University of Tennessee Athletics
20 for 20: 12 Days Til Softball Season
January 25, 2015 | Softball
Only 12 days left until the start of the 2015 Tennessee softball season! Today we look back at the 2004 Lady Vols -- the first UT team in the Weekly era to make the NCAA Regionals.
Tennessee celebrates its 20th year of softball in 2015. In honor of the program's 20-year anniversary, we will count down the 20 days leading up to 2015 season opener on Feb. 6 against Ohio by reflecting on each Tennessee softball team, starting with the first-ever squad in 1996. We will also count down the days by jersey number, reflecting on the past players who wore that day's countdown number.
The 2004 squad was the start of something special. The team was LOADED with some of the greatest players in program history in their first or second year. Monica Abbott, Lindsay Schutzler and India Chiles were freshmen and Katherine Card, Kristi Durant, Sarah Fekete and Stacey Jennings were sophomores in a group that would eventually re-write the record book. The '04 squad made in impact on the national scene, going 55-16 and taking first in the SEC Eastern Division.
The 2004 roster included Christy Anch, Brittany Bessho, Sarah Fekete, Stacey Jennings, Katherine Card, Monica Abbott, Amber Rhinehart, Ashley Cline, Kim Anders, Danielle Arriaga, Marissa Monroe, Cami Small, Angela Brewer, Mandie Fishback, Lauren Mattox, India Chiles, Kristi Durant, Chemil Washington, Lindsay Schutzler and Ellisha Humphrey.
Tennessee enjoyed an excellent start to the season in its non-conference tourneys out west, going 13-2 over its first 15 games. UT had a 16-game winning streak from mid-March to early April, sweeping Mississippi State on the road and a ranked South Carolina team at home.
The Lady Vols traveled to Ann Arbor, Mich., to compete in their first NCAA Regional in five years. UT crushed Illinois-Chicago, 10-0 (5), for its first-ever NCAA Regional victory, but followed that with a 4-0 loss to Oregon State, a 4-0 win over DePaul and 6-5 loss to UIC. With two wins in the regional, UT showed that it was prepared to become a real contender in NCAA postseason play. The '04 team started UT's current streak of 11-straight NCAA Regionals.
Abbott, who would later set numerous NCAA pitching records, bust onto the scene as a freshman, becoming UT's first All-American with a 45-10 record, 24 shutouts and 582 strikeouts over 352.0 innings. Her 582 strikeouts broke Cat Osterman's national freshman record. Abbott threw four no-hitters, including a no-hitter in her first-ever start (13 strikeouts, one walk over eight innings vs. Saint Mary's on Feb. 5) and a 13-strikeout perfect game at Hawaii two days later.
Durant became UT's first two-time First Team All-SEC selection, leading the team with a .350 batting average (.425 in SEC play) to go with 12 doubles, two homers and 36 RBIs. Mattox hit .342 with a team-high 15 doubles. Youngsters Schutzler (.329 BA, 16 SBs, 41 runs) and Fekete (.322 BA, 20 SBs, 41 runs) made a big impact as well.
"Karen and I are trying to build a solid softball program at the University of Tennessee, and I think this year's team laid the groundwork for future success," co-head coach Ralph Weekly said following the 2004 season.
JERSEY COUNTDOWN - #12
| No. 12 | |||||||||||
| No. | Player | Years | Pos. | GP-GS | Avg. | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | SB |
| 12 | Nadia Cameron | 1996-97 | IF | 121-114 | .250 | 292 | 27 | 73 | 1 | 22 | 2 |
| 12 | Amber Rhinehart | 2001-04 | 1B/DP | 209-204 | .307 | 579 | 86 | 178 | 23 | 113 | 3 |
| 12 | Allison Fulmer | 2007-09 | 1B/DP | 52-2 | .205 | 44 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 12 | Hannah Akamine* | 2012-14 | C/IF | 139-108 | .249 | 273 | 35 | 68 | 7 | 57 | 1 |
* Akamine wore No. 6 in 2012 and 2013 and has switched to No. 12, starting in the 2014 season.
Looking Back...#12 Amber Rhinehart
2001-04 | 1B/DP | 5-9 | L/L | Citrus Heights, Calif.
After an ACL injury sidelined her for her most of 2001, Rhinehart came back strong in 2002, batting .325 with six homers, 12 doubles, four triples, 28 RBIs and 29 runs. Her 2003 season was even better. Rhinehart hit .340 with seven homers, 19 doubles, 37 RBIs and 33 runs and earned Second Team All-SEC honors. In 2004, she hit .277, bashed 10 homers and 11 doubles and totaled 48 RBIs and 24 runs. Rhinehart remains in UT's top 10 in doubles (t-ninth with 42).
THROWBACK NOTES FROM HER BIO!
- Hobbies include hanging out with friends, going to movies and shopping
- Admires legendary slugger Babe Ruth
