May 7, 2008

HOUSTON -- The University of Houston softball team was on the receiving end of multiple honors Wednesday night as Conference USA announced its annual awards at a banquet prior to the start of the 2008 C-USA Softball Championship.

Senior Angel Shamblin and freshman Jennifer Klinkert won individual postseason awards while seven Cougars were named to the All-Conference USA First and Second teams.

Shamblin was named the Conference USA Pitcher of the Year for a conference record third consecutive season. She leads the league with a 0.55 ERA and finished the season 15-0 in conference games. She was named the C-USA Pitcher of the Week a conference record 16 times in her career, tying Lindsay Chouinard of DePaul. Shamblin was also an All-Conference USA First team selection.

Along with being named to both the All Freshman team and an All-Conference USA First Team infielder, Klinkert took home Freshman of the Year honors. She is hitting .333 on the season and is tied for second on the team with 13 home runs. She also has 44 RBI.

After guiding the Cougars to a program best 48-8 record, head coach Kyla Holas was named the C-USA Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. The Cougars became the fourth C-USA team to win 20 league games after finishing the year with a 21-2 conference record.

Houston also had three players named to the All-Conference USA First team list. They included junior Jessica Valis (infield), Klinkert (infield), junior Laurie Wagner (outfield) and Shamblin (pitcher).

Junior Elaina Nordstrom (catcher), junior Christa Raley (infield) and junior Katie Bush (outfield) were named to the All-Conference USA Second Team.

Houston will open play as the top seed at the 2008 C-USA Softball Championship Thursday at 5:30 p.m. They will play the winner of the 9 a.m. play-in game between No. 8 UAB and No. 9 Memphis. The Championship will continue on Friday with the Championship game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.