CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Radford University softball standout
Hope Creasy (Christiansburg, Va./Christiansburg) was named the Big South Conference’s 2010 Woman of the Year. The senior outfielder just helped the Highlanders complete their most successful season in program history while excelling in the classroom and the community.
As the Big South Woman of the Year, Creasy is nominated as a candidate for the national NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She is the first Radford student-athlete to receive the Conference honor.
“Hope represents the true student-athlete,” said Radford head softball coach Mickey Dean. “She exemplifies the character we look for in our recruits. I am extremely proud of her.”
A two-time First-Team All-Conference selection, Creasy was a four-year letterwinner for the Highlanders and helped Radford capture the last two Big South regular-season and Tournament Championships, as well as NCAA Tournament berths in 2009 and 2010. Radford reached the 2010 Athens Regional Final, a first for any Radford athletic program. Creasy finished the season with a .319 batting average, in addition to 12 home runs, 36 RBI and a .613 slugging percentage, and was recently named Louisville Slugger/NFCA First-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region.
A two-time Big South Player of the Week selection in 2010, Creasy ends her Radford career second in home runs (32), fourth in RBI (133), fifth in total bases (338), seventh in slugging (.514) and eighth in doubles (36). Other career highlights include finishing second in the Big South in hitting (.368) and RBI (39) in 2008, which were the fifth-best totals in school history at the time. She also batted .455 with six doubles and 10 RBI in 15 Conference games that season. As a freshman in 2007, Creasy started every game and earned Second-Team All-State honors from the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID). She had 33 RBI and scored 28 runs, in addition to ranking second on the team in triples, third in stolen bases and fourth in doubles and slugging percentage.
RU's team captain this season, Creasy graduated earlier this month with a 3.63 grade-point average in exercise, sport and health education, and was recently named an ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District III Second-Team honoree. Creasy has been named to the Big South Presidential Honor Roll three times in her career and has been a member of Radford's Dean's List seven times. In addition, she was named to the NFCA All-Academic Team and the Big South Softball All-Academic Team in 2008, and was nominated for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in her senior season.
Creasy's service and leadership activities include four years on Radford's SAAC, where she served as secretary this past year. She volunteered with the Special Olympics for three years and has been involved with Habitat for Humanity, Samaritan's Feet and Locks for Love during her time at Radford. In addition, Creasy has tutored fellow student-athletes and has volunteered as a coach at various softball camps and clinics.
Creasy will continue her education and athletic career at Georgia Southern where she will work towards her masters in recreation administration and serve as a graduate assistant softball coach. A former high school state shot put champion, Creasy will return to field competition as a member of the Eagles’ Indoor Track & Field program.
Also nominated for the 2010 Big South Woman of the Year were Coastal Carolina track & field athlete Ikeiylah Brown (Hilton Head, S.C.), High Point soccer player Laura Eldridge (Knoxville, Tenn.), VMI soccer player Audrey Falconi (Lakewood, Calif.), Presbyterian College softball player Mary Gordon (Vernon, Conn.), Winthrop tennis player Paula Pereira (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Liberty track athlete Rebekah Ricksecker (Laurel, Del.) and Winthrop golfer Rachel Smith (Mansfield, Texas).
"I am always amazed at the accomplishments of our Woman of the Year nominees, and this year is no different," said Big South Conference Commissioner Kyle B. Kallander. "These are outstanding young women that deserve this recognition and praise. They represent the highest ideals of collegiate athletics in the Big South."
The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) will choose and announce the top 10 honorees in each division in August. From among those 30 candidates, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division in September. Finally, the members of the CWA will vote from among the top nine finalists to determine the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year, which will be announced at the Woman of the Year Awards Dinner in Indianapolis on Oct. 17, 2010. The Big South had its first national finalist in 2005 when Winthrop's Janiva Willis was named one of the 10 finalists.