University of Tennessee Athletics
THE HUMPHREY SISTERS: PLAYING IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD
January 30, 2002 | Softball
Jan. 30, 2002
By Justin Gallagher
With co-head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly poised to lead the Lady Vols for the first time, the 2002 University of Tennessee softball team will be a squad filled with new faces in new places. For Knoxville natives Stephanie and Ellisha Humphrey, playing pitch and catch on the diamond together has been a constant for many years.
"We used to play in our backyard when we were little kids," Stephanie said of her and her sister's first experiences in softball. "We've played softball together for as long as I can remember, so it's no big deal. It would be weird if we didn't play together because we've always been on the same team since we started."
First-year co-head coach Ralph Weekly is excited about the enthusiasm that the Humphrey sisters bring to the dugout. He indicated that Stephanie will play an integral role on Tennessee's pitching staff in 2002.
"Right now, Stephanie is our No. 1 pitcher, which is amazing when someone walks on to a university of this size and becomes the top pitcher," Weekly said of the 21-year-old junior. "I think that's a tribute to her work ethic and her ability to improve day in and day out. She threw two innings against the U.S. National team (last summer) and no-hit them."
Weekly was also quick to point out that Ellisha, a 19-year-old sophomore, has the talent to make an impact in the infield after playing right field in 2001.
"Ellisha is a rookie shortstop in every sense of the word, but she has tremendous tools. She possesses good lateral movement, a very strong arm and she's learning the position with each practice. I think it's a place she'll be for the next three years at Tennessee."
In 2001, Stephanie finished with a record of 11-12 and a 2.52 ERA in the pitching circle for the Lady Vols. The right-handed flame-thrower had a personal-best four-game winning streak and recorded 11 strikeouts in a Tennessee victory over Florida A&M last season. She was also selected as the Most Valuable Pitcher for the Lady Vol Spring Invitational after going 2-1 with a miniscule 0.95 ERA. Ellisha started 30 of 49 games in right field as a freshman for the Lady Vols. Last February, she posted an impressive 5-for-15 (.333) batting clip at the Islander Classic hosted by Texas A&M - Corpus Christi.
Stephanie and Ellisha hail from Halls High School, where the pair led the Red Devils to a third-place finish in the 1999 state playoffs. Stephanie earned all-state honors at Halls for three consecutive years. Ellisha, who also pitched at Halls, tied her sister's school record for strikeouts in a game with 16. She was 11-4 and batted .427 for the Red Devils during her senior season at Halls, when she made the all-state team as a utility player.
After finishing her freshman campaign in 2001, Ellisha said the move from high school softball to the SEC competition was definitely a challenge.
"It was a big jump," she said. "It proved to be a lot more work than I was used to in high school. There were adjustments I had to make and the pitching was better than I had ever seen. The game is a whole lot quicker than it was in high school, with the pitching and the pace of the game the main differences.
For the Humphreys, the new coaching staff at UT will hopefully help take the program to greater heights. Weekly and his wife, Karen, arrived in Knoxville after a very successful run at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where they guided the Mocs to a pair of NCAA Regional appearances in 2000 and 2001 and a total of six Southern Conference regular-season titles. Renowned pitching expert Michele Granger, a four-time All-American at the University of California and a gold-medal winner for the U.S. National Team in 1996, has made a positive impact on UT's pitching staff, and the coach has already enhanced Stephanie's ability in the circle.
"I think the biggest thing is keeping my speed consistent on all of my pitches," said the 5-7 junior from Knoxville. "I think that's the biggest thing she (Granger) has helped me with so far."
"They know what they're talking about," Ellisha said of the new Lady Vol coaching staff. "They will take their time and be patient with you."
The Lady Vol softball team will travel to Tampa, Fla., to compete in the Louisville Slugger Tournament over Feb. 1-3 to open its 2002 season. Stephanie feels that the tournament will help to prepare the team for the rigorous 30-game league schedule.
"Coach (Ralph Weekly) has been saying all along that we want our strongest part of the season to be in May at the SEC Tournament," she said. "Our goal this weekend is to go down there and just be the best team we can be. We want to play to the best of our abilities and improve every game."
Weekly recognizes that the UT softball program is in good hands with players like the Humphrey sisters. Weekly was impressed with their ability on the field, but he also commended the pair's effort in the classroom and character off the field. Stephanie was named to the Academic All-SEC team in 2001 and has been a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete Team for the last two seasons. The junior biology major wants to go to medical school after completing her undergraduate degree at Tennessee. Ellisha is majoring in arts and sciences and wants to work with children after she graduates from UT.
"We play the best kids, and it doesn't matter whether they're from Knoxville or wherever," Weekly said. "These two have earned the right to play. They both exude character and are wonderful kids in every aspect."
