The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Softball boasts four players on 2016 National Pro Fastpitch rosters
05.31.2016 | Softball
Recent Longhorns draftee Lindsey Stephens opens her pro career on May 31 against the Akron Racers
AUSTIN, Texas – A total of four former Texas softball players are listed on National Pro Fastpitch "Opening Day" rosters as the league prepares to christen its 2016 season on Tuesday night.
The Longhorns' four current pro players include: Mandy Ogle (Pennsylvania Rebellion), Nadia Taylor (Dallas Charge), Brejae Washington (Scrap Yard Dawgs) and Lindsey Stephens (Pennsylvania Rebellion).
The No. 21 overall selection in the fourth round of the 2016 NPF Draft, Stephens joins former UT teammate Ogle in getting the 2016 pro campaign underway on Tues., May 31, as their Pennsylvania Rebellion host the Akron Racers at 5:30 p.m. CT at Peoples Bank Park in York, Pa.
For more information on National Pro Fastpitch and links to each team's website, visit the league's official website via this LINK.
Lindsey Stephens – Pennsylvania Rebellion – 5-5 – Outfielder – First Season in NPF
Chosen in the fourth round with the No. 21 overall pick by the Pennsylvania Rebellion in this 2016 NPF Draft, Stephens prepares to begin her first season in the league.
A top 25 finalist for the 2016 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year award, the Beaumont, Texas, native wrapped up her final campaign on the Forty Acres by leading the Burnt Orange & White in every major offensive category while helping her squad earn a bid to the NCAA Lafayette Regional: batting average (.407), runs scored (55), hits (68), doubles (program single-season record 20), triples (tied with three), HR's (15), RBIs (46), total bases (139), slugging percentage (.832), walks (31), on-base percentage (.500) and stolen bases (17).
She completed her stay at Texas as the program's career leader in slugging percentage (.731) while ranking second in both career HR's (47) and RBIs (166), third in on-base percentage (.445), fourth in batting average (.363), tied for fifth in doubles (40), sixth in runs scored (155) and 10th in hits (204).
Mandy Ogle – Pennsylvania Rebellion – 5-3 – Catcher – Third Season in NPF
Ogle is about to begin her third season in the pro league with the Pennsylvania Rebellion. Last season, the San Antonio, Texas, product registered 21 total hits with five doubles, a triple, a HR, 11 walks and 14 RBIs over 40 total games played. During her rookie campaign in 2014, she received most of her playing time in right field with several appearances behind the plate. She played in 41 total games, batting .228 with three HR's, six RBIs and a team-leading 21 walks.
Brejae Washington – Scrap Yard Dawgs – 5-5 – Outfielder – Third Season in NPF
After two seasons with the USSSA Pride, Washington was a pick in the 2015 NPF Expansion Draft by new league franchise, the Scrap Yard Dawgs. During her stay with the Pride, the San Bernardino, Calif., native helped lead her squad to the 2014 Cowles Cup title and the 2015 NPF regular-season championship (scored 18 runs and stole five bases in 2015), its second in a row. During her initial campaign in 2014, Washington batted .314 overall with 23 runs scored, and by posting a league-best 17 steals in 21 attempts, was honored with the Diamond Spikes Award for recording the most stolen bases. Overall through two pro seasons, she has posted a .302 career batting average over 71 games with 43 runs scored and 21 steals.
Nadia Taylor – Dallas Charge – 5-8 – Third Base – Third Season in NPF
Taylor prepares to begin her third season in National Pro Fastpitch and her second with the Dallas Charge. During her initial campaign with the Charge, the Humble, Texas, product batted .267 overall with 28 hits, 11 runs scored, 10 extra-base hits, including five HR's, and knocked in 18 runs over 40 games. She spent the 2014 pro season with the Akron Racers after signing on as a free agent. Taylor appeared in 21 total contests, making her first career appearance during the season opener against the Chicago Bandits. Thus far over two years in the league, she has drawn playing time in 62 games with a .230 career batting average.
