After a ground breaking inaugural season in 2009, the Urban Knights will face the challenges of competing in a full Pacific West Conference Schedule, in just their second year of competition. This past summer the AAU softball team made several changes in order to get them ready to compete in their first season as NCAA Division II members.
Several new faces have been added to the roster this season for the Urban Knights. The women added seven new players to the team, four of which are freshmen. The Knights are anchored by their lone Senior Shampayne Clay, and the rest of the returners: junior Alana Aweau, and sophomores Sierrah Garcia, Jayme Stewart, Melissa Coe, and Shelby LaFond. The new players include juniors Ashley Lokey, and Lauren Smoot, sophomore Alyssa Hickey, and freshmen Julie Martin, Andrea Hanchey, Kimberly Dauer, and Nicole Smith. With only one senior the women face the challenge of being young and inexperienced, but with the talent on the field Head Coach Rachel Sherman is confident they will do well.
“This year’s team has the best team chemistry I have ever coached,” said Coach Sherman. “They work extremely hard, want to get better each day and have a lot of fun doing it. We are solid in every position but athletic enough to play out of position to succeed.”
The Academy of Art University opens their season with a tough double header against Cal State Stanislaus, a team that finished the 2009 season ranked 15th in the NFCA polls. From there, the Knights take on Cal State East Bay before heading to Las Vegas, Nevada for a three day, five game tournament. In the tournament the women will face Colorado School of Mines, who were nationally ranked last year, and whom split a two game decision with the Urban Knights last season.
The Urban Knights then return home to host their first official home games against William Jessup University on February 17th. The women will host a five game home stand starting March 3rd, that will serve as the final pre-season games. The Knights officially start PacWest conference play on March 13th, when they travel to Hawaii to play both Chaminade and Hawaii Hilo.
After the conference opening road trip, the Urban Knights will host Humboldt State University, who were Division II National Champions in 2008. That will be the last non-conference game that AAU will play this season. They will continue their home stand hosting BYU Hawaii, and Hawaii Pacific whom finished first in the PacWest last season.
The Academy of Art University will conclude their 2010 season with a two day four game home stand, where they will host across the bay rivals Dominican University and wrap up the season with Dixie State who competed in the Division II College World Series in 2009.
“Although we have a long schedule considering our roster size, I am very excited about the season and very confident that we are going to have a great season,” exclaimed Sherman.
After leading the team in nine offensive categories last season, senior Shampayne Clay will be looked upon to lead the team again this year. “I believe Shampayne Clay is going to have a great senior year. She has worked very hard and is determined to end her career on a high note,” commented Rachel Sherman.
Clay concluded the 2009 season with a .328 batting average, including 41 hits, 22 runs, 10 doubles, six homeruns and 27 runs batted in. She also stood out defensively at short stop with 85 put outs and only 14 errors on the season.
Junior Alana Aweau is also predicted to help the team again offensively. “Alana Aweau will add power, speed and flexibility to our line up. Alana has really come into this season ready to do everything from the left side and do anything she can to get on base,” noted Coach Sherman. She finished the season with a .308 batting average, with nine doubles and three home runs.
The Urban Knights' pitching success will be a duel effort between sophomore
Sierrah Garcia and freshman
Kimberly Dauer. “Sierrah Garcia carried our team last season on the mound and has come back for her sophomore season, more confident, stronger, more prepared and ready to win,” said Rachel Sherman. “And Kim will have a great freshman year because she works hard and will have the best rise ball in the PacWest.”
Garcia finished the ’09 season with a 2.88 ERA, and a 7-14 record. In over 162 innings pitched she recorded 111 strikeouts and gave up only 44 walks.
The newcomers will play a major role in the success of the team for the spring, as their skill level will soon prove. Heading up the outfield will be junior Ashley Lokey who is a transfer from Mt. Hood Community College. After an impressive sophomore year at Mt. Hood, Lokey is expected to put up similar numbers during her time at AAU. “Ashley Lokey is going to do great things for us at the top of the line up,” said Sherman. “Lokey has so many dimensions as a player her potential is endless and her first season here is only the beginning of the success she will have as an Urban Knight.”
Rounding out the infield for the Academy of Art University will be freshmen Nicole Smith at second base and Andrea Hanchey at the hot corner. Smith, (Moscow, Idaho) knows the game well and has outstanding work ethic. “Every day Nicole gets better and by the time season roles around she will be ready to have a great freshman year at 2B,” commented Rachel Sherman.
Hanchey, (Galt, CA) will serve as a utility player for the Knights seeing most of her time at third base. “Hanchey makes everyone else work harder. She has a great energy on the field and drives to be the best at wherever she is playing. This drive will help her out work any opponent and have a lot of success as a freshman,” exclaimed Coach Sherman.
Anchoring the team behind the plate will be sophomore catcher Jayme Stewart. After missing most of the 2009 season from an injury, Jayme will be looking to make up for lost time and help lead her team this year. “Jayme Stewart has come back from her injury last season with more passion for the game
than I have seen in her before, said Coach Rachel Sherman. “Her hitting is worlds above where she was last season and her confidence behind the plate will allow her to help us offensively and defensively.”
The Urban Knights are led by Head Coach Rachel Sherman, in her second year at the reins for the team. Last season she coached the team to a 15-29 record. Rachel is assisted by Megan De La Hoya and new addition Megan Miller. All of the Urban Knights’ home games will be held at Mission Blue field in Brisbane, CA. Be sure to come out to watch and support your new Urban Knights team.