2015 NPF College Draft Update
Please see below for some additions and adjustments to the 2015 NPF Draft.
Nashville, TN - March 30, 2015
Dallas Will Make Market Choice Selection
The Dallas Charge have chosen to exercise a previous option offered to them by the league, and make a “Market Choice Selection” prior to the 2015 NPF Draft commencement.
The Market Choice Selection option affords Dallas the opportunity to choose a player that is either originally from the state of Texas or competed in collegiate softball for a Texas college or university. That player will be chosen prior to the Draft and will be announced during the live national telecast of the Draft between the 3rd and 4th rounds..
Exercising the Market Choice Selection will reduce the overall number of Draft picks for Dallas to nine instead of the original ten. The 34th pick will be replaced by the Market Choice Selection by Dallas.
2015 NPF Draft Presented by Bownet Televised Live on CBS Sports Network
National Pro Fastpitch recently released news of the 2015 television schedule for NPF action. For the second year in a row, the league has partnered with CBS Sports Network for exclusive live television coverage.
One of the most exciting additions to the live coverage package is a 90-minute telecast of the 2015 NPF College Draft Presented by Bownet. Television coverage of the Draft has never taken place in the history of professional softball. The Draft takes place on April 1st at 6:30 pm ET from the CMA Theatre inside the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum located in Nashville, TN.
The Draft will be co-hosted by Bernie Guenther and Barb Jordan with the creative team of producer, Casey Carter and director, John Tackett. The production company for the 2015 NPF season is Guenther Productions, based out of Orlando, FL.
All details for following the Draft on CBS Sports Network, including a channel finder for all viewing areas, can be found on the NPF website at www.profastpitch.com.
Draft Enjoys Combination of New and Former Partnerships in 2015
The NPF Draft will be title sponsored for the third consecutive year by Bownet. Bownet President, Jack Lucas has been a consistent partner with the NPF Draft and a supporter of professional fastpitch softball. Lucas will be in attendance at the Draft itself and Bownet will have a booth set up in the reception area.
Combat, Dick’s Sporting Goods, USSSA and The Village of Rosemont are all co-presenters for this year’s Draft and are recognized on the CBS Sports Network live telecast. Don DeDonatis of USSSA , Don Cooper of Combat, and Darla Enoch with Dick’s Sporting Goods are also planning to attend the Draft in person.
Round sponsors for the Draft include Jaeger Sports (Round 1), Better Softball (Round 2), Swivel Vision (Round 3), Power Up Wedge (Round 4), Just Softball (Round 5), and V-Flex (Round 6). Haley Downs and Brett Evans of Better Softball, Steve Gossett of Power Up Wedge, Deb Hartwig of V-Flex, and Tim Nicely of V-Flex will all be attending the 2015 Draft in-person.
2015 NPF Draft Presented by Bownet Providing Full Slate of Following Options
In addition to the live national television telecast on CBS Sports Network, Internet radio and social media outlets will be providing up to the second coverage.
Darrell Day of BGC Sports will be on site covering every pick of the 2015 Draft via Internet radio. The radio stream can be accessed by going to www.bgcsports.net or on your mobile phone at http://tunein.com/radio/BGC-Sports-Network-s212713/
NPF will provide instantaneous social media announcements of every selection as they are made through the platforms of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can follow NPF at National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) on Facebook and @profastpitch on Twitter and Instagram. Individual teams will also be carrying Draft details via social media and team websites.
About National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball and has been since 2002.
Fastpitch Discussions
2015 NPF College Draft Update
5 posts
• Page 1 of 1
-
NumeroUno - Posts: 8913
- Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:50 pm
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Speed, power and a Naperville native sum up the 2015 NPF Draft for the Chicago Bandits after the team began the Draft by selecting 2014 USA Softball National College Player of the Year Lacey Waldrop of Florida State with the third overall pick.
Holding the 7th overall pick in the draft, Chicago took A.J. Andrews out of LSU. Andrews is a speedy leadoff hitter who led the SEC with six triples last season and was selected to her second All-SECTeam and NFCA All South Region Team. On the base paths last season, she successfully stole 38 bases in 40 attempts to take second in the conference. So far this season she is batting .432 for the 33-3 LSU Tigers.
As a freshman in 2012, Andrews was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team while leading the team her sophomore season with a .359 batting average.
Click here for more information on A.J. Andrews.
Fresno State outfielder Brenna Moss was the next selection by Chicago with the 13th overall pick. The 2014 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, as an outfielder, owns the Fresno State school record for stolen bases with 34 which she set as a junior. Last season she also compiled a .900 fielding mark and as a sophomore she did not commit a single error in 51 starts at centerfield.
For more information on Brenna Moss, click here.
With the 18th pick in the draft, the Bandits took Naperville, Ill. native Sammy Marshall. Marshall is the back-to-back Summit League Player of the Year and entered this season at Western Illinois ranked first in both steals and batting average in the NCAA. She is the third member of the WIU softball family to be drafted and has the opportunity to become the sixth professional softball player in school history.
Click here for more information on Sammy Marshall.
Branndi Melero of Auburn was selected in the fifth round as the 24th overall pick for the Bandits and is anticipated to add a powerful bat to the lineup. Melero led Auburn in single season RBIs with 78 last season good for second overall in the NCAA. She was also named to the 2014 NFCA First Team All-American team, becoming the first Auburn player in school history to make first team.
For more information on Branndi Melero, click here.
Holding the 29th overall pick, their last of the 2015 NPF Draft, Chicago selected Stephany LaRosa out of UCLA. LaRosa is a versatile fielder who plays catcher and first base. She is also a two-time NFCA First Team All-American and All Region.
She has accrued 187 RBIs and 51 home runs in here career as a Bruin. As a freshman, LaRosa was awarded Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and All-Pac-12 First Team after leading the Bruins with a .436 batting average.
Click here for more information on Stephany LaRosa.
The Bandits begin their 2015 season on Sunday, May 24 with an exhibition game against the Pennsylvania Rebellion at 5:05 p.m. The home opener is set for Thursday, June 4 against the Akron Racers and tickets are now available for all 2015 home games.
For more information about the Chicago Bandits, or to purchase tickets for the 2015 season, visit www.chicagobandits.com or call the front office at 877-722-6348.
About Chicago Bandits
Since 2005, the Chicago Bandits have been members of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league. Located in Rosemont, the Bandits provide an opportunity for female fastpitch players to further their careers at a professional level, and the roster has included such names as Jennie Finch, Stacy May-Johnson and Tammy Williams. The two-time NPF Champions, who are owned by Bill Sokolis, play at The Ballpark at Rosemont, the only stadium in the country built for a women's professional team. The 2015 season will be the Bandits 11th season in the NPF.
Holding the 7th overall pick in the draft, Chicago took A.J. Andrews out of LSU. Andrews is a speedy leadoff hitter who led the SEC with six triples last season and was selected to her second All-SECTeam and NFCA All South Region Team. On the base paths last season, she successfully stole 38 bases in 40 attempts to take second in the conference. So far this season she is batting .432 for the 33-3 LSU Tigers.
As a freshman in 2012, Andrews was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team while leading the team her sophomore season with a .359 batting average.
Click here for more information on A.J. Andrews.
Fresno State outfielder Brenna Moss was the next selection by Chicago with the 13th overall pick. The 2014 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, as an outfielder, owns the Fresno State school record for stolen bases with 34 which she set as a junior. Last season she also compiled a .900 fielding mark and as a sophomore she did not commit a single error in 51 starts at centerfield.
For more information on Brenna Moss, click here.
With the 18th pick in the draft, the Bandits took Naperville, Ill. native Sammy Marshall. Marshall is the back-to-back Summit League Player of the Year and entered this season at Western Illinois ranked first in both steals and batting average in the NCAA. She is the third member of the WIU softball family to be drafted and has the opportunity to become the sixth professional softball player in school history.
Click here for more information on Sammy Marshall.
Branndi Melero of Auburn was selected in the fifth round as the 24th overall pick for the Bandits and is anticipated to add a powerful bat to the lineup. Melero led Auburn in single season RBIs with 78 last season good for second overall in the NCAA. She was also named to the 2014 NFCA First Team All-American team, becoming the first Auburn player in school history to make first team.
For more information on Branndi Melero, click here.
Holding the 29th overall pick, their last of the 2015 NPF Draft, Chicago selected Stephany LaRosa out of UCLA. LaRosa is a versatile fielder who plays catcher and first base. She is also a two-time NFCA First Team All-American and All Region.
She has accrued 187 RBIs and 51 home runs in here career as a Bruin. As a freshman, LaRosa was awarded Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and All-Pac-12 First Team after leading the Bruins with a .436 batting average.
Click here for more information on Stephany LaRosa.
The Bandits begin their 2015 season on Sunday, May 24 with an exhibition game against the Pennsylvania Rebellion at 5:05 p.m. The home opener is set for Thursday, June 4 against the Akron Racers and tickets are now available for all 2015 home games.
For more information about the Chicago Bandits, or to purchase tickets for the 2015 season, visit www.chicagobandits.com or call the front office at 877-722-6348.
About Chicago Bandits
Since 2005, the Chicago Bandits have been members of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league. Located in Rosemont, the Bandits provide an opportunity for female fastpitch players to further their careers at a professional level, and the roster has included such names as Jennie Finch, Stacy May-Johnson and Tammy Williams. The two-time NPF Champions, who are owned by Bill Sokolis, play at The Ballpark at Rosemont, the only stadium in the country built for a women's professional team. The 2015 season will be the Bandits 11th season in the NPF.
-
NumeroUno - Posts: 8913
- Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:50 pm
Just a question on draft. Are teams permitted to talk to players prior to drafting? I'm sure it's never guaranteed a player will play after college. What is the payscale?
-
jonriv - Posts: 4875
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:01 am
- Location: Connecticut
NPF FAQ's doesn't cover whether teams can talk to players before the draft or not. I suspect it isn't prohibited so teams can gauge players interest in playing.
I thought it was odd Ellen Renfroe wasn't drafted last year and figured she might not be interested based on her older sister's experience the year before. However, she signed as a free agent with the Bandits about 2 months after the draft.
NPF FAQ's has the following on compensation.
How much will a contracted player be paid?
Average NPF player salary is approximately $5,000-$6,000 for the playing season of June, July and August.
Will the League pay for the player's housing?
Players are required to reside in their Team area during the 3 month playing season. Housing is provided for Player’s by Team.
I thought it was odd Ellen Renfroe wasn't drafted last year and figured she might not be interested based on her older sister's experience the year before. However, she signed as a free agent with the Bandits about 2 months after the draft.
NPF FAQ's has the following on compensation.
How much will a contracted player be paid?
Average NPF player salary is approximately $5,000-$6,000 for the playing season of June, July and August.
Will the League pay for the player's housing?
Players are required to reside in their Team area during the 3 month playing season. Housing is provided for Player’s by Team.
-
PDad - Premium Member
- Posts: 3439
- Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:52 pm
- 2015Draftfinal.jpg (72.83 KiB) Viewed 3216 times
-
NumeroUno - Posts: 8913
- Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:50 pm
5 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Main Menu
User Menu
Login
