FanPost

Better Know a Tider - #8 Brittany Rogers

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Sure, I could show her batting.  But why?  Defense is so much cooler.

 

            Alabama's senior center fielder Brittany Rogers is, without a doubt, one of the top five players in school history.  She has earned first-team All-SEC honors in all four of her seasons and was named as an All-American in each of her first three years.  She is, I believe, the most decorated hitter in Crimson Tide history.

            Rogers's success did not begin in college.  She was a hugely talented high schooler, earning all-County honors every year, all-State honors in her sophomore and senior seasons, and Player of the Year honors in her final season.  By the time she left Dacula High School in north Georgia she had set 16 Georgia High School records. 

            Rogers stepped into the starting center field role on her first day on campus and dominated from the outset.  In her first eight games at Alabama she batted 10-20 with a steal in each of those games.  She started 63 of the Tide's 65 games in her first season.  Batting in the leadoff spot, Rogers led the team in at-bats, hits, batting average, OBP, runs, and steals.  Not bad for a freshman.  Her 38 steals were good for second in the SEC while she finished third in average (.427) and fourth in runs (60) and hits (86).  Her performance was rewarded with the SEC Freshman of the Year award along with spots on the SEC All-Freshman team, the SEC All-Tournament team, the All-SEC first-team, the All-Region first-team, and the All-American third-team.  She didn't have much for power (only six doubles in 206 at-bats) but seriously, she was awesome.

            In her sophomore campaign Rogers hit "only" .402, but she began developing a power stroke, hitting eight doubles, four triples, and four homers.  For the second consecutive season she led the team in games started with 64.  Her 48 steals led the SEC and set a new school record.  Her 68 runs scored also led the SEC and she had multiple hits in 30 games.  She was once again named first-team All-SEC and first team All-Region, upgraded her All-American status to Easton's first team and NFCA's second team and was placed on the National Player of the Year watch list.  Rogers capped off her season with a fantastic playoff performance, hitting four extra-base hits and scoring ten runs in seven postseason games.

            In 2008 Rogers put together her best season yet, plastering her name all over the Alabama record books.  Her ridiculous .452 batting average was the seventh best in the NCAA and good for third all-time at Alabama.  She scored 79 runs, the third most in school history and the second most in the NCAA that year.  She also set school records for steals in a season (60) and steals in a career (146).  After the 2008 season, she ranked third all-time in the conference in stolen bases.  Post-season awards came fast and furious for Rogers after her junior season.  She was named to the All-SEC and All-Region first teams for the third consecutive time and earned first-team All-American honors from both Easton and the NFCA.  Lastly, she was named one of 25 finalists for ASA/USA Collegiate Player of the Year.

            Rogers got off to a slow start in her senior season.  She had to sit out the first two weeks due to a nagging shoulder injury but has played well enough to establish herself as a crucial leader in the Alabama dugout.  She hasn't had the gap power that made her an elite hitter in her sophomore and junior seasons, but her .390 batting average and 43 stolen bases in 49 games are outstanding numbers.  Since the regular season has ended, Rogers has joined Jackie McClain and Kelly Krestschman (who basically owns the Alabama record books) as the only four time first-team All-SEC players.  She also won the Paul W. Bryant award as the best female athlete at Alabama and is currently tied atop the fan standings for the Lowe's Senior CLASS award. 

With any luck, Rogers's softball career won't end this May.  She is one of only 27 players nationwide who have been invited to try out for the 2009 USA Softball Women's National Team.  This is a great honor for Rogers, as it would be for any player.  She can't think about that yet, however, as Alabama still has an SEC tournament and NCAA tournament to play this season.  It has been a fantastic four years for Brittany Rogers.  It would only be fitting to end such a spectacular career with an SEC championship and an NCAA title.

 

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