Stacey Nelson
{{short description|All-American college softball player, U.S. National softball team member, pitcher}}
{{for|the South Dakota politician|Stace Nelson}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography|
| image = Stacey Nelson - softball pitcher.jpg
| caption = Nelson in 2009
| name = Stacey Nelson
| position = Pitcher
| team =
| number =
| bats = Right
| throws = Right
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|4|12}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles County, California
| debutdate = February 11
| debutyear = 2006
| debutteam = Florida Gators
| finaldate = June 3
| finalyear = 2009
| finalteam = Florida Gators
| statyear =
| stat1label = Win–loss record
| stat1value = 136-36
| stat2label = Earned run average
| stat2value = 0.99
| stat3label = Strikeouts
| stat3value = 1116
| stat4label = Shutouts
| stat4value = 60
| stat5label = Complete Games
| stat5value = 133
| stat6label = Innings Pitched
| stat6value = 1141.2
| teams =
- Florida Gators (2005–2009)
}}
Stacey Lauren Nelson (born April 12, 1987) is an American, former college softball All-American pitcher. She played at Florida from 2006 to 2009, leading the University of Florida to its first Women's College World Series berth in 2008 and a national runner-up appearance in the 2009 Women's College World Series. Nelson was also the 13th pick in the 2009 National Pro Fastpitch's draft by the defunct Washington Glory.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20101127144440/http://profastpitch.com/news/index.html?article_id=1180 - NPF Holds 2009 Senior Draft Live on Internet ]}}
Nelson pitched for the United States women's national softball team in 2009 and 2010 before attending law school at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203000714/http://www.usasoftball.com/bios.asp?uid=4911 |date=December 3, 2010 |title=- USA Softball #42 Stacey Nelson }} She is the Florida career record holder wins, ERA, shutouts and innings pitched. She also ranks all-time in several career categories in the Southeastern Conference and the NCAA Division I.{{cite web |url=https://floridagators.com/sports/softball/roster/stacey-nelson/3091 |title=Stacey Nelson |location=Floridagators.com |date= |accessdate=2020-10-26}}
Early life
Nelson was born in Los Angeles County, California and raised in Los Alamitos, California. She attended Los Alamitos High School, and was coached during her high school softball career by Jim Dolan. She set school records for career shutouts and single season strikeouts, while her high school won the Sunset League title all four years of her career. Her team were 2003 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Quarterfinalists and 2004 CIF Runners-up. She was named the team's Most Valuable Player in 2004 & 2005. Nelson was named to the All-Sunset League and All-County team twice and named 2005 Sunset League Pitcher of the Year and Los Alamitos High School's Female Athlete of the Year.{{cite web
| title =Meet the Players
| url =http://www.gatorzone.com/softball/media/2008/pdf/players.pdf
| year =2008
| publisher =GatorZone.com
| accessdate =2009-06-08 }}
Florida Gators
Nelson began her career being put on the Southeastern Conference Freshman Team and setting a school record in season saves.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=10494 |title=Kristen Butler Named SEC Softball Player of the Year - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105143304/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=10494 |archive-date=2014-11-05}} In her sophomore year, Nelson was named to the second team for both the Southeastern Conference and the NFCA.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=12172 |title=Five Softball Players Earn League Honors - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105141405/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=12172 |archive-date=2014-11-05}} {{cite web |url=https://nfca.org/awards/awards-history/2007-di-aa-teams-4043 |title=2007 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams |location=Nfca.org |date= |accessdate=2020-10-26}} She broke the school records for season wins, strikeouts and innings pitched, all remain top-5 marks; her ERA, shutouts and opponents batting average were and continue to be top-10 all-time. The wins are also 10th best for the conference.
As a junior, Nelson made the NFCA First Team and was awarded Southeastern Conference Pitcher of The Year.{{cite web |url=https://nfca.org/awards/awards-history/2008-di-aa-teams-4068 |title=2008 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams |location=Nfca.org |date= |accessdate=2020-10-26}} Earning a conference pitching Triple Crown, she also broke her own season records in wins (led NCAA and set the Junior Class record), strikeouts and innings, while her ERA also improved to the top of the school list. Her opponents average, shutouts and strikeout ratio still rank top-10. In the conference her wins, ERA and innings also remain top-10.
On February 27, Nelson tied and set a school and career single game record fanning 16 batters vs. the Long Beach State 49ers. Winning pitcher Brooke Turner matched the total for 32 combined strikeouts, a top-10 NCAA record.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=13485 |title=Softball Ends Win Streak With Loss to Long Beach - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105142829/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=13485 |archive-date=2014-11-05}} Beginning on March 13, with an 8-4 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Gator went on a 26 consecutive game win streak, snapped by the UCF Knights on May 18.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=13598 |title=Ratliff Hits Grand Slam as Softball Splits With No. 2 Tide - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105142511/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=13598 |archive-date=2014-11-05}} {{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=14025 |title=UCF Defeats Softball, 1-0, To Force Second Championship Game - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528110639/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=14025 |archive-date=2008-05-28}} Leading her team to a No. 1 seed, the Gators reached the Women's College World Series and responded to an opening loss with three wins to get to the semifinals where they were eventually eliminated by the Texas A&M Aggies on June 2.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=14079 |title=Softball Ends Historic Season - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602210849/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=14079 |archive-date=2008-06-02}} Nelson was named to the WCWS All-Tournament Team.
For a final time Nelson was a NFCA First Team honoree and Southeastern Conference Pitcher of The Year.{{cite web |url=https://nfca.org/awards/awards-history/2009-di-aa-teams-4082 |title=2009 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams |location=Nfca.org |date= |accessdate=2020-10-26}} With a second conference Triple Crown and two no-hitters in tow, she set new school records in season ERA (tops in the NCAA), WHIP and shutouts, which helped her to the all-time season Triple Crown for the school. Her wins, strikeouts, innings, strikeout ratio (career best 8.7) and opponents average are top-5 records. The ERA and wins rank fifth for a Southeastern Conference season.
In a February 20 win against the Arizona State Sun Devils, Nelson collected her 100th victory.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15390 |title=Softball Brings Down Defending-National Champions ASU, 8-2 - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413024924/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15390 |archive-date=2009-04-13}} On April 4-May 3, Nelson achieved a career best 51.1 consecutive scoreless inning streak. She was 11-0 over 12 games (6 complete), whiffing 66 and surrendering 24 hits and 8 walks for a 0.62 WHIP.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15893 |title=No. 1 Softball Ends Regular Season with 3-1 Win Over Longwood on Day Two of Senior Weekend - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108021645/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15893 |archive-date=2014-11-08}} Later during that streak on April 26 and for one of her no-hitters, she also garnered the 1000th strikeout of her career, defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15857 |title=Softball's Nelson Pitches No-Hitter as Gators Shut Out Arkansas, 6-0 - GatorZone.com |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004154051/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15857 |archive-date=2012-10-04}} To reach that year's WCWS, she bested the Texas A&M Aggies on May 16 with a 14 strikeout performance in regulation for a career high.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15976 |title=University of Florida Athletics ***GatorZone.com*** |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604173805/http://gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15976 |archive-date=2009-06-04}} Repeating their previous tournament seeding, the team went undefeated in getting to the finals and Nelson pitched two shutouts before suffering back-to-back losses to eventual champions the Washington Huskies, concluding on June 2.{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=16055 |title=University of Florida Athletics ***GatorZone.com*** |website=www.gatorzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608231951/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=16055 |archive-date=2009-06-08}} She was again named All-Tournament for her efforts.
Nelson would graduate with and maintains the Florida career crown in wins, ERA, shutouts and innings pitched; her strikeouts, opponents average and strikeout ratio are currently top-5 all-time.{{cite web |url=https://floridagators.com/documents/2018/7/9//_6_8_18_Individual_Career_Records.pdf?id=24409 |title=2019 Individual Career Records |location=Floridagators.com |date= |accessdate=2020-10-26}} Additionally, she ranks top-5 in all but the three latter categories for her school's conference.{{cite web |url=http://a.espncdn.com/sec/softball/2020/Record%20Book.pdf |title=SEC 2020 Softball Record Book |location=Espncdn.com |date= |accessdate=2020-10-26}} In the NCAA, her wins tie her at sixth place along with several season records.{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/SB_Records/2020/D1.pdf |title=Division I Softball Records |location=Ncaa.org |date= |accessdate=2020-10-14}}
Awards and honors
- 2007 - SEC Academic Honor Roll
- 2007 - NFCA All-Southeast Region
- 2007 - NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-American second team
- 2007 - Easton All-American Pitcher
- 2008 - SEC First Team
- 2008 - SEC Academic Honor Roll
- 2008 - SEC Tournament MVP
- 2008 - NFCA All-Southeast Region
- 2008 - NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-American first team
- 2008 - SEC Player of the Year
- 2008 - ESPN The Magazine Academic First-Team All-American
- 2008 - Easton All-American Pitcher
- 2009 - Top three-finalist for the 2009 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
- 2009 - SEC First-Team
- 2009 - SEC Academic Honor Roll
- 2009 - NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-American first team
- 2009 - ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year
- 2009 - SEC Pitcher of the Year
- 2009 - Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
- 2014 - All-Brazilian Joao Pedro Tournament Champion
Law School
Nelson attended Loyola Law School from 2011-2014. After a career as a jail monitor at the Office of Inspector from 2014-2021, she began teaching at Loyola, working for the Project for the Innocent, and consulting on law enforcement-related issues via work for OIR Group.
Philanthropy
Her interest in child soldiers has grown into a project in northern Uganda. With the goal of creating jobs for those affected by the LRA War, Nelson is working to open a bread factory in Pader, Uganda. She has worked to develop a self-sustainable agricultural model that will continue to provide locally long after her direct involcement.{{cn|date=May 2024}}
Career statistics
= University of Florida =
| class="wikitable" |
| align=center
| YEAR | W | L | GP | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA | WHIP |
| align=center
| 2006 | 14 | 12 | 39 | 24 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 186.0 | 171 | 71 | 56 | 43 | 111 | 2.10 | 1.15 |
| align=center
| 2007 | 34 | 14 | 58 | 42 | 37 | 14 | 5 | 318.0 | 205 | 56 | 43 | 74 | 285 | 0.94 | 0.87 |
| align=center
| 2008 | 47 | 5 | 59 | 49 | 43 | 18 | 5 | 352.1 | 200 | 56 | 38 | 116 | 363 | 0.75 | 0.89 |
| align=center
| 2009 | 41 | 5 | 50 | 41 | 34 | 22 | 3 | 285.1 | 162 | 40 | 25 | 52 | 357 | 0.61 | 0.75 |
| align=center
| TOTALS | 136 | 36 | 206 | 156 | 133 | 60 | 18 | 1141.2 | 738 | 223 | 162 | 285 | 1116 | 0.99 | 0.89 |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.alligator.org/articles/2009/04/01/sports/softball/090401_soft.txt Independent Alligator interviews Nelson]
- [http://sports.rightpundits.com/?p=772 Sports Pundits discusses Stacey Nelson]
- [http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090321/ARTICLES/903229986/1136/SPORTS?Title=Softball-sweeps-Vols-in-doubleheader Gainesville Sun talks about Nelson's performance]
- [http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15185 Nelson wins Ben Hill Griffin Award]
- [https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=3899114&campaign=rss&source=NCAAHeadlines ESPN's Graham Hays profiles Stacey Nelson - Nelson carries stellar arm and a smile February 11, 2009]
- [http://www.seniorclassaward.com/athletes/stacey_nelson Stacey Nelson Softball 2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award]
- [https://archive.today/20130119123258/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/sioncampus/05/30/stacey.nelson Sport's Illustrated On Campus Q&A Stacey Nelson May 30, 2008]
{{Senior CLASS Award - Softball}}
{{Softball Academic All-America of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Stacey}}
Category:Japan Diamond Softball League players
Category:Florida Gators softball players
Category:Loyola Law School alumni
Category:Sportspeople from Los Alamitos, California
Category:Sportspeople from Los Angeles County, California