UCLA pitcher Burns tops All-America heap

Published: Thursday, May 30, 1996

Thursday, May 30, 1996

Burns chosen on first team while two others also honoredBy Brent Boyd

Daily Bruin Contributor

With the conclusion of the Women's College World Series came the announcement of the 1996 All-American softball teams. UCLA's B'Ann Burns, Alleah Poulson and Julie Adams were among the 54 players nationwide to garner such honors.

Burns was the sole member of the UCLA softball team to gain first-team honors. After winning two games at the College World Series, she concluded the season with 31 wins, tied for the second best mark in school history, and placed sixth in the nation in victories. In addition to her 31-8 record, she set a UCLA record with 43 appearances and placed second with 251 innings pitched. After losing three of four games in a mid-season slide against Arizona and Washington, Burns recovered to win 12 of her next 13 games prior to the World Series.

Earning second-team honors was junior first baseman Alleah Poulson. Making her second consecutive All-American appearance after being named to the third team a year ago, Poulson finished third on the team with a .396 batting average and led the team with 48 RBIs.

Julie Adams earned third-team honors. Hitting .389 and finishing second on the club with 10 home runs, Adams was one of three freshmen to garner All-American status.

As a team, the Bruins also finished quite well statistically. UCLA was second in the nation with a .356 batting average, and had the nation's best defense with a .976 fielding percentage.

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Any debate as to which conference is the strongest in Division I softball was surely put to rest over the course of the NCAA Championships. Each of the Pacific 10 teams which earned spots in the playoffs UCLA, Arizona, Washington and California won its respective region and advanced to the World Series. En route to Columbus, Ga., Pac-10 teams tabbed a combined 13-1 record (the only blemish was UCLA's 5-1 loss to Cal State Fullerton) and outscored their opponents by a score of 91-30. The conference comprised half of the World Series field, the first time such a feat has been accomplished.

But, the conference was not yet done flexing its muscles. The first round of the World Series featured a Pac-10 sweep. All four schools handily beat their opponents by a combined 16-3 score. The only time a Pac-10 school lost to a non-conference opponent was Iowa's 1-0 breakthrough against California in a loser's bracket contest, after California lost to Washington. Three of the final four teams were Pac-10 rivals, while the championship game was a conference duel for the second consecutive year, with Arizona defeating Washington, 6-4.

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Despite finishing third at the World Series, not one Bruin appeared on the All-Tournament team. Instead the team was led by Arizona second baseman Jenny Dalton, who garnered MVP honors.

Three other Wildcats and four players from Washington comprised the majority of the 13-member squad.

PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin

B'Ann Burns was named on the All-America softball first team.