TU's Creger Named National Player Of The Week

Tulsa senior Aimee Creger was named the USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week, reigning in another honor after she went 3-0 with a 1.11 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 19.0 innings at the Aggie Classic, the organization announced Tuesday.

Creger, also the Conference USA Pitcher of the Week, earned a win over No. 8 Texas A&M two wins over Oregon State, leading the Golden Hurricane to a 5-0 sweep of the Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas. TU is 9-1 on the season and ranked No. 21 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 this week.

"It's very exciting to me," Creger said. "It gives me the determination to continue to do really well this season, so I can play with the (USA Softball Women's National) team again this summer. I definitely could not do as well as I have been without my team, because they've been hitting well and playing great defense behind me. I have all the confidence in them, and they're part of the reason why I've done so well."

The Yukon, Okla., native allowed just three runs on eight hits with eight walks and a .125 opponent batting average. She averaged 2.1 strikeouts per inning for the weekend.

"I'm very proud of Aimee for getting this award," Tulsa coach John Bargfeldt said. "She has been spectacular in her career here at Tulsa. One of the things that I've noticed since she made the national team last summer is that she's putting in even more time on her own, above and beyond practice, to keep herself in the best shape possible. She has always had a tremendous team attitude. That hasn't changed with all of the success that she's had. She definitely deserves all the accolades that come her way."

On Sunday, Creger led the Golden Hurricane to a 5-2 win at Texas A&M, striking out 11 batters and allowing just two runs on four hits in 6.0 innings. On Saturday, she struck out 15 batters in a two-hit shutout with just one walk in a 4-0 victory over Oregon State. Friday against Oregon State, she struck out 14 batters in a 6.0 inning complete-game, allowing just two hits in the 9-1 victory.

Creger is the first Tulsa softball athlete to be selected for the USA Softball weekly national honor since Jackie Lawrence (2007-10) earned the award on April 10, 2007.

The No. 21 Golden Hurricane returns to action this weekend, Feb. 21-23, at the Georgia Tech/Kennesaw State Crossover Tournament. TU plays at Kennesaw State on Friday in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m., and a doubleheader at Georgia Tech beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Hurricane concludes the tournament against Georgia State at 9 a.m. Sunday.