May 26, 1999

COLLEGE PARK, Md. Senior Kelly Shipman, who pitched the Maryland softball team to within one game of the College World Series, was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year while Terps' head coach Gina LaMandre was named ACC Coach of the Year it was announced by the league office.

Maryland won a school-record 51 games this season and played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The Terps won their first three games of the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the championship game of the regional before losing to third ranked Arizona.

Shipman (Huntingtown, Md.) led the ACC in victories (32), strikeouts (290), appearances (50), innings pitched (321.1), saves (two) and ranked third in home runs (0.12 hrpg). She is the first Maryland player to earn ACC Player of the Year Honors. Shipman was also named to the All-ACC team for the third time in her career.

LaMandre, who led Maryland to a school-record 51 victories, was named the ACC Coach of the Year. She completed her fifth season at the helm of the Terrapin program with a 51-23 record. LaMandre has a career record of 153-125-1. She led the Terps to their first ever NCAA Tournament berth and coached them to the regional finals, one win away from qualifying from the College World Series. It marked the first time LaMandre has been named conference coach of the year.

Shipman is joined on the All-ACC team by sophomore shortstop Jennifer Potzman (Trexlertown, Pa.) and freshman first baseman Kiesha Pickeral (Hughesville, Md.).

Potzman scored a school-record 49 runs as Maryland scored a school-record 316 runs as a team this season. She broke the previous record of 42 runs scored by Amy Sandler during the 1996 season. Potzman had a career-high 62 hits and led the Terps with a .428 on base percentage.

Pickeral established a school record for hits in a single season with 68. Her 68 hits broke the previous record of 54 by Shipman during the 1998 season and Tricia Hunt during the 1996 season. She became the second freshman to lead the team in batting average with a .316 average and led the team in doubles with 15.