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Hannah Campbell NPF Draft Highlight Reel

MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball senior left-handed pitcher Hannah Campbell becomes the first softball student-athlete and the first female in school history to be drafted professionally after being selected third overall by the Akron [Ohio] Racers in the 2014 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Draft on Monday.
 
Campbell, a native of Satsuma, Ala., has accumulated a 76-30 record in three-and-a-half years at USA, boasting a career ERA of 1.66. Last season, Campbell became USA's first-ever All-American, after the National Fastpitch Coaches Association awarded her second-team honors.
 
The Racers finished third in the four-team NPF league last season, amassing a 16-32 record. The Racers are headquartered in Akron, Ohio, and are the oldest existing team in the league. Akron competed in the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL) for two seasons in 1999 an 2000 and has been part of the NPF since 2004. Firestone Stadium is home to the Racers.
 
"It still hasn't sunken in yet; the nerves are still going," said Campbell shortly after the announcement. "I'm pretty excited; I'm honored. I knew that [USA head] Coach [Becky] Clark had been contacted by Akron Racers and the Pennsylvania Rebellion, so I had a feeling that it would be one of those two teams, and I'm excited to be a part of the Akron family."
 
When asked about her emotions upon the announcement, Campbell said, "I was in awe; this is a dream come true."
 
She added further, "[To have friends and family nearby at the announcement] means everything to me. I couldn't have done this without them. My family has supported me through 21 years of softball, and  I couldn't be as successful as I am without my team."
 
Campbell currently owns the following South Alabama softball program records:

• Fewest walks allowed/7 inn – 1.28
• Wins – 76
• Saves – 15
• Complete games – 85
• Shutouts – 26
• Strikeouts looking – 162

Said USA eighth-year head coach Becky Clark on Campbell's accomplishment, "If you look at her body of work from the time that she's been here, it's incredibly impressive. For us to come in as quickly as we did into a conference that has such a powerhouse in Louisiana-Lafayette and for Hannah to be the pitcher on the mound that breaks their streak of Sun Belt Conference championships is phenomenal.
 
"Her no-hitter last season against ULL was the crux of the [2013 Sun Belt Conference] tournament," Clark added. "She's worked incredibly hard for all of this; she's not scared to compete. She's a great teammate, she has a great mental game and she wants to be the best at what she does."
 
On Campbell being a hometown product, Clark stated, "This is something that Mobile needs to be proud of – not just our program. This is a historical moment for our university: to have a first professional softball player. This is something that we can all be proud of."
 
Campbell is a three-time NFCA All-South Region selection and was back-to-back Most Outstanding Player of the SBC Tournament in 2012 and 2013. The senior has thrown two perfect games in her career and was named to USA Softball's Top-50 "Watch List" for its Collegiate Player of the Year award.
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).