3CFCA Announces 2016 Hall of Fame Class

May 17, 2016

California Community College

Fastpitch Coaches Association (3CFCA)

For Immediate Release

Contact: Andrew Wheeler | awheeler@citruscollege.edu

Website: www.cccaasports.org/fastpitch/women & www.cccaasports.org/sports/sball/composite

Social Media: Facebook - www.facebook.com/cccfca

The California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association is pleased to announce its 2016 Hall of Fame Class. Included in this year's class are four former pitchers and a recently retired head coach.

Melannie Kyler | Pitcher | Golden West College | 1975-76

Kyler enters the CCFCA Hall of Fame Class a Pioneer Selection, for those individuals who participated in women's collegiate athletics prior to the historic Title IX legislation. Over the course of two seasons, Kyler was 43-2 for Head Coach Judi Garman. Kyler posted a sub 0.50 ERA, recorded 24 shutouts, pitched eight total no-hitters, and had two perfect games. Kyler was also a whiz with the bat, hitting .419 in 1976. In that era, the California Champion would go to the Junior College National Championships held back East. In the National Semi-Final against Bergen Junior College (NJ), Kyler twirled one of her two perfect games, and followed that up with a no-hitter against Illinois Central Junior College in the Championship Game. After Golden West, Kyler went on to star at Arizona State University, and was selected to the United States National Team for the Pan Am Games, helping the USA win the Gold Medal.

Stacey Mays-Houlihan | Pitcher | West Valley College | 1989-90

Over the course of two seasons, the legendary Mays-Houlihan was a combined 54-8 with a 0.22 career ERA. In her sophomore campaign Mays-Houlihan led the Vikings to the CCCAA State Championship and she was named the State Pitcher of the Year. That year, she went 38-2 in the circle, posted a 0.16 ERA, and fanned 432 batters. She had 30 shutouts that season, recorded 13 no-hitters, and had a pair of perfect games. In addition, Mays-Houlihan hit .438 with five home runs. After West Valley, Mays-Houlihan matriculated to the University of La Verne in Southern California, where she was named the National Player of the Year in 1993. Mays-Houlihan was also a member of the Leopards Women's Basketball team earning All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in a second sport.

Mandy Rockwell | Pitcher | Cypress College | 1998-99

During her two years in the circle, Rockwell posted a 64-5 record for the Chargers, leading them to back to back CCCAA State Championships, where she was named the Most Valuable Pitcher both seasons. Rockwell had a career ERA of 0.85, and went 35-1 during her sophomore campaign. After two seasons with Cypress, Rockwell accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Louisville where she completed her collegiate career and was a member of the inaugural softball team for the Cardinals in 2000. Rockwell was a combined 15-13 at Louisville with a 2.01 career ERA and 130 career strikeouts. After Louisville, Rockwell moved back to Southern California where she joined the Cypress coaching staff, helping guide the pitchers and take the Chargers to State title in 2006 and 2010.

Kim Ward | Pitcher | Palomar College | 1992-93

The epitome of the community college experience, Ward, a later in life college enrollee finished her two seasons with the Comets as one of the most dominating pitchers in community college history. Ward won 68 games, hurled 52 shutouts, and recorded 19 no-hitters. Her 793 career strikeouts is one of the top marks in the history of the sport in the CCCAA, and she was just as lethal with the bat, where she hit .420 with 19 long balls. Ward was the two-time State Pitcher of the Year, was named to an All-American both seasons. After Palomar, Ward moved on to Oklahoma State University, she helped lead the Cowboys to their best ever finish in the College World Series, in 3^rd Place. Over her two seasons at Oklahoma State, Ward fanned another 445 batters, giving her a career total of 1,238 strikeouts.

Sonny Stupek | Head Coach | Shasta College | 1986-2015
Over the course of 29 seasons, Coach Stupek led the Lady Knight's Softball team to 15 Golden Valley Conference Championships, and nine 2^nd Place finishes in the GVC. Shasta qualified for six CCCAA State Championships under his watch. During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Coach Stupek guided the Knight's to arguable their best two year stretch in program history. In that span, the Knights won 40 straight Golden Valley Conference games, going a perfect 40-0. The 2013 season, saw Shasta win 40 games for the sixth time in program history, and go all the way to the CCCAA State Championship again, where they finished in 3^rd Place.

In his near three decades on "The Farm", Stupek coached and mentored over 139 1^st team All-GVC selections, 33 GVC Most Valuable Player and Pitcher of the Year award winners, 57 All-NorCal honorees, 38 All-State Players, and 23 All-Americans. Coach Stupek finished his career with 850 career victories, 407 Golden Valley Conference wins, for a 67% overall winning percentage and a 79% win percentage in conference play.