Christa Williams (softball)

Christa Lee Williams-Yates (born February 8, 1978) is an American, former collegiate three-time All-American, two-time Gold Medal winning Olympian, retired three-time pro All-Star, right-handed hitting softball pitcher originally from Houston, Texas. She competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta where she received a gold medal with the American team. Four years later at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, she won her second gold medal. Williams-Yates began her college career with the UCLA Bruins in 1997 before transferring to play softball with the Texas Longhorns (1998–99). Joining in its inaugural year, she played three years in the National Pro Fastpitch with the Texas Thunder (2004–06) and still ranks top-10 in career wins, strikeouts, ERA among other records. In 2018, Williams-Yates was named to the USA National Softball Hall of Fame.[1] Currently, Williams-Yates teaches high school softball in Friendswood, Texas.

Christa Williams
Personal information
Full nameChrista Lee Williams
Born (1978-02-08) February 8, 1978
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Medal record
Women's softball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta Team competition
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Team competition

College

In her freshman year, Williams-Yates was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Third Team All-American.[2] She was also named First Team All-Pac-12[3] She led the Bruins to the Women's College World Series and into the championship final where they lost to the Arizona Wildcats on May 26. Williams-Yates was named to the All-Tournament Team going 4-2, throwing two shutouts with 46 strikeouts.[4][5]

Williams-Yates transferred to University of Texas for the next two seasons. She was named a NFCA First Team in 1998 and the Second Team in 1999.[6][7] She also would earn two First-Team All-Big 12 selections.[8] This helped earn her a place on Team USA for the 2000 Summer Olympics and Williams-Yates opted not to return for her senior year.

NPF

Williams-Yates was named an All-Star all three years of her career with the Texas Thunder. She debuted on June 1, 2004, throwing a two-hit shutout with 6 strikeouts over the Akron Racers.[9] She no hit the Arizona Heat on June 18 with a 15 strikeout performance. On June 28, 2005, she set a personal best by fanning 17 of the Stratford Brakettes. Later that year beginning on July 7-August 6 she pitched a 10 consecutive game win streak, throwing 65.0 innings with 25 hits, 6 earned runs, 16 walks and 74 strikeouts for a 0.64 ERA and 0.63 WHIP.[10]

Williams-Yates is the only NPF player to have played at least three seasons and be recognized as an All-Star every year of their career. She currently ranks top-10 in career statistics for wins, strikeouts, ERA, shutouts, strikeout ratio and WHIP.

Statistics

UCLA Bruins & Texas Longhorns

[11][12][13]

YEAR W L GP GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA WHIP
1997 21 8 34 29 28 14 4 205.0 149 64 53 84 218 1.81 1.13
1998 28 6 43 33 27 16 5 230.1 81 24 15 67 364 0.45 0.64
1999 23 9 38 30 23 11 1 223.1 97 46 31 54 314 0.97 0.67
TOTALS 72 23 115 92 78 41 10 658.2 327 134 99 205 896 1.05 0.81

Team USA Olympic Games

[14][15]

YEAR W L GP GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA WHIP
1996 2 0 2 1 1 1 0 9.2 3 0 0 2 15 0.00 0.54
2000 2 0 5 1 0 0 2 16.0 5 0 0 3 23 0.00 0.50
TOTALS 4 0 7 2 1 1 2 25.2 8 0 0 5 38 0.00 0.51

National Pro Fastpitch Texas Thunder

[16]

YEAR W L GP GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA WHIP
2004 14 6 21 19 17 10 0 142.1 64 21 13 38 132 0.64 0.72
2005 17 5 24 23 18 7 1 157.1 85 24 17 37 172 0.75 0.77
2006 11 8 26 20 12 3 1 142.2 103 45 35 59 161 1.72 1.14
TOTALS 42 19 71 62 47 20 2 442.1 252 90 65 134 465 1.03 0.87

References
  1. "Some of softball's Finest inducted Into National Softball Hall of Fame At 38th Annual Induction Ceremony". Teamusa.org. October 27, 2018. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  2. "1997 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams". Nfca.org. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  3. "Pac 12 Conference 2020 Softball Media Guide". E-digitaleditions.com. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
  4. "Division I Softball Championship Record Book" (PDF). Nfca.org. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  5. "UCLA WCWS Stats". Ncaa.org. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  6. "1998 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams". Nfca.org. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  7. "1999 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams". Nfca.org. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  8. "Big 12 Record Book" (PDF). Big12sports.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  9. "Thunder shut out Racers in season opener". Profastpitch.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. "Christa Williams Game Log 2005 Summer". Profastpitch.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  11. "Final 1997 Softball Statistics Report" (PDF). Ncaa.org. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  12. "Final 1998 Softball Statistics Report" (PDF). Ncaa.org. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  13. "Final 1999 Softball Statistics Report" (PDF). Ncaa.org. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  14. "Olympic Games Atlanta, Georgia". Teamusa.org. Archived from the original on December 29, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  15. "Olympic Games Sydney, Australia". Teamusa.org. Archived from the original on December 29, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  16. "Individual Leader Board". Profastpitch.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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