For Immediate Release:
Fullerton Favored In OEC Softball Poll

2002 OEC SOFTBALL PRESEASON SELECTIONS

The 2002 Orange Empire Conference softball Sports Information Directors' poll has tabbed Fullerton College as this year's favorite.

The two-time defending OEC champs received 62 points and six of the eight first-place votes.

Cypress, with 57 points, earned two first-place votes and was picked second, followed by Riverside with 42 points.

Saddleback received 36 points to be picked fourth, followed closely by Golden West with 34 points. Santa Ana (23 points), Orange Coast (20) and Irvine Valley (14) round out the voting.

Fullerton and Cypress also top the list of OEC preseason player selections.

Fullerton P/UT Colleen Burdick and Cypress 2B Kim Martinez were named Preseason Co-Players of the Year; while Fullerton LHP Andee Lindgren was voted Pitcher of the Year.

Burdick had a stellar freshman season (First-Team All-OEC, All-Southern California, All-State Tournament) when she ranked among OEC
leaders in every major category for hitters and pitchers.

Martinez earned first-team accolades as a freshman, finishing among OEC leaders in total bases, batting average (.373), RBI (10 in 18 games) and slugging percentage (.576).

Lindgren also helped the Hornets to a fifth-place state finish. She returns as the top OEC pitcher in conference wins (9), strikeouts (62 in 80.2 IP) and ERA (0.87, second to Burdick's 0.11).

The following is the complete 2002 OEC softball SID poll with first-place votes in parentheses (points awarded on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
basis):

Rk. Team Pts.
1. Fullerton (6) 62
2. Cypress (2) 57
3. Riverside 42
4. Saddleback 36
5. Golden West 34
6. Santa Ana 23
7. Orange Coast 20
8. Irvine Valley 14

Preseason Co-Players of the Year
CYP: Kim Martinez, 2B
FUL: Colleen Burdick, P/UT

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
FUL: Andee Lindgren, LHP

PRESEASON ALL-OEC SOPHOMORE TEAM

CYP: Kim Martinez, 2B
CYP: Natalie Sharp, SS
CYP: Clarissa Parga, C
FUL: Colleen Burdick, P/UT
FUL: Andee Lindgren, P/1B
FUL: Loraine Pinedo, 2B
GW: Kristina Hyllested, P
IVC: Isabel Contreras, UT/P
OCC: Gina Mitchell, 3B
RIV: Tami James, IF
RIV: Crystal Amend, OF
SAD: Jen Wilson, 2B
SAN: Inez Vasquez, UT