NPF Veteran Kiernan Tabbed as Diamonds Head Coach". National Fastpitch Coaches Association. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  4. "Brand New Ballpark For Bandits Women's Softball Team". CBS Chicago. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  5. "NPF Holds 2011 Senior Draft Live Presented by MIKEN". www.profastpitch.com. 18 March 2011. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  6. "Two Alabama Softball Players Selected in NPF Draft". RollTide. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  7. "Summer 2011 - Standings". pointstreak.com. 14 August 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  8. "NPF Announces the 2011 Championship Series Location". NPF Championship. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  9. "National Pro Fastpitch Championship Series to Begin Tonight". MLB.com. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  10. Rayburn (18 August 2011). "8-18-2011 NPF Championship Thursday". Spy Softball. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  11. Rayburn (19 August 2011). "8-19-2011 NPF Championship Friday". Spy Softball. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  12. Rayburn (20 August 2011). "8-20-2011 NPF Championship Saturday". Spy Softball. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  13. Rayburn (21 August 2011). "8-21-2011 Chicago Wins NPF Championship". Spy Softball. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  14. "Chicago Bandits win softball championship". Daily Herald. 21 August 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  15. "NPF Announces Award Winners". www.profastpitch.com. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
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