May 12, 2003

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The Pacific Coast Softball Conference announced its individual honorees today, handing two of the top four awards to Broncos. Head Coach Marcy Crouch was named the Coach of the Year, while junior Jaime Forman-Lau earned Pitcher of the Year honors.

Crouch led the Broncos to a second-place finish in the inaugural year of the league. In her fourth year at the helm of the SCU program, Crouch guided the team through a milestone season, posting a record 30 victories, more than any other Bronco squad in the 25-year history of the program, and setting numerous season marks in the process.

Forman-Lau, of San Jose's Archbishop Mitty High School, is a seven-time PCSC Pitcher of the Week winner, and led the conference with 112 strikeouts in 94.0 innings pitched through 14 appearances. PCSC opponents hit only .123 against Forman-Lau, as she boasted a 0.89 ERA in conference play.

Marcy Crouch, in her fourth year at the helm of the Bronco program, was named the PCSC Coach of the Year.

Sami Strinz, of Loyola Marymount, was selected as the PCSC's Player of the Year. Strinz completed conference play batting .361 and sharing the conference-leading 22 hit mark. Her seven doubles and three home runs in PCSC play also shared the conference's top spots. She ranked second in total bases (38) and slugging percentage (.623), third in RBI (13), and fifth in on-base percentage (.381). As a relief pitcher, Strinz led the conference in saves with and recorded an ERA of 1.03 in her 11 appearances in PCSC games.

Strinz' teammate, Brittany Bassett, was voted Freshman of the Year. After an 8-for-10 performance against Saint Mary's in the final weekend of PCSC play, Bassett secured her conference-leading .379 batting average. The shortstop's 22 hits share the PCSC's top spot, and she leads all players defensively with 52 assists.

The NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Committee announced the approval of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference for Division I conference membership in women's softball on October 17, 2002. The conference is comprised of six schools: Sacramento State, Loyola Marymount, Portland State, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara and San Diego.

Rounding out the PCSC at the conclusion of the season are Portland State (19-29, 10-8 PCSC), Sacramento State (30-26, 9-9 PCSC), Saint Mary's (23-27, 5-12 PCSC), and San Diego (8-40, 3-15 PCSC).