Angela Tincher O'Brien
Angela Susan Tincher (born December 16, 1985 in Low Moor, Virginia) is a former All-American pitcher who played for the Virginia Tech softball team from 2005-2008, and was a 2008 first-round draft selection for the NPF Akron Racers from Eagle Rock, Virginia.[1] She is a graduate of James River High School, a 2008 graduate of Virginia Tech, and has been admitted to the Pamplin College of Business graduate program to pursue a Master's degree in business administration.[2]
Virginia Tech
Ranking third behind Monica Abbott and Cat Osterman, Tincher is the highest-ranked active player on the NCAA Division I Softball career strikeouts list with 2,149 and one of only two pitchers to strike out more than 500 batters in the 2007 college season.[3] In 2008, she led the nation in strikeouts (651), ERA (0.62), and strikeouts per seven innings (14), and was recognized for the third straight year as ACC Pitcher of the Year.
On February 19, 2006 she set her first school record by throwing 19 strikeouts in seven-innings of work against the University of North Carolina; Tincher and the Hokies won the game 3-0.
On March 3, 2006, Tincher struck out 26 batters in a 11-inning win over University of Nevada, Reno. The total was another school and career record for the sophomore. It was also the second-most strikeouts ever in a NCAA collegiate game and Tincher was only the second player to match Michele Granger's 1993 record setter.
On March 26, 2008, Tincher pitched a no-hitter, striking out 10 batters in a 1-0 exhibition win over the United States Olympic softball team, ending their 185-game pre-Olympic exhibition game winning streak dating back to 1996.[4][5] Tincher also has a goal of becoming an Olympic softball player.[6] It was the first loss to a true college team in USA softball's history. It was the best defense ever put up against the Team USA and Tincher was only one walk away from a seven-inning perfect game. She was also one of four pitchers on the 2006 winning ISF World University Softball Championship team,[7] and was invited to try out but was not selected for the 2008 Olympic Team.[8]
On May 25, 2008, she led the Hokies in back-to-back victories over the Michigan Wolverines to advance to their first Women's College World Series.[9]. Virginia Tech ended up being eliminated, but not before Tincher came within one of the World Series record for single-game strikeouts with 19 against the number-one seeded Florida Gators.[10]
Despite the loss, Tincher would take home the USA Softball Player of The Year award and make the WCWS All-Tournament Team. She would also leave with Virginia Tech records for wins, shutouts, ERA, innings pitched, game, season and career strikeouts.
On September 13, 2008 the Virginia Tech Athletics Department ceremoniously retired Tincher's #1 jersey preceding a football home game. She is just the third female and 12th athlete to be honored. She will serve as an Assistant Coach for the 2008-2009 softball season.
Professional Career
Tincher was the third overall pick in the first round of the 2008 National Pro Fastpitch Senior Draft. The Akron Racers signed Tincher to Multi-Year deal and she made her professional debut on June 10, 2008 in a 7-2 loss to the Washington Glory. Tincher played 3.1 innings and had seven strikeouts to counter five hits and three home runs that scored five.
She had a rookie season high of 10 strikeouts and led the league with 157, just four short of the NPF record for a season. She also had a 12-11 record in 129.1 innings pitched on 84 hits, 46 runs and 87 walks. Tincher was also named to the 2008 All-NPF Team.
Collegiate Awards
- 2006 ESPN the Magazine Second-Team Academic All-American
- 2006 ACC Player and Pitcher of the Year; First-Team All-ACC
- 2006 Second-Team NFCA All-American
- 2007 ESPN the Magazine First-Team Academic All-American
- 2007 ACC Tournament MVP
- 2007 ACC Pitcher of the Year; First-team All-ACC
- 2007 First-Team NFCA All-American
- 2008 AAU Sullivan Award Finalist[11]
- 2008 Lowes Senior CLASS Award[12]
- 2008 ACC Tournament MVP
- 2008 ACC Pitcher of the Year; First-team All-ACC
- 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year[13]
- 2008 Honda Sports Award winner
- 2008 One of five finalist for the Honda-Broderick Cup
- 2008 Espy's Best Female Collegiate Athlete Nominee
References
- ^ "Akron Racers grab nation's premier pitcher, Angela Tincher in 2008 draft". 2008-02-18. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "The best there is". 2008-05-05. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "2007 Tincher bio". HokieSports.com. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ Hays, Graham (2008-03-27). "Tincher ends USA Softball's streak, proves she can beat the best". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "Va. Tech ends U.S. softball's 185-game non-Olympic win streak". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "Angela Tincher's Olympic dreams". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "2008 Tincher bio". HokieSports.com. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ Wood, Norm (2008-05-03). "Tech's Tincher running out of goals". Daily Press. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "Va Tech tops Michigan to reach College World Series". International Herald Tribune. 2008-05-26. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "Florida eliminates UCLA; Alabama finishes two-time champ Arizona". ESPN. 2008-06-01. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
- ^ "Tim Tebow Awarded AAU Sullivan". 2008-03-19. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "Tincher named winner of Lowe's Senior CLASS Award". 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
- ^ "Angela Tincher Named 2008 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year". 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-28.