Oct. 11, 1999

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland softball team has been back in action over the past few weeks as head coach Gina LaMandre (Trenton State 1986) and the Terrapins prepare for the 2000 season. LaMandre was touted ACC Coach of the Year for the first time and NFCA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year for the third time in 1999. Now the coach is looking to build upon the Terps' successes from last season, when the squad posted a 51-23 mark en route to its first Top 25 national ranking and a postseason trip to the NCAA Region 2 Tournament Final.

The Terrapins return 12 experienced players for the 2000 season, including two veteran hurlers and a cast of seasoned batsmen. Maryland opens the first softball season of the millennium at South Florida on February 4, where the Terps will compete in the Louisville Slugger Tournament.

Now pitching for the Terrapins...
Much of the Terps' success this season will be contingent on the pitching performances of LaMandre's dynamic pitching duo, sophomores Amanda Bettker (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and Danielle Carpenter (Mt. Laurel, N.J.). The young tandem combined for 19 wins in 1999 and are more than capable of assuming the reigns left by two-time All-America Kelly Shipman. Bettker and Carpenter performed brilliantly last season, turning in stingy ERAs of 2.31 and 3.37, respectively. Bettker has already broken into the Maryland career record books, listed in the top five in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, shutouts, complete games and appearances. Carpenter has also made her mark, currently ranked sixth in career strikeouts.

Terps Return Powerful Offense
The Terrapins, who set team offensive records for at bats (1,940), hits (507), runs scored (316), doubles (88), home runs (39), RBI (277) and walks (205) in 1999, return seven of their top 10 batters for the 2000 season.

Powering Maryland this spring will be first baseman Kiesha Pickeral (Hugesville, Md.), who set the standard for the Terps in 1999 with a .316 batting average and a .447 slugging percentage. Pickeral's 68 hits in Ô99 notched a single-season Terrapin record, and the sophomore's 15 doubles also led the team last spring.

Junior shortstop Jennifer Potzman (Trexlertown, Pa.) put forth an impressive .298 batting display in 1999 while scoring a school-record 49 runs and driving in 37. The infielder led the team in on-base percentage (.428) and now occupies top-five positions among Maryland's career batting average, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, walks and sacrifice flies leaders.

Sophomore catcher Beth Radford (Dunkirk, Md.) batted .289 and knocked in 38 runs last season, setting the Maryland single-season RBI record during her rookie campaign. Radford has already broken into the career-leader lists in RBI and sacrifice flies after only one season as a Terp.

With batting averages topping .250, outfielders Sarah Putnam (Chesapeake, Va.) and Michelle Burrell (Owego, N.Y.), and senior designated player/outfielder Cortney Madea (Northampton, Pa.) all return to make an impact at the dish. Madea ranks among the Maryland career batting leaders in 12 different categories, while Burrell was third on the squad with 36 RBI in 1999 and posted a solid .957 fielding percentage.

Sophomore Holly Baldwin (Olney, Md.), who batted .333 in limited time last season, has displayed a hot bat in the fall and could be an emerging offensive presence come springtime. Juniors Janet Richmond (Hagerstown, Md.), Brooke Maslo (Piscataway, N.J.) and Annmarie Browne (Lansdale, Pa.) will continue to patrol Coach LaMandre's outfield in 2000. Browne smacked three home runs in Ô99.

Talented Newcomers to Add Spark
Six newcomers joined the Terrapin family with the coming of the new school year, and the rookies have already begun to turn some heads. Coach LaMandre will look to freshman Samantha Sweeney (Marlton, N.J.), an outfielding prospect, to add speed on the basepaths. Freshman Jillian Callaway (Brandywine, Md.), a versatile utility player, has also shown promise in the fall, while Mandy Allendorfer (Glenside, Pa.), Nikki Jones (Dale City, Va.), Amanda Kipnis (Northbrook, Ill.) and Stefanie Robinson (Avenel, N.J.) all add depth to an already talented squad.

1999 ACC Softball Standings
                 ACC   Overall
Team            W  L   W   L  T
Maryland        6  2  51  23  0
Florida St.     6  2  40  25  1
Virginia        4  4  34  26  0
North Carolina  4  4  40  22  0
Georgia Tech    0  8  21  38  0

1999 SASA Softball Standings
                  ACC   Overall
Team             W  L   W  L  T
Maryland        10  2  51  23 0
Florida St.     10  2  38  25 1
North Carolina   8  4  40  22 0
Virginia         6  6  34  26 0
South Florida    6  6  44  26 0
Georgia Tech     1 11  21  38 0
UNC Charlotte    1 11  21  36 0