Friday, June 8, 2001

STAR-BULLETIN / 1995
The two-time All-American at UH pitched on
Australia's bronze medal-winning team at the
Sydney Olympics.

Wilkins returns
for world-class
softball tourney

The UH alumna will represent
Australia in a tournament featuring
the world's top 4 national teams

---

By Dave Reardon
Star-Bulletin

Two-time Australian Olympic softball bronze medalist Brooke Wilkins will pitch here in two weeks -- her first pitching appearance in the islands since she starred for the University of Hawaii in the 1994 and '95 seasons.

Australia will be joined by national teams from two-time Olympic gold-medalist USA, silver-medalist Japan and fourth-place China in the U.S. Cup, June 21-24 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The top four teams from the Olympics will play each other for the first time since the Sydney Games last year.

Another former UH pitcher, Kelly Gentle, and current shortstop Kate Judd join Wilkins on the Australian team.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Brooke, since I haven't seen her throw in about three years. I've been told she's much more poised," Hawaii coach Bob Coolen said. "And I heard Kelly has picked up some speed on her pitches."

Wilkins allowed one run and two hits while striking out 22 in 12 innings at the 2000 Olympics, with a win and two saves in three games. She pitched two innings of a combined 7-0 no-hitter against Italy.

As a collegian, Wilkins was a two-time All-American at UH. She won 29 games in both her freshman and sophomore seasons, fashioning a 0.68 ERA. Leaving the Wahine after her second year is the only thing that keeps Wilkins from dominating all school career pitching records.

Gentle, who played for UH from 1996-99, is at the top of most lists. She holds the school's career records in games pitched (146), started (120), completed (85), won (82) and saved (8).

Gentle played professionally in Italy before returning last year to New South Wales, Australia, Coolen said.

Judd just completed her sophomore season at UH. She was named the WAC Player of the Year and hit eight homers.

Note: Coolen, whose contract with UH ends June 30, said he received a "positive evaluation" from assistant athletic director Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano this week.

"Our contract negotiation process has begun," said Coolen, who has taken UH to the NCAA Tournament five times in his 10 years as Wahine head coach.

U.S. Cup Softball June 21-24 Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium Schedule: June 21, 3 p.m. -- China vs. Australia. 5 p.m. -- USA vs. Japan. June 22, 3 p.m. -- Australia vs. Japan. 5 p.m. -- China vs. USA. June 23, 3 p.m. -- Japan vs. China. 5 p.m. -- USA vs. Australia. June 24, 1 p.m. -- bronze medal game. 3 p.m. -- gold medal game. USA "Red"roster (one of two national teams representing the country this summer: Lindsey Collins, Amanda Freed, Lindsay Gardner, Michelle Gates, Nicole Giordano, Keira Goerl, Lovieanne Jung, Lizzy Lemire, Toni Mascarenas, Jessica Mendoza, Tairia Mims, Stacey Nuveman, Catherine Osterman, Trena Peel, Kirsten Voak and Natasha Watley.