Feb. 19, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. -- The Oklahoma softball team had three players taken in the 2008 National Pro Fastpitch Senior Draft on Monday. Seniors Savannah Long, Susan Ogden and Lauren Eckermann were three of the 24 senior softball players taken in the draft.

The Sooners tied Georgia Tech with the most selections by one team as each school had three players taken in the draft. OU also led all Big 12 schools with the most selections as Texas A&M's Megan Gibson was the only other Big 12 player selected.

Long led the way as she was the No. 8 overall pick by the Philadelphia Force. Eckermann was the 12th overall pick and was selected by the Rockford Thunder while Ogden was the 18th pick by the Akron Racers, the same team that former Sooner Norrelle Dickson played for last summer.

Oklahoma has now had 11 players drafted to the NPF league since its inaugural draft prior to the 2004 season. The 2008 draftees join Sooner alums Dickson, Scaglione, Kami Keiter, Christina Enea, Erin Evans, Christy Ring, Leah Gulla and Kristin Vesely who were all drafted by the league.

2008 NPF Draft Selections

Due to NCAA regulations, an active college senior-athlete may not sign with her respective franchise until their 2008 college season is over.

Major League Baseball is the Official Development Partner of National Professional Fastpitch in the category of women's professional fastpitch softball. The partnership, which began the fall of 2002, is part of The Commissioner's Initiative on Women and Baseball, a league-wide effort to help Major League Baseball and the 30 Major League Clubs build stronger relationships with female audiences.

National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Denver, Colo. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL).

The Sooners return to the field this weekend as they travel to Palm Springs for the annual Palm Springs Classic. Oklahoma will take on Stanford, Pacific, Oregon, San Diego State and Georgia in the tournament.