The Akron Racers professional softball team will get third pick each round of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) College Draft March 7 at 6 p.m.
The 2012 Draft which is presented by Miken, will take place at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tenn. The Memphis Sports Council will host the event in conjunction with the Peabody Hotel. All four teams of the NPF will take part in the draft, which consists of 20 overall athlete selections that are divided into five rounds. Each round consists of four picks.
After finishing in second place during the 2011 regular season, the Akron Racers are scheduled to select third in each round of the draft. The first overall pick in the 2012 NPF College Draft belongs to the USSSA Florida Pride, a position that resulted from a mid-season trade in 2011 with the NPF Diamonds.
The Akron Racers will announce a 2012 NPF College Draft party location shortly, where all fans are welcome to come celebrate the 2012 NPF College Draft with Racers’ staff and possibly a player or two. Final details on the Akron Racers’ Draft Watch Party will be announced in the near future.
Can’t make the watch party? The 2012 NPF College Draft can be seen live through the internet broadcast hosted on the League’s website at www.profastpitch.com. The Internet broadcast will air at 5:45 p.m., with a preview and introductions, and the draft itself will begin at approximately 6 p.m.
For the past two years, the University of Alabama has garnered the first overall draft choice in the NPF Draft. In 2010, the USSSA Florida Pride chose first baseman Charlotte Morgan of the Crimson Tide and in 2011, the NPF Diamonds made pitcher Kelsi Dunne the No. 1 selection. National Pro Fastpitch has held a draft every year since its inception in 2004.
HISTORY OF AKRON RACERS’ FIRST ROUND NPF DRAFT SELECTIONS
2004 Iyhia McMichael – OF - Mississippi State University
2005 Jamie Southern – P – Fresno State University
2006 Jennie Ritter – P – University of Michigan
2007 Norrelle Dickson – UT – Oklahoma University
2008 Angela Tincher – P – Virginia Tech
2009 Katie Cochran – OF - Arizona State University
2010 No 1st Round Pick – 2nd Round: Sam Marder – C – Ohio State University
2011 Taylor Schlopy – OF – University of Georgia
National Pro Fastpitch 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 since 2002.
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