If the Big Green softball team was pleased with their youthful squad's record-setting 18-27 1999 campaign, they only have reason to believe that things will improve next season as the Ivy League honored five of their players yesterday.
Two freshmen and three sophomore starters found their respective names on the 1999 All-Ivy list. And best of all for Big Green Head Coach Steffany Bender is that she will have them all back next year.
Leading the charge as the only Dartmouth player on the first team was leadoff hitter Sarah Damon '02. Damon was one of five freshmen selected for the first team.
Damon was the catalyst all season for the Big Green offense as she batted .381 with 17 RBIs. The freshman from Islip Terrace, N.Y. now holds the record for the most hits in a season by any Big Green player. Damon is only the second Big Green player to ever be selected for the first team, joining Julia Doster '97 in 1996.
Second basemen Kristin King '02 was selected as the Big Green's only representative on the All-Ivy second team. She and sophomore Jenny Harsey solidified the middle of the infield all season long.
The three members of the Class of 2001 that earned honorable mention status this season were catcher Carrie Sekela, first baseman Carrie Hoverman, and utility player Chiara Grabill.
Sekela proved an unbelievable backstop for the Big Green's youthful pitching staff, saving countless runs with her sparkling defense. She also proved to be valuable as she occupied the powerful middle of the order with Hoverman. Hoverman was selected as honorable mention All-Ivy for the second consecutive season.
Grabill, from Los Gatos, Calif., pitched for the Big Green as well as finding herself in the designated player slot often in Bender's lineup.
