Oregon Player of the Year signs with Ducks
Softball standout Alicia Cook, a senior at Elmira High School, signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Oregon, softball head coach Kathy Arendsen announced Monday.
“Alicia is probably regarded as the most impressive pitcher in the state of Oregon,” Arendsen said. “Our goal has always been to keep the best kids at home and this is a huge step in that direction.”
Cook led Elmira with a .506 batting average and a 0.13 earned run average during her junior year in 2003. She was named the state’s player of the year by The Register-Guard after throwing 264 strikeouts and 20 shutouts in the season.
Cook’s sister, Jennifer Cook, pitched for Oregon from 1996-1999.
“(Alicia Cook) is probably the first player we’ve brought in that is a multi-position player,” Arendsen said. “She can hit, she can play first base and she’ll obviously pitch. She has incredible poise and unflappable confidence.”
The Ducks finished one win away from the Women’s College World Series in May, finishing third in the Pacific-10 Conference in Arendsen’s first year.

— Mindi Rice