Roundtable: Washington Softball Mt. Rushmore

Aloha and welcome.

While the boys in purple are Omaha-bound in their first ever College World Series, the women of Husky Softball just got finished in their own College World Series, falling in the championship series to Florida State last week (brb crying).

After the Dawgs’ season ended last Tuesday, some of us on the UWDP slack channel were in denial about the end of softball season. In accordance with the behavior of people-not-ready-for-the-offseason everywhere, we had but one choice: Discuss hypotheticals.

This particular one was inspired by the Mariners’ campaign of a year or two ago, where they asked fans to vote on who would go on a Mariners-themed Mt. Rushmore.

It started out like so:

Gabey Lucas: The Mariners a while ago did a “Mariners Mt. Rushmore” i.e. who would be the four guys you put on an M’s themed carving. With UW Softball’s season having just ended and me still being in denial, who would be on the all-time Washington Softball Mt. Rushmore? As far as I can tell the first three are obvious as crap: Angie Mentink AKA The Baseball Goddess of The PNW, Heather Tarr (duh), Danielle Lawrie (DUH)... but who’s the last person there? The ones that immediately come to mind are either Caitlyn Noble, Jenn Salling, Hooch maybe, or Ashley Charters, but there’s no single fourth person that stands out.

Who do you all think? @ekstrong @kdegrasse, whoever?

Or Alicia Matthews/Blake? Probably not over any of the other nominees but I came of age with softball when she was busy kicking ass

Ed Strong: I’d have to look more. My first thought is Charters. I have more VB history knowledge than SB

Gabey: I think you’re probably right, Charters and Salling are my gut feeling. I like Noble just cuz she was the first ace I remember the Huskies having, and then the year after her freshman season Lawrie came in and kinda took over even though Noble woulda been a star pitcher anywhere else.

Kirk DeGrasse: Wow, a lot of great candidates to choose from. Jenn Salling definitely deserves consideration. Some great pitchers from early on like Jamie Graves, Jennifer Spediacci and Tia Bollinger. Kristen Rivera at C.

Jamie Clark

Gabey: Kristen Rivera’s a good call, I forgot about her. I’m so biased about players from Coach Tarr’s first five or six seasons cuz that’s when I was always going to their camps and those players were frikkin gods in my head.

Speaking of, Eve Gaw who was a pitcher in the 90s and a pitching coach during Tarr’s first handful of years should probably be on that list, right? Again, biased as heck cuz she taught me how to throw a non-shit change up when I was 12.

Kirk: Yeah, Gaw was great too. Outstanding pitcher, and then as a senior was an All-American as a utility player.

A shame they haven’t fared better in the finals

Four times there, only one trophy

Gabey: Ugh don’t remind us of that so soon.

So then for me right now I’m feeling like Gaw, Salling, or Charters until someone convinces me otherwise. Noble’s still close...

Kirk: Spediacci was soooo good.

And boy, Rivera sure has a case as a 4-time All-American

Gabey: When did Spediacci play again? Rivera was badass....

Kirk: 1997-2000

#1 in career ERA, #2 in wins, #2 in shutouts, #2 in K’s, #2 in no-hitters

Gabey: God why does this last spot have to be so difficult. I’ma ask Twitter in the morning and have them shout answers at us.

Ryan Priest: Ten bucks says someone suggests Tim Lincecum

So we asked the Twits:

Twitter had some semi-confident suggestions:

And our dude Jason emphatically agreed with the first three of the four:

Plus he’s now developing a fancy new sabermetric stat:

Everyone’s favorite former-News Tribune Husky writer tuned in:

And Scott seconded that opinion:

Thoughts? Should we just make the call and go with Charters? Gaw? Salling? Spediacci? Or just say screw it and put Dubs up there?

Also — Ryan, you owe me 10 bucks.

Anyways, do good things, don’t do bad things, and bow down to Washington.