Leonhardt And Fleming Earn All-WAC Softball Honors

Utah State softball players Quela Leonhardt and Sara Flemingboth earned second team-All Western Athletic Conference Team recognition, announced by the conference office Wednesday night at the WAC Tournament banquet prior to the WAC Tournament at Fresno, Calif. The awards were voted on by the league’s coaches.

The Aggies finished their inaugural season in the WAC with an 8-38 overall record and a 3-14 WAC ledger, finishing seventh in the league and missing the conference tournament.

For the senior duo of Leonhardt and Fleming, this marks their second award in as many years, as they both earned second team All-Big West Conference honors last season.

Leonhardt, a native of Sandy, Utah (Alta HS), played and started in all 46 games. The shortstop batted .265 with a team-high 17 RBI, belting five home runs to go with six doubles, as well as swiping a team-leading four stolen bases. Leonhardt had a 19-game on base streak that ranged from March 17 against Miami (OH) to April 18 against Brigham Young, as well as a six-gamehitting streak.

In the WAC statistics, Leonhardt ranks third in walks, drawing a team-high 20 free passes. Leonhardt is ranked second on the USU career walks list, finishing her career with 86. She also is tied for sixth with 31 career doubles, as well as 10th on the USU career RBI list with 63.

Fleming, a Roseville, Calif. (Woodcreek HS), native, joined Leonhardt as the only two Aggies to both play and start in all 46 games. The catcher/infielder led the Aggies with a .289 average, smacking a team-high six home runs. Fleming ends her career No. 2 on the USU career home runs list with 21 behind Sandy Taylor’s 24 dingers from 1997-2000. Fleming notched a hit in eight of the last nine games, including six straight.

In the WAC statistics, Fleming is tied for ninth in home runs, ninth in slugging percentage with .504, fourth in on base percentage with .411, sixth in walks with 17 and second in hit by pitch with eight.

Fleming is the Aggies’ career leader for being hit by pitch, getting plunked 16 times in her USU career. She also is fourth in career doubles with 33 and 11th in career RBI with 63.

Fresno State’s Christina Clark earned her third-straight WAC Player of the Year honor, after helping guide the Bulldogs to their third WAC title in a row and sixth in the last 11 years. She is the first WAC player to achieve this feat. Fresno State freshman Robin Mackin captured both the WAC Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors. San Jose State head coach DeeDee Enabenter-Omidiji earned her first WAC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Spartans to their best WAC finish ever (11-6). Fresno State, Hawai’i, Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State all had three players on the first team. The Rainbow Wahine and the Bulldogs both placed a WAC-high five total players on the all-WAC team. There were three players on the first team that were either first or second team honorees in 2005. Nevada had three players on the second team. Fresno State, San Jose State, Hawai’i, and Utah State had two players on the second team, while New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech both placed one on the second team. All seven teams had at least two players on the all-WAC team. The first WAC Tournament since 1999 begins Thursday, May 11 at Fresno, Calif.