The 2008 National Pro Fastpitch season was the fifth season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
Teams, cities and stadiums TeamCityStadium Akron Racers Akron, Ohio Firestone Stadium Chicago Bandits Elgin, Illinois (Chicago Area) Judson University New England Riptide Lowell, Massachusetts Martin Softball Field Philadelphia Force Allentown, Pennsylvania ECTB Stadium Rockford Thunder Roscoe, Illinois Thunder Park Washington Glory Dulles, Virginia Westfield Sports Complex
Milestones and events The Chicago Bandits started their first season in Elgin, Illinois at Judson University. The original plans were for the Bandits to play at Judson temporarily while a potential $5 million softball stadium was built nearby. Those plans did not come to fruition, and the Bandits eventually moved to a new ballpark in Rosemont, Illinois for 2011.
Team NPF and Bound-4-Beijing Tour As part of the USA Softball Team Bound 4 Beijing Tour in preparation for the 2008 Olympics, two games were scheduled between the US Olympic softball team and a team of NPF All-Stars. The announced roster for Team NPF was:
Team NPFNamePositionNPF TeamKristen ButlerCAkron RacersNorelle DicksonIFAkron RacersVeronica WootsonIFAkron RacersJaime ClarkIFChicago BanditsKristina ThorsonPChicago BanditsJocelyn ForestPNew England RiptideCarri Leto MartinIFNew England RiptideShanel ScottOFNew England RiptideSharonda McDonaldOFPhiladelphia ForceKellie WilkersonOFPhiladelphia ForceKristen ZaleskiOFRockford ThunderDesiree SerranoPWashington GloryAmber JacksonIFWashington GlorySavannah BrownCRockford ThunderTonya CallahanIFRockford ThunderMegan Gibson1B/PPhiladelphia ForceKatie BurkhartPPhiladelphia Force
NPF veterans Monica Abbott, Cat Osterman, Kelly Kretschman, Vicky Galindo and Jennie Finch were on the Olympic team roster. Team NPF was coached by Oklahoma head softball coach Patty Gasso and private instructor Cindy Bristow. Bristow was head coach and assistant general manager of the Georgia Pride, which later became the Florida Wahoos, a team in the WPSL.
The Olympic team beat Team NPF in both games, on June 6 by a score of 10-8 and on June 14 by a score of 6-0.
On the same tour, the US Olympic team beat the Washington Glory 2-0 on May 10, and beat the Akron Racers 6-2 on July 22.
Player acquisition
College draft
The 2008 NPF Senior Draft was held February 18, 2008 via conference call. First-Team All-American pitcher Katie Burkhart of Arizona State was selected first by the Philadelphia Force.
Notable transactions
League standings Source TeamGPWLPct.GB Chicago Bandits 48 32 16 .667 - Philadelphia Force 48 31 17 .646 1 Washington Glory 48 30 18 .625 2 New England Riptide 48 22 26 .458 10 Akron Racers 48 19 29 .396 13 Rockford Thunder 48 18 30 .375 14 In each NPF team's 48-game schedule were games against international teams, which counted in the standings. Chinese Taipei, Venezuela, Canada and the Netherlands each played at least two series against NPF teams.
NPF Championship
The 2008 NPF Championship Series was held at Sunset Point Park in Kimberly, Wisconsin August 21-4. The top four teams qualified and were seeded based on the final standings. The series matched the teams up in a double-elimination bracket.
2008 NPF Championship Series - Game 1 #1 seed vs. #4 seed Game Date Score Location 1 August 22 Chicago Bandits 4, New England Riptide 1Kimberly, Wisconsin Chicago Bandits advance; Riptide to losers bracket 2008 NPF Championship Series - Game 2#2 seed vs. #3 seed Game Date Score Location 2 August 22 Philadelphia Force 7, Washington Glory 4Kimberly, Wisconsin Philadelphia Force advance; Glory to losers bracket 2008 NPF Championship Series - Game 3Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser Game Date Score Location 3 August 23 Washington Glory 11, New England Riptide 2Kimberly, Wisconsin Glory eliminate Riptide 2008 NPF Championship Series - Game 4Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner Game Date Score Location 4 August 23 Chicago Bandits 5, Philadelphia Force 1Kimberly, Wisconsin Bandits to final; Force to losers bracket 2008 NPF Championship Series - Game 5Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser Game Date Score Location 5 August 23 Washington Glory 3, Philadelphia Force 2Kimberly, Wisconsin Glory to final; Force eliminated 2008 NPF Championship Series - Game 6Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner Game Date Score Location 6 August 24 Chicago Bandits 6, Washington Glory4Kimberly, Wisconsin Chicago Bandits win NPF Championship
2008 NPF Championship Series MVP PlayerClubStats.Nicole TrimboliChicago Bandits .555 (5/9) 5RBIs 2HRs SB
Annual awards Source: Majestic Cup (Best regular season record)Chicago Bandits
AwardPlayerTeamPlayer of the Year Award Stacy MayChicago BanditsPitcher of the YearKatie BurkhartPhiladelphia ForceRookie of the Year Rachel FoldenChicago BanditsDefensive Player of the YearKristen ButlerAkron RacersOffensive Player of the YearJaime ClarkChicago BanditsCoaching Staff of the Year Chicago Bandits—Head Coach Mickey Dean, assistant coaches Thomas Macera and Craig Nicholson
2008 All-NPF TeamPositionNameTeam Pitcher Katie BurkhartPhiladelphia Force PitcherEileen CanneyNew England Riptide Pitcher Sarah PaulyWashington Glory Pitcher Angela TincherAkron Racers CatcherKristen ButlerAkron Racers 1st Base Lyndsey AngusNew England Riptide 2nd BaseEmily FriedmanPhiladelphia Force 3rd BaseStacy MayChicago BanditsShortstopChelsea SpencerPhiladelphia Force OutfieldJaime ClarkChicago Bandits OutfieldSharonda McDonaldPhiladelphia Force OutfieldKellie WilkersonPhiladelphia Force At-LargeGina CarbonattoNew England Riptide At-LargeRachel FoldenChicago Bandits At-LargeLindsay GardnerRockford Thunder At-LargeOli KeohohouWashington Glory At-LargeSara LarquierWashington Glory At-LargeLisa ModglinNew England Riptide
See also
List of professional sports leagues List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada
References
External links