KRETSCHMAN, WILKERSON, MYERS, BEST, AND MERCHANT REJOIN CONNECTICUT BRAKETTES FOR 2006 NPF SEASON

May 17, 2006 - If this were a television show it might be called the Brakettes Family Reunion. But it’s not. It is, however, a major piece of the puzzle for the Connecticut Brakettes who are preparing for their first season of play in the National Pro Fastpitch league.

Five former Brakettes stalwarts, all of whom have previous NPF experience, including an Olympian and another member of the USA National team, have returned home to play in Stratford this summer. The announced signings of outfielder Kelly Kretschman, first baseman Kellie Wilkerson, pitcher/outfielder Nikki Myers, and infielders Stephanie Best and Jessica Merchant give the Connecticut Brakettes more offensive punch than any heavyweight fighter in boxing today.

“We’re ecstatic to have these players return home,” said General Manager Bob Baird. “They are elite softball players and outstanding young women who have always been great ambassadors of the sport and excellent role models for youngsters. They represent what the Brakettes softball family is all about.”

The latest signings bring to 14 the number of players Manager John Stratton now has under contract. All that remains is for the team’s five collegiate draft choices to ink contracts. NPF teams are prohibited from talking to the players until their collegiate eligibility has expired. All five draftees will be involved in the NCAA tournament, which begins this Friday with eight regional tournaments.

The Brakettes open their season June 1 when they host the New England Riptide of Lowell, MA, at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. The Brakettes and Riptide play a four-game series through June 4.

The resumes of the five newest members of the Connecticut Brakettes are full of collegiate, professional and ASA accolades. Wilkerson (.386, 2000), Myers (.416, 2003) and Best (.367, 2004) have captured Brakettes batting titles. Kretschman owns an Olympic gold medal from the 2004 games in Athens, Greece, while Merchant’s University of Michigan team won the 2005 NCAA Division I championship.

“It was a sad day when those five players left us to join the pros,” reflected Stratton, who despite losing 14 players to the NPF since 2003 still managed to record ASA National Championships in 2003 and 2004. “What a great homecoming this is for the organization as we celebrate our 60th year of Brakettes softball.”

Kretschman, of Indian Harbour, FL, played for the Brakettes in 2003 and earned All-America laurels during the national tournament in Pekin, IL. After leading the USA Softball Elite team to the gold medal at the Canada Cup, Kretschman dazzled the DeLuca Field fans with a .636 batting average on 42 hits in 66 at bats, including 13 doubles, six home runs and 24 RBI in a mere 22 games. An alternate on the 2000 USA Olympic Team, Kretschman realized her life-long goal in Athens in 2004. The all-time home run leader at Alabama with 60, the left-handed power hitting Kretschman hit .280 with 13 RBI in an abbreviated NPF championship season with the Akron Racers last summer.

Wilkerson, another southpaw hitter from Jacksonville, FL, hit .435 for the Riptide last year when she wasn’t playing for Team USA. She had four doubles, five triples and 15 RBI. In 2004 the former Mississippi State All-America led the New York Juggernaut to the NPF crown when she hit .333, second best in the circuit. Wilkerson’s four-year numbers with the Brakettes have been awesome. She owns a .467 career batting average with 151 hits in 323 at bats. She has 40 doubles, 11 triples and 17 home runs to compliment her 117 RBI. Vying for a spot on Team USA this summer, Wilkerson was a four-time collegiate All-America for ex-Brakettes pitcher Kathy Arendsen. Wilkerson also set the NCAA record for saves in a season with 14 in 2002 and 32 in her career.

Myers, of St. Petersburg, FL, played collegiate softball for Stratton at Florida Atlantic University where she still owns all of the Owls’ pitching records. During her banner 2003 season with the Brakettes, Myers won the batting title with 57 hits in 157 at bats, which included 14 extra base hits and 33 RBI. She also compiled a 15-0 pitching record with a 0.08 ERA with 164 strikeouts in 92 innings. An assistant softball coach at Michigan State, Myers finished her career with a 108-35 record, .358 batting average, 55 home runs, 175 RBI, three All-Sun Conference Player of the Year awards and two All-America plaques. Myers played for the Racers in 2004.

Best, of Lady Lake, FL, will play shortstop for the Brakettes. During her rookie season in 2004 she led the Brakettes in batting average, home runs (10) and RBI (51) and she earned first-team All-America laurels in Auburn, AL. Last year she hit .262 with four home runs and 17 RBI for the Riptide. A graduate of the University of Central Florida, where she led the Golden Knights to an NCAA berth as a senior, Best finished her career with 71 home runs, which ranks eighth on the all-time NCAA Division I list. She finished her UCF career with 213 RBI.

Merchant, a native of Wayland, MI, was the shortstop on Michigan’s 2005 NCAA championship team, the first time a college east of the Mississippi had won the championship. A two-time NFCA All-America, Merchant is Michigan’s all-time home run leader (46) and she shares the single-season mark with 21. Merchant was selected as the MVP of the Intercontinental Cup championship last year as a member of the USA Softball Elite team. She hit .333 with five home runs and 32 RBI during her rookie season with the Brakettes in 2004 and last year she played shortstop for the Riptide.

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