Although former UH softball pitcher Angel Shamblin has graduated, her achievements continue to be recognized by her peers.
Shamblin was named the 2007-08 Conference USA Female Athlete of the Year on Wednesday.
She led the UH softball team to a 54-11 (21-2 C-USA) record and its first ever NCAA Super Regional appearance in her final season of collegiate play.
"I just don’t think you can replace a kid like that," UH head coach Kyla Holas said after UH lost the final game in the series against Louisiana Lafayette in the Super Regional. Very few people come through your program that can do what she’s done, and she’s been amazing."
The softball team started the 2008 season with a 14-game win streak, and their 56 wins on the season is the most by any program in UH history. The team also won its second consecutive regular season conference championship.
"It’s a great team. I was glad to be a part of it," Shamblin said after the Cougars’ season and her career ended in June.
Shamlin led the Cougars to many accomplishments, but also set individual records during her career at UH.
During her final season, Shamblin pitched to a 36-5 record and a 0.94 ERA, which are both single-season records at the University. Her career record at UH is 94-33.
Shamblin is no stranger to the accolades; she’s been receiving them since she came to UH in 2005. In her first year, she was named to the C-USA All-Freshmen Team and followed this success by being named to the All-Confernce First Team every year afterward.
She was also named the C-USA Pitcher of the Year for three consecutive years, another record in itself.
Shamblin is the first softball player at UH to earn the C-USA Athlete of the Year award but the fourth Cougar given the title.
Former track and field runner Ebonie Floyd, who recently ran at the U.S. Olympic Trials, earned the award in 2006-06. Former women’s basketball player Chandi Jones, who played professional basketball in the WNBA after college, was recognized in 2003-04 and former baseball pitcher Brad Lincoln, who was chosen in the first round of the MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, was honored in 2005-06.
Former Memphis basketball shooting guard Chris Douglas-Roberts, who was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft, was named the C-USA Male Athlete of the Year.
