Montclair State junior softball shortstop Jennifer Jimenez was recently honored by the Union County Baseball Association. Jimenez was named the recipient of the Joseph R. Lombardi Outstanding Athlete Award for 2007 at the organization’s 72nd Hot Stove Annual Baseball Dinner on February 10.

Jimenez played an integral role in helping the Red Hawks to a 38-8 record last season, tying the single-season mark for wins. In addition, MSU won the NJAC regular-season championship and finished as the runner-up in the NCAA Division III Softball Regional hosted by Montclair - Montclair State's first trip to the NCAA's since 1999. MSU also won 18 straight games from March 14 through April 7, establishing a new school record for consecutive wins.

Jimenez batted .439 with 61 hits, eight doubles, 12 home runs and 51 RBI while recording a slugging percentage of .770 and an on-base average of .530 for the Red Hawks. The NJAC and ECAC Player of the Year, she became the first shortstop in program history to be named First-Team All-America by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) as well as earning First-Team All-Regional honors.

Jimenez led the NJAC in on-base percentage, RBI and walks (27) and was second in run scored (46), hits, home runs and total bases (107) while finishing third in batting average and slugging percentage. She also put together a 12-game hitting streak to start the season and recorded 17 multiple-hit games, including five three hits or more and had at least one hit in 36 of 46 games.

Jimenez enters the 2008 campaign with 29 career home runs, just one shy of the career record and is ninth on the RBI list with 104.

The Union County Baseball Association was formed in 1941 and was intended to generate interest in the game of baseball. The organization also recognizes local team and athletes each year for their accomplishments in Union County sports. Jimenez is the sixth player from MSU to be honored at the event joining football players Mark Casale (1983), Leroy Horn (1987) and Ed Collins (1999), basketball great Carol Blazejowski (1976) and baseball All-American Craig Conway (1998).