Front Row (left to right): Tia Palauni, Joni Cook, Tori Medina, Laura Dahlberg, Brittany Parker, Ashley Smuda and Kara Foster. Middle Row (left to right): Assistant Coach Cody Thomson, Haylee Hoch, Whitney Holm, Hannah Clements, Sandi Bowles, Alyssa Garcia, Athletic Trainer Lauren San Agustin, and Head Coach Amy Hogue. Back Row (left to right): Assistant Coach Adrian Gregory-Mendoza, Team Manager Staci Hemingway, Brooke Olson, Kelsi Hoopiiaina, Lindsey Palmer, Jasey Jensen, Athletic Trainer Amy Cowley and Team Manager Eric Evans.

No. Name B/T Ht. Pos. Yr./Exp. Hometown (Previous School)00 Alyssa Garcia R/R 5-6 C/1B Fr./H.S. Houston, Texas (MacArthur H.S.)2 Joni Cook R/R 5-8 P So./1L Eagle, Idaho (Eagle H.S.)3 Whitney Holm R/R 5-8 IF So./1L Spanish Fork, Utah (Spanish Fork H.S.)4 Brittany Parker R/R 5-9 P Jr./2L Murray, Utah (Murray H.S.)5 Hannah Clements L/R 5-2 OF So./1L Poway, Calif. (Poway H.S.)6 Sandi Bowles L/R 5-6 OF Fr./HS Riverton, Utah (Riverton H.S.)7 Brooke Olson R/R 5-5 C Jr./1L Bluffdale, Utah (Salt Lake C.C.)9 Tori Medina R/R 5-6 OF Sr./3L Taylorsville, Utah (Taylorsville H.S.)10 Lindsey Palmer R/R 5-6 UTIL Sr./1L Stansbury Park, Utah (S.L.C.C.)11 Ashley Smuda R/R 5-8 P Sr./1L Scottsdale, Ariz. (Temple Univ.)12 Kara Foster R/R 5-11 OF Sr./3L Derby, Kan. (Derby H.S.)13 Jasey Jensen R/R 5-3 UTIL Jr./1L Layton, Utah (Salt Lake C.C.)15 Haylee Hoch R/R 5-9 UTIL So./1L Roy, Utah (Fremont H.S.)18 Tia Palauni R/R 5-9 IF So./1L Taylorsville, Utah (Taylorsville H.S.)24 Kelsi Hoopiiaina R/R 5-8 IF Fr./HS Riverton, Utah (Riverton H.S.)44 Laura Dahlberg R/R 5-8 OF Jr./2L Peoria, Ariz. (Cactus H.S.)

Head Coach – Amy Hogue (Third Season)Assistant Coaches – Adrian Gregory-Mendoza and Cody ThomsonTeam Manager – Eric Evans and Staci HemingwayAthletic Trainers – Amy Cowley and Lauren San Agustin

6 Sandi Bowles5 Hannah Clements 2 Joni Cook 44 Laura Dahlberg 12 Kara Foster 00 Alyssa Garcia 15 Haylee Hoch3 Whitney Holm 24 Kelsi Hoopiiaina13 Jasey Jensen 9 Tori Medina 7 Brooke Olson 18 Tia Palauni 10 Lindsey Palmer 4 Brittany Parker 11 Ashley Smuda

Numerical Roster

Coaching Staff

Alphabetical Roster

Media Guide

2010 Utah Softball

Team Photo/Roster

University of Utah InformationLocation ...................Salt Lake City, UtahElevation .......................................4,657 ft.Founded ............................................ 1850Enrollment ...................................... 29,251Nickname ...........................................UtesColors ........................Crimson and WhiteMascot ......... Swoop (Red-Tailed Hawk)Facility (Capacity) ........Ute Field (1,500)Web Site ................. www.UtahUtes.comConference ....................Mountain WestPresident ......................Michael K. YoungAthletics Director .................. Dr. Chris Hill

Coaching StaffHead Coach . Amy Hogue (Utah, 1994)Career Record... 247-140 (Seven seasons)Utah Record ...........50-58 (Two seasons)Office Phone .................... (801) 581-3514Email .......ahogue@huntsman.utah.edu

Assistant Coach.. Adrian Gregory-MendozaOffice Phone .................... (801) 587-9211Email .... agregory@huntsman.utah.edu

Assistant Coach..............Cody ThomsonOffice Phone .................... (801) 581-3093Email ... cthomson@huntsman.utah.edu

Team Information2009 Results ......................................22-31MWC Record/Finish ...................4-10/5thStarters Returning/Lost .......................6/4Letterwinners Returning/Lost ...........13/5Newcomers ............................................. 3All-Time Record ............. 990-731-5 (.575)All-Time Conf. Record .........304-209 (.593) NCAA Tournament Appearances ..... 12Last NCAA Appearance ................. 2006

Assc. AD/Sports Information ...... Liz AbelAssistant SID/SB Contact .. Mike DeVinePhone ............................... (801) 581-8997Cell .................................... (801) 580-4502Fax .................................... (801) 581-4358E-mail .... mdevine@huntsman.utah.eduMailing Address ..1825 E. South Campus Dr. Salt Lake City, UT 84112

The 2010 Utah softball guide was designed, written and edited by Mike DeVine, Assistant SID. Editorial assistance from the Sports Information staff. Photography by Doug Knuth, Tom Smart, Ralph Grames, Cody Thomson, Steve Wilson, Utah Travel Council, and Salt Lake Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Cover design by Rocky Lindgren.

On front cover (left to right): Seniors Ashley Smuda and Kara Foster.

On back cover (top to bottom): Seniors Tori Medina and Lindsey Palmer.

Media Information

Quick Facts

Table of ContentsRoster/Team Photo ............................ IFCQuick Facts/Table of Contents .............1Season Outlook ...................................2-3Head Coach Amy Hogue .....................4Assistant Coaches/Support Staff ..........5Meet the Utes ....................................6-16 Kara Foster ............................................6 Tori Medina ...........................................7 Lindsey Palmer .....................................8 Ashley Smuda.......................................9 Laura Dahlberg/Jasey Jensen .........10 Brooke Olson ......................................11 Brittany Parker/Hannah Clements ...12 Joni Cook ............................................13 Haylee Hoch/Whitney Holm .............14 Tia Palauni/Sandi Bowles ..................15 Alyssa Garcia/Kelsi Hoopiiaina .............16Utah Softball Tradition ..........................172009 Game-by-Game Results .............182009 Cumulative Statistcis ...................19All-Americans ........................................20Awards and Honors .............................21Career Batting/Fielding Records ........22Career Pitching Records/No-Hitters ...23Season/Single-Game Records ...........24Postseason Results ................................25Year-by-Year Results/Past Head Coaches ..26The University of Utah ...........................27Salt Lake City ........................................28Facilities .................................................29Athlete Development ..........................30Academic Services ..............................31Campus Life ..........................................32This is Utah Softball! ............................ IBC

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2010 Utah Softball

Media Guide2

2010 Utah SoftballSeason Outlook

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Season Outlook

The University of Utah softball team finished third in the Mountain West Conference standings in 2008, but settled for fifth place in 2009 during Amy Hogue’s second year at the helm. The Utes lost five players from its 2009 roster, but Hogue is excited to see if the 2010 Ute team can develop into a top-tier MWC team.

“I learned last season that we’re taking steps in the right direction, but it’s going to take a while to get the program to where we want it to be,” Hogue said. “We just have to be patient. We had four freshmen play a lot of innings last year and that time was invaluable. All of that game experience last year is going to pay off this spring.”

So what does this young Utah team need to focus on to reclaim a spot among the conference’s elite teams?

“We have to focus on winning games with our pitching staff,” Hogue said. “We have to use a variety of combinations of our three pitchers to produce wins and we plan on doing that. It’s not the traditional way because a lot of programs have one dominant pitcher who gets the ball day-in and day-out, but that’s not how our pitching staff will be set up. That’s not what we have right now.”

“We didn’t lose anyone on the mound, which is often times the biggest struggle when you begin a new season,” Hogue said. “But last season, we left the ball up [in the strike zone] too much and it got hit out of the park,” Hogue said. “Our pitching staff learned a lot. We are already good at mixing speeds and we have some great strikeout pitches, but we spent the entire fall season locating low strikes on the inner and outer halves of the plate.”

The 2010 Ute pitching staff will feature three experienced returning arms, led by senior Ashley Smuda.

“Smuda’s clearly our No. 1 pitcher because she’s the most consistent,” Hogue said. “Her changeup got a whole lot better during the offseason and it’s a great pitch. If she can continue to locate her changeup on both sides of the plate for a low strike, she’ll be very successful. She’s throwing more strikes now so I’m excited to see if that carries over from fall to spring because I was really happy with her improvement.

“If she consistently throws low and outside strikes,” Hogue said. “We’ll be right at the top of the conference. If she doesn’t, we won’t. It’s that simple.”

A pair of returning pitchers will both get opportunities on the mound behind Smuda, including junior Brittany Parker along with sophomore Joni Cook.

“[Parker] and [Cook] are wild cards for us,” Hogue said. “They have some really fun tricks in their bag that are going to get teams out.

“I’m most excited to see if [Parker] can carry over some of the things that she did this fall into the spring,” Hogue said. “She showed us some things that made me want to come out of my boots but I’ve been very cautious because until you can do it against a team in the other dugout, it doesn’t matter. I’m hoping that it’s going to be a breakout year for her.

“[Cook] is healthier this season,” Hogue said. “She’s doing some things better mechanically and as you change mechanics you just need more time to get your rhythm back. It’s a process that takes a while. But when her timing is on, she moves the ball better than anyone we have. She’ll have a lot of batters swing and miss, so there’s a potential for more strikeouts.”

After making 38 starts as either the designated player or catcher while hitting .305 during the 2009, junior Brooke Olson returns for her second season with the Utes.

“[Olson] is clearly our starting catcher right now,” Hogue said. “She is a great offensive threat and she’s as strong as I’ve ever seen her. The ball started to fly out of the park a lot more this fall.”

Freshman Alyssa Garcia will initially serve as the backup and then challenge for the starting opportunity once she reaches full strength from a leg injury.

“[Garcia] is really athletic,” Hogue said. “She stepped in and hit well this fall so we will also give her an opportunity at first base.”

After losing starting first baseman Staci Hemingway and shortstop Sharee Fonoti to graduation after the 2009 season, the Utes face the possibility of having four freshmen and sophomores start in their infield in 2010.

“While we didn’t lose any pitchers, we have some good infielders coming in behind them who are groomed to step right in,” Hogue said. “But we’re going to continue to be extremely young in the infield.”

Sophomore Whitney Holm had an impressive freshman season, starting all 53 games at third base and hit .287 with 10 home runs while driving in 28 runs.

“[Holm] stepped back in this fall and really didn’t skip a beat,” Hogue said. “She has gotten stronger and extremely faster and has become more of a voice on the team. She’s stepping up as a leader because she’s a veteran in the infield now and has done well with that role.”

Sophomore Tia Palauni has been designated as the second baseman in the Utah lineup.

“[Palauni] doesn’t do anything big and flashy, but she’s very steady,” Hogue said. “She finds ways to get on base. If you don’t throw her a strike, she won’t swing at bad pitches. She’s a really good hitter for the No. 9 spot because she’ll get on base and set the table.”

Freshman Kelsi Hoopiiaina has wasted no time since she stepped on campus, earning the starting shortstop role.

“[Hoopiiaina’s] natural skills as an athlete really fit well in the shortstop spot,” Hogue said. “Until we got her on campus, we didn’t know that. She is very aggressive by nature and gets rid of the ball really quickly. She wants the ball to come to her and she has really learned to play the position well.”

The starting spot at first base remains open for the Utes.

“There’s a fight between senior Lindsey Palmer and Garcia,” Hogue said.

“[Palmer] has a shot to win the first base spot,” Hogue said. “She’s doing really well. Her back wasn’t allowing her to continue to pitch. She is an amazing voice for this team and has been an amazing team leader. She’s the type of kid you want on the field because she gives to her team and will be valuable to everyone around her. She will elevate the play of everyone else on the team.”

Pitchers

Catchers

Senior Ashley Smuda will lead the Utah pitching staff this season.

Infield

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2010 Utah SoftballSeason Outlook

Freshman Sandi Bowles will also be called upon in certain situations.

“[Bowles] is one of our top defensive outfielders and she’s our No. 1 pinch runner choice,” Hogue said. “She could enter a game either as a pinch runner or to secure the outfield defensively late in games.”

Sophomore Haylee Hoch will be the quintessential utility player for the Utes this season, possibly seeing time at first base and catcher or as a pinch hitter or runner.

Utah’s schedule features eight games against six opponents who finished the 2009 regular season in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25, including games against two schools who qualified for the Women’s College World Series.

“I want the team to get tougher during the non-conference schedule,” Hogue said. “I want our pitchers to stick to the game plan, throwing a lot of strikes for a lot of quick outs. You don’t get tougher when you’re not playing tough teams.”

The Utes start their MWC slate on April 9 in a Deseret First Duel doubleheader at BYU.

“There wasn’t a lot of turnover in pitchers [in the MWC],” Hogue said. “A lot of teams had young pitchers so I don’t expect a lot of difference from them. We’re just going to be able to compete better because we’ve gotten better on the mound.”

Pitchers Joni Cook Brittany Parker Ashley Smuda

Catchers Brooke Olson Alyssa Garcia

Infield Whitney Holm Kelsi Hoopiiaina Tia Palauni

Outfield Sandi Bowles Hannah Clements Laura Dahlberg Kara Foster Tori Medina

Utility Haylee Hoch Jasey Jensen Lindsey Palmer

Despite the loss of All-MWC right fielder Angie Boardman, the Utes still have three experience players who are ready to assume starting duties in each outfield spot.

Senior two-time All-MWC performer Kara Foster returns for her second season in center field for the Utes. Foster has been the main cog of Utah’s offensive in each of the last three seasons and already owns the school record with 53 career home runs.

But don’t mistake Foster as strictly a home run hitter.

“[Foster] can help us win ball games if our opponents never throw her a strike or pitch around here,” Hogue said. “She is not just a home run hitter. She’s a way more balanced player than [the coaching staff] has even realized. She’s going to lead us in other ways than just hitting home runs and her numbers will speak to that.”

Sophomore Hannah Clements will begin her second season as the starter in left field.

“[Clements] made the biggest offensive adjustments out of the entire team this fall. She is truly a triple-threat lefty now,” Hogue said. “She can knock the ball out of the park, lay down a bunt, and slap for a base hit. On any given pitch, she can do any of the three. It’s been fun to see her blossom like that. There were days this fall where I wished we were in the middle of the season because she was in mid-season form.”

The vacant right-field spot will be taken by converted second baseman, junior Jasey Jensen. Jensen will also serve as the first backup for every position in the Ute infield, except first base.

“It’s Jensen’s first time in the outfield but

she’s fearless,” Hogue said. “She just wants to play somewhere in the field so she can hit. She loves to hit and if she keeps hitting like she did this fall, we just have to find a spot for her. She rises to the occasion when playing tougher competition because she has great confidence.”

Senior Tori Medina and sophomore Laura Dahlberg will back up each outfield spot and be will used as pinch hitters.

“[Medina] is hitting well enough to earn a spot in the lineup,” Hogue said. “She was also really good in the pinch-hitting role last year, which was a highlight last spring.

“[Dahlberg] is trying to recover fully and get enough speed back to be effective in the outfield,” Hogue said. “She’s a tough hitter to get out and could be a pinch hitter for us.”

Roster By Position

Junior catcher Brooke Olson was Utah’s second-leading hitter in 2009.

Senior center fielder Kara Foster is Utah’s career record-holder with 53 home runs.

Schedule

Outfield