No. 3 – Jen Whitten
THIS YEAR: Senior Jennifer Whitten anchors the Cougar outfield ... Speedy player who can quickly cover a lot of ground ... Likely to return to the top of the line-up after batting toward the bottom most of last year ... Will spearhead the Cougar offense ... Did not participate in fall workouts because of knee injury ... Should push for postseason honors.
2008 (junior): Started 46 of the Cougars' 47 games as a 2008 junior, her first season at Azusa Pacific, and was named All-GSAC first team and NAIA All-Region after batting a team-high .339 (21-for-62) in GSAC play ... Overall batted .282 on the season with a team-leading 8 stolen bases ... Was third on the team with 17 RBIs ... Had 11 multiple-hit games and put together a mid-season stretch in which she went 10-for-18 in 6 games with 6 RBIs ... Opened the season with a 4 game-hitting streak before hitting a slump that dropped her average to .154 ... Rallied by hitting safely in 22 of the final 32 games ... Went 4-for-6 with 2 RBIs, a double and a triple in a doubleheader sweep of No. 19 Biola.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Returned to softball after a year layoff and played her 2007 sophomore season at Santa Rosa Junior College, playing for current head coach Carrie Webber ... Named All-Big 7 Conference second team after batting .406 with 8 doubles, 5 triples and a home run ... Academically, made the dean's list.
SONOMA STATE: Played her 2005 freshman season at NCAA Division II Sonoma State University ... Appeared and started in 17 games for the Seawolves, batting .317 (19-for-60) with 3 triples and 9 stolen bases.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played 3 seasons of varsity softball for head coach Tracy Harrison at Vacaville (Calif.) High ... Was a 3-time All-Monticello Empire League first team selection, including her 2003 junior season when the Bulldogs won the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship.
PERSONAL: Born Nov. 23, 1986, in Upland, Calif. ... Parents are Roy (piping designer) and Dee (office manager) Whitten ... Has a younger brother (Chris) ... Majoring in psychology ... Plans to go on to graduate school.
WHITTEN at AZUSA PACIFIC YEAR G-GS AB R H 2B-3B-HR RBI SLG% BB HBP SO SB-SBA AVG. 2008 46-46 142 11 40 4-2-0 17 .338 2 4 17 8-11 .282
