The 2007 National Pro Fastpitch season was the fourth 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 Lisle, Illinois Benedictine University Sports Complex New England Riptide Lowell, Massachusetts Martin Softball Field Philadelphia Force Allentown, Pennsylvania ECTB Stadium Rockford Thunder Rockford, Illinois SportsCore One Washington Glory Fairfax, Virginia Softball Complex at George Mason University
Milestones and events A number of changes to the NPF roster of teams happened in the offseason:
The Texas Thunder were sold to new ownership based in Rockford, Illinois. They relocated there for the 2007 season and renamed themselves the Rockford Thunder.
In January 2007, the Connecticut Brakettes announced they would no longer participate in NPF.
In February, an expansion team named the Washington Glory was added to NPF, and the Glory inherited the contracts of players from the Brakettes.
Arizona Heat suspended play for the 2007 season. Despite rumors to the contrary, the Heat never rejoined NPF.
NPF hired Cheri Kempf to be commissioner. Kempf's background includes pitching on the 1992 gold medal-winning United States national team in the World Cup in Beijing, China, producing instructional books and videos on softball, and announcing professional and college softball telecasts.
In March, the Akron Racers hired Shonda Stanton, the head softball coach at Marshall University to be field manager.
Player acquisition
College draft
The 2007 NPF Senior Draft was held February 14, 2007. Lindsay Schutzler of Tennessee was selected first by the Chicago Bandits.
Notable transactions Cat Osterman was drafted first in the 2006 NPF Draft by the Connecticut Brakettes. She did not sign with them, becoming a free agent on September 30, 2006. In December 2006, she signed a deal to join the Rockford Thunder.
League standings Source TeamGPWLPct.GB Washington Glory 44 34 10 .773 - Akron Racers 43 26 17 .605 7.5 New England Riptide 44 26 18 .591 8 Rockford Thunder 44 24 20 .545 10 Philadelphia Force 44 24 20 .545 10 Chicago Bandits 44 23 21.523 11
The Michigan Ice played a partial schedule in 2007, with hopes of receiving investor support in 2008 to become a full-time NPF member. The Ice never became a full-time member. League games against Team China, Denso Japan professional softball team, the Venezuela national team and the Stratford Brakettes were also scheduled. The results counted in the NPF's team records.
NPF Championship
The 2007 NPF Championship Series was held at Sunset Point Park in Kimberly, Wisconsin August 24-6. The top four teams qualified and were seeded based on the final standings. The series matched the teams up in a double-elimination bracket.
2007 NPF Championship Series - Game 1 #2 seed vs. #3 seed Game Date Score Location 1 August 25 Akron Racers 0, New England Riptide 3 Kimberly, Wisconsin Riptide advance; Racers to losers bracket 2007 NPF Championship Series - Game 2#1 seed vs. #4 seed Game Date Score Location 2 August 25 Washington Glory 4, Rockford Thunder 0Kimberly, Wisconsin Glory advance; Thunder to losers bracket 2007 NPF Championship Series - Game 3Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser Game Date Score Location 3 August 25 Akron Racers 3, Rockford Thunder 6 (10 innings)Kimberly, Wisconsin Rockford Thunder eliminate Akron Racers 2007 NPF Championship Series - Game 4Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner Game Date Score Location 4 August 25 Washington Glory 2, New England Riptide 1Kimberly, Wisconsin Glory to final; Riptide to losers bracket 2007 NPF Championship Series - Game 5Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser Game Date Score Location 5 August 26 Rockford Thunder 5, New England Riptide 0 Kimberly, Wisconsin Thunder to final; Riptide eliminated 2007 NPF Championship Series - Game 6Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner Game Date Score Location 6 August 24 Washington Glory 3, Rockford Thunder 1Kimberly, Wisconsin Washington Glory win NPF Championship
2007 NPF Championship Series MVP PlayerClubStats.Monica AbbottWashington Glory 2-0 0.00 ERA NH SV
League leaders
Batting leaders
Pitching leaders
Annual awards Source: Majestic Cup (Best regular season record)Washington Glory
AwardPlayerTeamPlayer of the Year Award Amber JacksonWashington GloryPitcher of the YearDesiree SerranoWashington GloryRookie of the Year Kristina ThorsonPhiladelphia ForceDefensive Player of the YearJackie PasquerellaNew England RiptideOffensive Player of the YearVeronica WootsonAkron RacersManager of the Year Carie Dever-Boaz Washington Glory
2007 All-NPF TeamPositionNameTeam PitcherKristina ThorsonPhiladelphia Force PitcherDesiree SerranoWashington Glory PitcherSarah PaulyWashington Glory PitcherEileen CanneyNew England Riptide CatcherMackenzie VandergeestRockford Thunder 1st BaseKellie WilkersonPhiladelphia Force 2nd BaseVeronica WootsonAkron Racers 3rd BaseNorrelle DicksonAkron RacersShortstopAmber JacksonWashington Glory OutfieldKristen ZaleskiRockford Thunder OutfieldSharonda McDonaldPhiladelphia Force OutfieldShanel ScottNew England Riptide At-LargeOli KeohohouWashington Glory At-LargeNicole ThompsonWashington Glory At-LargeChelsea SpencerPhiladelphia Force At-LargeJamie ClarkChicago Bandits At-LargeKristen ButlerAkron Racers At-LargeSerena SettlemierRockford Thunder
See also
List of professional sports leagues List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada
References
External links