University of Minnesota Athletics
Richardson Signs With NPF's Charge
5/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Dallas Charge Release
McKINNEY, Texas -- Minnesota softball 2015 senior Kaitlyn Richardson has signed a professional contract with the Dallas Charge of National Pro Fastpitch, the team announced. Richardson is coming off a decorated career with the Gophers that included NFCA All-America selections in 2013 and 2014, three all-conference honors and three all-region accolades. The Charge drafted Richardson fifth overall in April's National Pro Fastpitch Draft.
Richardson capped her career with the third-best career batting average in program history at .388 and is Minnesota's all-time leader in doubles with 64, walks with 138, on-base percentage at .502 and slugging percentage at .678. She also tied for second with 179-career RBI and was fourth in home runs with 40.
In her time at Minnesota, the Phoenix, Ariz. native helped lead the team to 160-64 overall record by starting in all 224 games. From 2012-15, the Gophers qualified the NCAA Tournament in three-straight years for the first time ever, won their first Big Ten Tournament title since 1999 and reached their first-ever the NCAA super regional.
In her senior season, Richardson was a Senior CLASS Award Top-10 Finalist, a U of M Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award and Patty Berg Legacy Award recipient, was Second Team All-Big Ten and First Team NFCA All-Great Lakes Region and was a Big Ten All-Defensive Team and Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
In guiding Minnesota to its winningest season ever at 49-11, Richardson reached base in 53 of 60 games, including all seven of its postseason contests, had a .374 batting average and a team-best 1.122 OPS. She had seven game-winning hits and scored a pair of game-winning runs and registered a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage at first base.
Dallas, in its inaugural season, is slated to play its first game June 3 against the Pennsylvania Rebellion. Richardson is set to be the seventh Gopher to play professional softball, joining Shannon Beeler, Amber Hegland, Stephanie Klaviter, Wendy Logue, current pitching coach Piper Ritter and 2014 senior and current Chicago Bandit Sara Moulton.
ABOUT THE DALLAS CHARGE
The Dallas Charge will begin competition in the National Pro Fastpitch league in 2015. The Charge will provide elite softball players the opportunity to pursue a professional career and inspire the next generation of professionals. Located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the Charge organization and its players are committed to demonstrating leadership in community involvement, entertainment, and professionalism.
ABOUT NATIONAL PRO FASTPITCH
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) 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 and has been since 2002
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