# 1997 WPF Draft > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1997_WPF_Draft > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1997_WPF_Draft.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_WPF_Draft > Source revision: 1254582691 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The **1997 WPF Drafts** are a pair of player drafts held as part of the launch of the [inaugural season](/source/1997_Women's_Pro_Fastpitch_season) of [Women's Pro Fastpitch](/source/Women's_Pro_Fastpitch) softball league. The first, the **1996 WPF Amateur Draft**, a draft of 120 softball players, was held in [Minneapolis, MN](/source/Minneapolis,_MN) Oct. 8, 1996.[1] The second, the **1997 WPF Senior Draft**, a draft of 60 college seniors divided among the WPF's six teams, was held March 20, 1997.[2] NewsOK.com reported on a 1995 WPF draft. It is unclear if the date is incorrect, or if the results of this draft had any relationship with the 1996 and 1997 drafts mentioned above, or if the draft was disregarded entirely. NewsOK reported that Olympians [Michele Smith](/source/Michele_Mary_Smith) and [Lisa Fernandez](/source/Lisa_Fernandez) were drafted. NewsOK also listed draftees pitchers [Kim Ward](/source/Kim_Ward_(softball)) (sixth round), [Dena Carter](/source/Dena_Carter) (10th round) and [Amy Day](/source/Amy_Day) (11th round) and outfielder [Becky Burroughs](/source/Becky_Burroughs) (13th round).[3] The tables below for the drafts are incomplete, but will be filled out as further research is completed. The following players were reported as drafted, but the exact round and pick number unclear: - Draftees [Gena Weber](/source/Gena_Weber) and twin sisters [Karla Kunnen-Wojtas](/source/Karla_Kunnen-Wojtas) and [Kari Kunnen-Kossen](/source/Kari_Kunnen-Kossen) reported to play for the Roadsters after the 1997 NCAA season finished.[4] - [Marty Laudato](/source/Marty_Laudato) was selected in the 16th round of the WPF draft in October. [5] - [Molly Lackman](/source/Molly_Lackman), formerly of Immaculata, was picked two rounds two rounds after Laudato.[5] Following are some of the selections from the 1997 WPF drafts: Position key: C = [catcher](/source/Catcher); INF = [infielder](/source/Infielder); SS = [shortstop](/source/Shortstop); OF = [outfielder](/source/Outfielder); UT = [Utility infielder](/source/Utility_infielder); P = [pitcher](/source/Pitcher); RHP = right-handed [pitcher](/source/Pitcher); LHP = left-handed [pitcher](/source/Pitcher) Positions will be listed as combined for those who can play multiple positions. # Denotes player who has not played in the WPF, WPSL or the NPF["Draft note" 1] ## 1996 WPF Amateur Draft ### Round 1 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 1 2 3 4 5 6 Julie Smith[6] 2B Fresno State ### Round 2 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 7 8 9 10 11 12 Kim Maher[6] OF/3B Fresno State ### Round 3 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 13 Shelly Stokes#[6] C Fresno State 14 15 16 17 Martha Norfsinger-O'Kelley#[6] SS Fresno State 18 ### Round 4 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 19 20 21 22 23 24 ### Round 5 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 25 26 27 28 29 30 ### Round 6 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 31 32 33 34 35 36 ### Round 7 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 37 38 39 40 41 42 ### Round 8 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 43 44 45 46 47 48 ### Round 9 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 49 50 51 52 53 54 ### Round 10 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 55 56 57 58 59 60 ### Round 11 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 61 62 63 64 65 66 ### Round 12 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 67 68 69 70 71 72 Christa Yorke#[6] C Fresno State ### Round 13 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 73 74 75 76 77 78 ### Round 14 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 79 80 81 82 83 84 ### Round 15 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 85 86 87 88 89 90 ### Round 16 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 91 92 93 94 95 96 ### Round 17 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 97 98 99 100 101 102 ### Round 18 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 103 104 105 106 107 108 ### Round 19 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 103 104 105 106 107 108 ### Round 20 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 109 110 111 112 113 114 ### Round 21 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 115 116 117 118 119 120 ## 1997 WPF Senior Draft ### Round 1 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 1 Trinity Johnson["Draft note" 2] P Virginia Roadsters South Carolina 2 Jill Most[7] Oklahoma 3 4 5 6 ### Round 2 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 7 8 9 Randi Berg[6] SS Georgia Pride Fresno State 10 11 12 ### Round 3 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 13 14 15 16 17 18 Jennifer Clark#[6] RHP Carolina Diamonds Fresno State ### Round 4 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 19 20 21 22 23 24 ### Round 5 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 25 26 27 28 29 30 ### Round 6 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 31 32 33 34 35 36 ### Round 7 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 37 38 39 40 41 42 ### Round 8 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 43 44 45 46 47 48 ### Round 9 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 49 50 51 52 53 54 ### Round 10 Pick Player Pos. WPF Team College 55 56 57 58 59 60 ## References 1. ["HISTORICAL TIMELINE"](http://www.akronracers.org/team/timeline/). *AkronRacers.org*. 9 April 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017. 1. ["WPSL History"](http://www.prosoftball.com/history.htm). *ProSoftball.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20000307224611/http://www.prosoftball.com/history.htm) 7 March 2000 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 June 2016. 1. ["5 State Softballers Picked in Draft"](http://newsok.com/article/2519103). *The Oklahoman*. 1 November 1995. Retrieved 15 June 2016. 1. REA MCLEROY (13 June 1997). ["Roadsters Briefs: Collegiate Stars To Join Roadsters"](https://www.dailypress.com/1997/06/13/roadsters-briefs-collegiate-stars-to-join-roadsters/). *Daily Press*. Retrieved 16 June 2016. 1. Don Beideman (11 January 1996). ["Pro Softball League Picks Two Area Women"](http://articles.philly.com/1996-01-11/sports/25651096_1_softball-league-new-league-wpf). *Philly.com*. Retrieved 15 June 2016.[dead link] 1. ["Fresno State Virtual Team Guide 2011-12 - Softball"](http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/54462-softball/39). *Digital Editions*. 1 January 2011. p. 39. Retrieved 15 June 2016. 1. ["Jim Beitia Head Coach"](http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/beitiabio2001.html). *UT Sports*. 1 January 2001. Retrieved 16 June 2016. 1. Unless otherwise noted, this was verified against the **Historical Roster** on the NPF's website.[8] 1. Johnson opted to retain her amateur status and declined joining the Roadsters.[4] However, she did play for the Durham Dragons in 1999.[8] --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [1997 WPF Draft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_WPF_Draft) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_WPF_Draft?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.