Haley Thomas
2011-12
Softball
Haley Thomas is the third Youngstown State softball player to be named to the YSU/Vindicator Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She joins standouts Amanda Berry (2003) and Tiffany Patteson (2006) as softball players to earn the award.
Like Berry and Patteson, Thomas' name is all over the program's record books for both career and season bests.
A native of Simi Valley, Calif., she has played in 186 games, starting 184 in center field the past four seasons. In 608 at bats, she has 218 hits for a .359 batting average. She has scored 141 runs, while posting 87 RBIs, 39 doubles, nine triples, 22 homers, 79 walks and 24 stolen bases. She has 341 total bases for a slugging percentage of .561 and has an on-base percentage of .435.
With 10-or-so games remaining in the regular season, Thomas has already set the school career record for runs scored. Additionally, she ranks second in career hits, career homers and slugging percentage, is third in career triples and at bats and is fourth in career doubles and stolen bases.
Forty games into her senior campaign, she has a batting average of .435 with 57 hits in 131 at bats. She leads the team with 12 doubles, six home runs, 13 stolen bases, a .497 on-base percentage and a .664 slugging percentage. She also has a team-high 16 multiple-hit games and is tied for the team lead with 10 mutli-RBI contests. The 13 steals has tied the school single-season record. She leads the Horizon League in batting average and hits.
YSU currently stands at 26-13-1 overall and 10-8 in the Horizon League. The Penguins are in the hunt to appear in the Horizon League Tournament for the first time since 2009. The Championships start on May 9 at the site of the regular-season champion.
As a junior, Thomas had a .313 average while starting all 46 games. She had 47 hits, 38 runs scored, 10 doubles, seven homers and 27 RBIs for the campaign. She led the Penguins in runs, doubles, homers, walks (19) and at bats (150).
As a sophomore, she hit .370 and started all 50 games for the Penguins. In 165 at bats, she had 61 hits, 10 doubles, eight home runs, six triples, 41 runs scored and 22 RBIs. She led the team with 23 walks and had a slugging percentage of .648 and an on-base percentage of .444. Her 41 runs scored set a record while her 61 hits tied for the second most in a season in school history.
As a freshman, Thomas started all 50 games and had a .327 batting average. She had 53 hits in 162 at bats, seven doubles, the team's two triples, eight RBIs, a team-best 27 runs and 22 walks.
Thomas is a graduate of Simi Valley High School where she was a three-year all-conference honoree.
Haley is the daughter of Patricia and Troy Thomas. She owns a 3.34 grade-point average as a major in Physical Education.
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