Athletic Report
August 30, 2001

JENNIFER HARRER CHOSEN STATE WINNER IN NCAA WOMAN-OF-THE-YEAR PROGRAM
PORTALES, NM — Jennifer Harrer, a senior on the 2001 Eastern New Mexico University softball team, has been selected as the NCAA Woman-of-the-Year for New Mexico.

Harrer (RHP, Albuquerque, NM/Hope Christian H.S.) was one of 51 winners chosen to advance to the national level of the NCAA Woman-of-the-Year program. Harrer achieved a 24-8 record and a 0.86 earned run average during 2001, while setting ENMU single season records for victories and ERA. She also established school records for appearances (41), complete games (24), shutouts (16 total, 13 solo), innings pitched (212), strikeouts (214) and opponent batting average (.169).

She was named Third Team NFCA All-America in 2001, and was an All-South Central Region selection the same year. She was chosen 2001 Lone Star Conference South Division Pitcher-of-the-Year, and was a First Team All-LSC South pick. She was named Honorable Mention All-LSC South in 1998 and 2000, and was chosen LSC South Pitcher-of-the-Week five times during her career. She holds all of ENMU’s career pitching records. Her career records include victories (45), strikeouts (431), innings pitched (516.0), shutouts (20 total/16 solo) and ERA (2.55).

Harrer played in 117 games at ENMU, including a school record 113 appearances on the mound. Harrer also excelled in the classroom. She was named to the LSC South All-Academic Team in 2001, and qualified for the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 1999 and 2000. She earned a 3.51 cumulative grade point average while completing an undergraduate degree in Physical Education.

“Jennifer was such a huge impact for Zia softball in 2001,” said ENMU Co-Head Softball Coach Kathleen Rodriguez. “Her efforts throughout the season helped us to achieve national recognition and the best overall finish in Zia Softball history. “What a wonderful honor not only for Jennifer, but for Zia Softball and the Eastern New Mexico University community as well, to have the NCAA Woman-of-the-Year for New Mexico be a representative of ENMU.”

The ENMU softball team, in just its fifth season of existence, qualified for the 2001 NCAA Division II National Tournament and won the South Central Regional to advance to the National Finals in Salem, Va. The Zias tied for 5th place in the nation. ENMU’s losses at the National Finals were to the University of Nebraska-Omaha, which won the national title, and to Lewis University, the national runner-up.

The Zias concluded the year with a 38-14-1 overall record. ENMU also won its first ever Lone Star Conference South Division title and placed second at the LSC Tournament. The NCAA Woman-of-the-Year program honors outstanding female athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics and community leadership and have complete their collegiate athletics eligibility.

More than 350 student-athletes were nominated this year. A committee of representatives from NCAA member colleges and universities selected the state winners. This year’s list of state winners includes 29 student-athletes from NCAA Division I, nine student-athletes from NCAA Division II (including Harrer) and 13 student-athletes from NCAA Division III. Last year’s national winner was Kristy Kowal, an Olympic gold medal swimmer from the University of Georgia.

Ten finalists for the 2001 award will be announced in early October. The state winners and the national winner will be honored at the 2001 NCAA Woman-of-the-Year dinner, Oct. 21 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis.