C/IF Germaine Fairchild

NUMBER: 27
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Boulder, CO
COLLEGE: Tulsa

Germaine Fairchild demonstrated her versatility last year, her first with the Brakettes. While playing first base, third base, outfield, and catching, Fairchild had an outstanding season. She finished third in batting with a .321 average (45-140) and was second in RBI with 27. While collecting 10 extra base hits, Germaine also turned in a solid effort defensively. The Tulsa University graduate, who later played professionally with the Virginia Roadsters, was a first team ASA All-America last year in Clearwater, FL. During Fairchild’s collegiate career, she was a member of the All Missouri Valley Conference Academic Team from 1993-95. She completed her college career in style, hitting .326 (42-129) with 14 doubles and 29 RBI during her senior season in 1995. Following an open tryout in 1998 with the Women’s Professional Softball League, Germaine signed with Virginia. Her most memorable softball event came with the Roadsters when she hit game-winning home runs in consecutive games to defeat the eventual champion Tampa Bay Firestix.

IB/P Robyn King

NUMBER: 21
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Ashby, MA
COLLEGE: Boston University

Robyn King returns to the pitching staff this year after an arm injury kept her from working last year. Despite her inability to pitch, King became the team’s regular first baseman for most of the season. Finishing with a .236 batting average (25-106), she came through with plenty of clutch hits and drove in 17 runs. In her rookie campaign in 1999, King fashioned a 16-4 record with a 0.37 ERA, including 184 strikeouts in 151 innings in 20 starts. Before arm problems prevented her from pitching for the Brakettes, the Ashby, MA, native had a superb junior season at Boston University with a mark of 15-3 and a 1.03 ERA, including 161 strikeouts in 122.1 innings. At the plate, Robyn hit a team best .346 (45-130) with 8 home runs and 25 RBI in 46 games. King has twice been an All New England selection for the Terriers.

C Keri McCallum

NUMBER: 10
BATS: Left
THROWS: Left
HOMETOWN: Port Orchard, WA
COLLEGE: Mississippi State

Now entering her fourth year with the Brakettes, Keri McCallum provides the team with potent offense and steady defense. Regarded as one of the nation’s top catchers, the left-handed hitting and throwing McCallum has been nothing but spectacular in three seasons with the Brakettes. Named second team ASA All-America last year, McCallum had a .310 batting average (40-129) and was tied for second in runs scored with 29. The Port Orchard, WA, native won the team batting title as a rookie in 1998 with a .391 average and she finished 1999 with a .370 (30-81) mark, but she didn’t have enough plate appearances to win the batting crown. Involved in the Team USA selection process the past two years, McCallum completed her senior season at Mississippi State in style in 2000, batting .405 (90-222) with 4 home runs, 10 triples, 9 doubles, 22 RBI, 59 runs scored and 27 stolen bases. She is an adept bunter with the ability to beat out many infield hits.

RF Donna McLean

NUMBER: 14
BATS: Right
THROWS: Left
HOMETOWN: Westfield, MA
COLLEGE: Westfield State

Beginning her ninth year in a Brakettes uniform, Donna McLean is the veteran of the team. The resident of Bridgeport, CT, hit .267 (31-116) last year as she appeared in 47 games, the second most on the ballclub. A former standout at Westfield State, Donna has a solid .290 batting average (352-1181) in her Brakettes’ career. A former team batting champion, winning that honor in 1996 with a .414 average, Donna earned second team All-America status in last year’s National Tournament. During her first tour of duty with the Brakettes (1987-89), McLean set the team record with 10 RBI in a game when she also hit for the cycle on June 28, 1987. Defensively, she is one of the finest right fielders in the game and her strong throwing arm annually cuts down several opposing baserunners. Donna enters the season in 15th place for games played, career hits and doubles and 11th in triples in a career with 29.

2B Emily Robustelli

NUMBER: 6
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Stamford, CT
COLLEGE: Massachusetts

Emily Robustelli came to the Brakettes with a famous family sports name. Now in her third year, the team’s second baseman has made quite a name for herself, both in the field and at the plate. The granddaughter of NFL Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli, Emily is well known in national softball circles. After winning the team batting title in her rookie year (1999) with a .325 average, she followed that with a .305 mark (46-151) last year. She was tied for the team lead in stolen bases and was second in runs scored (29) and doubles (8) and third in hits. Having played in more games (106) than any Brakette during the past two years, Robustelli recently completed her sophomore season at the University of Massachusetts. Emily is a 1999 graduate of Trinity Catholic High School in her native Stamford, CT. She led the Crusaders to a runner-up finish in the CIAC Class S tournament her senior season. Robustelli was named Gatorade Softball New England Player of the Year in both 1998 and 1999.
.

OF/P Alicia Smith

NUMBER: 16
BATS: Left
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Katonah, NY
COLLEGE: Hofstra

Alicia Smith enjoyed a superb 2000 season with the Brakettes. During the regular season she was one of the team’s top offensive players. In the National Tournament in Clearwater, FL, Alicia really stepped it up, finishing as runner-up for the batting title with a .539 average (7-13). She was a first team All-America outfield selection. A left-handed hitting outfielder/pitcher, Alicia improved her batting average by 63 percentage points last year, finishing at .308 (28-91). Possessing a keen eye at the plate, the former Hofstra University standout had the fewest strikeouts (5) of all the regulars. While turning in a 68-23 pitching mark at Hofstra, Smith made a significant contribution for the Brakettes last year with a 7-0 record, 0.26 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 53 innings. Smith also hit .376 (265-704) during her Hofstra career. She recently completed her first year as an assistant coach at Northwestern University.

LF/P Jen Smith

NUMBER: 5
BATS: Left
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Gilbertsville, PA
COLLEGE: Hofstra

Midway through the 2000 season, Jen Smith assumed the role of the Brakettes’ No. 1 pitcher and she did a super job. With the loss of Danielle Henderson to the Olympic Team and defection of Nicole Terpstra to the WPSL in July, Smith had to give the Brakettes a big lift with both her bat and strong right arm. She came through with another strong offensive showing, finishing runner-up in team batting at .355 (50-141), sharing the team lead with 30 runs scored and leading in triples (6) and home runs (4). She led the mound staff last year with a 14-4 record and 0.18 ERA with 125 strikeouts in 117.1 innings. Now in her fourth year with the team, Smith has a .344 batting average (137-398) with 56 RBI and 32 extra base hits. Her pitching stats are 42-8 with a 0.12 ERA. In last year’s National Tournament, Jen Smith was a first team All-America, turning in a 2-1 pitching record (0.00 ERA) and .250 batting mark. The Hofstra University graduate had a 77-43 collegiate pitching slate with a .348 batting average. She is an assistant coach at Fairfield University.

3B/SS Ellen “Frankie” Spruce

NUMBER: 11
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Binghamton, NY
COLLEGE: Adelphi

Ellen "Frankie" Spruce begins her fifth season with the Brakettes. The Binghamton, NY resident made a late-season recovery in 2000 to finish with a .240 batting average. She played in 49 games last year and over the past four seasons she has appeared in 208 games. Despite problems at the plate, Spruce continued to impress last season with her steady fielding at shortstop. Possessing a .289 career average with the Brakettes, she is second among active players in run production with 75 RBI. She has plenty of offensive punch with 19 doubles, 10 triples and five home runs as a Brakette. Prior to joining the team, Spruce spent three seasons with the North Tonowanda, NY, Shamrocks, and she was a three-time ASA All-America. The graduate of Adelphi University also was a three-time Northeast Region pick and participated in two College World Series.

CF Kellie Wilkerson

NUMBER: 26
BATS: Left
THROWS: Left
HOMETOWN: Jacksonville, FL
COLLEGE: Mississippi State

Kellie Wilkerson became the third rookie in the past four years to capture the Brakettes team batting title. The left-handed power-hitter from Jacksonville, FL, compiled a .386 batting average with 49 hits in 127 at bats. She also shared the team lead in runs scored with 30, while leading the club with 40 RBI and 13 doubles. Named third team All-America in last year’s Nationals, she came through with several clutch hits. She also had the game-winning RBI in the Brakettes’ 1-0 win over the Allentown Pates in the Northeast Seaboard Women’s Fastpitch League championship game. The talented outfielder recently completed her third season with the Mississippi State University softball team, which is under the tutelage of former Brakettes standout Kathy Arendsen. Entering this year at MSU, Wilkerson had put together seasons of .443 and .446 at the plate. She had 164 hits, 30 doubles and 106 RBI.

P Courtney Blades

NUMBER: 29
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Hattiesburg, MS
COLLEGE: Southern Mississippi

The addition of pitching sensation Courtney Blades has stamped the Brakettes as a National Tournament contender in 2001. Blades, a native of Hattiesburg, MS, joined the team for last year’s ASA tournament in Clearwater, FL. All she did was post a 2-1 record with one save, a 0.29 ERA and strike out 37 batters in 24.1 innings to earn a first team All-America spot. One of her wins was a perfect game with 11 strikeouts in a 5-0 win over the Decatur Twister. Last year’s Honda Award winner as the Division I College Player of the Year at the Southern Mississippi, Blades follows the footsteps of ex-Brakettes ace Danielle Henderson, the recipient of the 1999 honor. During her career as the Golden Eagles’ pitching ace, Blades set single-season NCAA records with 52 wins and 663 strikeouts last year. She pitched in 66 games and threw nearly 400 innings as Southern Mississippi finished third in the College World Series. The highlight of the series saw Blades become the first pitcher to throw a seven-inning perfect game when she stopped second-ranked Arizona. The assistant coach at the University of Georgia, Blades finished her college career with 151 wins and 1,773 strikeouts. Brakettes manager John Stratton believes Courtney will be a prime contender for a berth on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team.

C Sara Jewett

NUMBER: 17
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Haverhill, MA
COLLEGE: Maine

A newcomer to the Brakettes, Sara Jewett has outstanding softball credentials. She graduated from the University of Maine in 2000 and is currently enrolled in a graduate program at Adelphi University in Sports Administration. She is also serving as assistant softball coach at St. John’s University. Last year at UMaine, Jewett was the AmericaEast Conference’s Player of the Year and she was an all-league catcher for the third straight season. She became the conference’s first player to hit for the triple crown, leading it in home runs (15), RBI (47) and average (.409). She was ranked nationally in five categories and she finished her 172-game collegiate career with 31 home runs, a .370 average, 132 runs scored, 152 RBI, 14 triples, 44 stolen bases and 37 doubles. The holder of 10 UMaine records, Sara was a scholastic standout at Haverhill High School, winning 10 varsity letters in four sports.

1B/3B Martha Covington

NUMBER: 44
BATS: Left
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Colonial Heights, VA
COLLEGE: Campbell

Martha Covington gives the Brakettes another awesome batting threat in the lineup and versatility in the field as she can play first base, third base and outfield. The left-handed hitting Covington, a native of Colonial Heights, VA, graduated from Campbell University in 1999 as the school’s most prolific hitter ever with four single-season and six career hitting marks. A two-time Player of the Year in the Trans America Athletic Conference (1997 and 1999), Martha was drafted by the WPSL’s Carolina Diamonds. In her senior season, Martha hit .474 (72-for-152) with seven home runs, 32 RBI and 17 doubles. She had a .737 slugging percentage. In a doubleheader with Stetson, she was intentionally walked six times. Ranked nationally in hitting three straight years, including No. 2 as a senior, her career totals read: .429 (280-653) batting average, 127 runs scored, 280 hits, 69 doubles, five triples, 20 home runs and 157 RBI.

P Leslie Malerich

NUMBER: 24
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Merrillville, IN
COLLEGE: Florida State

Leslie Malerich recently completed her third year at Florida State University, where she has been the pitching ace the past two seasons. During her 2000 sophomore season, Leslie was the team leader with a 35-15 record and a 1.21 ERA. She garnered All Atlantic Coast Conference laurels and was second team All-Southeast Region. In leading the Seminoles to the ACC title, she was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Her 58 appearances set a new school record. In working 323 innings, she struck out 243 batters and fashioned 16 shutouts. Opponents managed but a paltry .194 batting average against her. As a freshman, the 6-foot Malerich went 11-8 with a 2.03 ERA. She entered FSU with some big-time credentials as the Indiana state high school strikeout leader in 1996, 1997 and 1998 for a career total of 1,003 K’s. Twice named first team All-State, Malerich led her high school team to the 1997 state title and she was named both the Player and Athlete of the Year in Indiana. She is a sports management major.

P/OF Theresa Hornick

NUMBER: 25
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Edmonds, WA
COLLEGE: Villanova

Theresa Hornick is another touted Brakettes’ newcomer who will see action both on the mound and in the outfield. The 6-foot Hornick can really “bring the ball”, according to Manager John Stratton. A native of Edmonds, WA, Theresa is the No. 1 pitcher for Big East Conference member Villanova. Entering the final week of Big East play, Hornick was unbeaten for the Wildcats. She possesses an assortment of pitches and has great movement on the ball. Last year she finished second in the nation in saves with eight and she struck out 75 batters in 66.1 innings. Prior to coming East, Hornick was a four-year starter at Seattle Prep where she was a four-time Metro League Pitcher of the Year. Voted the 1999 Gatorade Softball Player of the Year for the State of Washington, she had a career record of 65-12 with 958 K’s and a 0.95 ERA.

SS Lea Mishlan

NUMBER: 23
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HOMETOWN: Pearland, TX
COLLEGE: South Florida

The Brakettes are fortunate to have the services of shortstop Lea Mishlan this year. The recent University of South Florida graduate had a fantastic collegiate career (1997-2000) and comes to the Brakettes following a season in the WPSL as the Tampa Bay Firestix shortstop. Lea, a native of Pearland, TX, can do many things, according to her coach Ken Eriksen. “She can hit for average, run, bunt, hit for power, and make all the plays at shortstop.” An All-Conference USA player in 2000, Mishlan finished her career as the all-time USF leader in games played (259), at bats (819), runs scored (150), hits (284), total bases, stolen bases (68), doubles (53) and assists. She was third in career batting average (.347), second in home runs (14) and third in RBI (108). Lea was an NCAA All-Region selection in 1998 and 1999. Mishlan’s speed will give Brakettes’ Manager John Stratton another offensive weapon.