Former Tennessee softball coach Ralph Weekly and pitcher Monica Abbott will be inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame on Saturday in Oklahoma City, becoming the first Lady Vol softball representatives enshrined there, the school announced.
Ralph Weekly
Weekly went 1,450-481-2 over 36 seasons at Pacific Lutheran, Chattanooga and Tennessee, ranking fourth all-time in NCAA wins when he retired. In two decades at Tennessee, the Lady Vols made 16 straight NCAA Regionals, 11 Super Regionals and seven Women's College World Series, finishing as national runner-up twice. They became the first SEC team to reach No. 1 in the polls. He coached 38 All-Americans and helped Team USA win Olympic gold in 1996 and 2000. He is an Air Force veteran.
Monica Abbott
Abbott finished her four years as the NCAA career leader in wins (189), strikeouts (2,440), shutouts (112) and appearances (253), and set the single-season strikeout record of 724 in 2007, when she won the Honda Award. She threw 23 no-hitters and six perfect games, and was a two-time Olympic silver medalist.
The class
The class also includes Doug Middleton, Dewayne Frizzel, Dewayne Nevitt, umpire Les Novak and the Raybestos Brakettes.
Sources: UTSports.com