June 7, 2006

DAPHNE, Ala. - University of Mobile (Ala.) softball pitcher Linden Jones was named Alabama Athlete of the Month for May by the United States Sports Academy after pitching four shutouts in the Rams' perfect run through the NAIA National Championship Tournament.

The junior from Opelika set a tournament record with her quadruple-blank performance, and received more than twice as many votes as any other candidate.  Jones was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and was selected as the 2006 NAIA Pitcher of the Year.

The US Sports Academy Alabama Athlete of the Month is selected by a voting committee comprised of former Alabama athletes, state-wide media, and Alabama sports organization representatives.

Jones finished ahead of another collegiate pitcher, one who is gunning for his own national championship, Wade LeBlanc of the University of Alabama baseball team. The Crimson Tide junior, who faces probable Major League Baseball first-round draft pick Andrew Miller of North Carolina in Game One of Friday's Super Regionals, was the first Alabama pitcher to start 10-0 since Frank Roland went 12-0 in 1956. In his 10th win, he pitched seven shutout innings and struck out nine in a 4-3 victory over Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. He struck out 23 batters and gave up only three earned runs in his last 20 inning pitched in three outings in May.

The United States Sports Academy, "America's Sport University," is an independent, nonprofit institution that offers sport-specific programs to students, teachers, and administrators around the world. The Academy has a special mission to serve the sports industry as a resource in instruction, research, and other vital sports-related services. It is the only freestanding institution of higher learning in the United States offering bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in Sport Science and Sport Management, in addition to its extensive certification programs.

For more information about the United States Sports Academy, call 251-626-3303 or visit the Academy's website www.ussa.edu.