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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 366 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 366

  Commending the University of Michigan Wolverines softball team for 
    winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I 
                     Championship on June 8, 2005.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 19, 2005

   Mr. Dingell (for himself, Mr. Upton, and Mr. Schwarz of Michigan) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                     on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Commending the University of Michigan Wolverines softball team for 
    winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I 
                     Championship on June 8, 2005.

Whereas on June 8, 2005, the top-ranked University of Michigan Wolverines 
        softball team defeated the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) 
        Bruins in the Women's College World Series two games to one to become 
        only the eighth school to win the National Collegiate Athletic 
        Association (NCAA) Softball Championship and the first Big Ten 
        Conference team to claim a national title in softball or baseball since 
        1966;
Whereas the Michigan softball team came from behind to win in both the World 
        Series and in each of their two victories in the World Series;
Whereas the Michigan softball team clinched the 2005 Women's College World 
        Series in an exciting extra-innings game with a 3-run home run in the 
        10th inning to win by a score of 4 to 1;
Whereas the Michigan softball team hit at least one home run in 57 of 65 games 
        during the 2005 season and is just one of three schools in NCAA history 
        to hit 100 home runs in a season;
Whereas in 2005, the Michigan softball team earned a number one ranking for the 
        first time in school history and won its tenth Big Ten Conference 
        championship and seventh Big Ten Tournament title en route to advancing 
        to the Women's College World Series for the eighth time;
Whereas the NCAA Softball Championship marks the 52nd national championship for 
        an athletic team at Michigan, the second for a women's athletic team at 
        Michigan, and the first for a softball program at a college located east 
        of the Mississippi River;
Whereas despite playing their first 33 games of the 2005 season on the road, the 
        Michigan softball team began the season with 32 wins and 1 loss on the 
        way to accumulating an impressive season record of 65 wins and only 7 
        losses;
Whereas in 2005, Head Coach Carol Hutchins eclipsed the 900 win mark and in her 
        21-season career at Michigan has become the most victorious coach in any 
        athletic program in Michigan history;
Whereas Coach Hutchins also currently ranks among the top 10 active coaches in 
        any NCAA Division I athletic program with 940 career wins and a .725 
        winning percentage;
Whereas shortstop Jessica Merchant, second baseman Tiffany Haas, and pitcher 
        Jennie Ritter were among the top 25 finalists for the USA Softball 
        Collegiate Player of the Year Award;
Whereas Jennie Ritter was awarded the highest individual honor in the Big Ten 
        Conference as the 2005 Suzy Favor Female Athlete of the Year;
Whereas a record-tying 8 players from the Michigan softball team were named to 
        the Big Ten All-Conference Team, and 6 players were named to the Spring 
        2005 Academic All-Big Ten Conference Team;
Whereas the superb coaching staff of the Michigan softball team, led by Carol 
        Hutchins, Bonnie Tholl, Jennifer Brundage, and Jennifer Teague, was 
        named the Speedline/NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year;
Whereas players on the Michigan softball team included Stephanie Bercaw, Angie 
        Danis, Samantha Findlay, Alessandra Giampaolo, Tiffany Haas, Lauren 
        Holland, Jennifer Kreinbrink, Grace Leutele, Becky Marx, Jessica 
        Merchant, Rebekah Milian, Nicole Motycka, Jennie Ritter, Lauren Talbot, 
        Michelle Teschler, Michelle Weatherdon, Lorilyn Wilson, Stephanie 
        Winter, and Tiffany Worthy; and
Whereas the Michigan softball team received tremendous support from its hometown 
        fans during the season, setting a home attendance record in 2005, and 
        bringing in the five largest crowds in program history: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends the University of Michigan Wolverines softball 
        team for winning the 2005 National Collegiate Athletic 
        Association (NCAA) Division I Championship on June 8, 2005; and
            (2) recognizes all of the players and coaches of the 
        Michigan softball team who were instrumental in winning the 
        championship.
                                 <all>
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