Player Bio: Melissa Downs - University of Washington Official Athletic Site
April 18, 2013 | Softball
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Wilson on Downs: "When people talk about this program, they talk about the intensity, hard work and focus. Mo is the person that balances the scales. She's the light-hearted one who people turn to when the moment is too tense. When someone needs to smile or crack a joke or take some tension out of the moment, whether it's in the middle of the huddle, after an error or after a tough practice, Mo reminds people why they're here. She keeps the fun in the game, and that's a very important ingredient in this program. She is another in the long line of players who have started out as walk-ons and, with growth and development, have proven just who well they can perform."
Junior (1999): Downs had a break-out year in 1999, starting 65 of the 66 games in which she played and finishing third on the team with a .313 batting average...Shared the team's most improved award with Erin Helgeland...Began the year on fire, collecting hits in nine of the first 10 games and a .609 average during that stretch...Batting average did not dip below .400 until the second weekend of April...Finished the season strong as well, hitting .350 (7-20) in the postseason and .400 in the College World Series to earn a spot on that all-tournament team...Reached base in every postseason game, collecting at least one hit in all but one...Her 12 sacrifice hits stands second on the all-time season chart...Third on the team in RBI (35) and two-out RBI (11)...On the season, hit .397 with runners in scoring position, second on the team, and .364 with runners on base, tied for second on the club...Recorded 16 multi-hit games and had three RBI in one outing on four different occasions...First career homer came against Santa Clara, when she went 2-for-3 with two runs knocked in...Strong defensively as well, turning a team-high 11 double plays...Earned honorable mention all-Pac-10 honors.
Sophomore (1998): Started seven of the 14 games in which she appeared, all at catcher...Team was 6-1 with Downs behind the plate...Played third base for two innings against Auburn (2/28) after Kim DePaul injured her hand...Hit .318 for the season, collecting seven hits, one double and seven RBI while walking three times...Was 2-3 with bases loaded...Had two hits against Canisius (3/21) and Marshall (3/24)...Finished the year with a .980 fielding percentage...Spent a great deal of time catching in the bullpen.
Freshman (1997): Walked on to the Husky softball team...Appeared in 17 games, starting two, at five different positions...Saw first action against UC-Santa Barbara (2/14), when she went in at third base...Started for the first time against Pacific (2/21) at third in UW's injury-adjusted infield...Advanced to first on an error in her only at-bat in that game...Also spent time at first base, catcher, shortstop and as a pinch hitter...Served as the bullpen catcher.
High School: Played third base at Bothell H.S. under coach Marle Davis...Was a three-year letterwinner...Named first-team all-KingCo and served as a team captain her senior year...Earned second-team All-KingCo accolades as a sophomore...Was honorable mention as junior and received the Golden Glove award...Named Journal American Athlete of the Week (6/3/96)...Helped team win the WesCo championship her senior season...Also lettered her sophomore and junior years as a goalkeeper in soccer...Was honorable mention all-KingCo the first season and second team as junior...Earned the coaches award.
Personal: Majoring in sociology...Nickname is Mo...Enjoys knitting and avocados, but not knitting avocados...Worked at Virginia Mason Medical Center in the physical therapy department...Mother, Lisa, is contact lens technician and father, Kenneth, is salesman...Has a younger sister, Casey (15)...Melissa Anne Downs was born Aug. 31, 1978, in Whittier, Calif.
TOP GAMES:
Hits: 2 (18 times)
RBI: 4 (4/21/98 vs. Simon Fraser)
Hitting streak: 6 (2 times)
Consec. G w/o E: 30 (3/22/99-5/7/99)
MELISSA DOWNS HONORS & AWARDS
College World Series All-Tournament
1999
All-Pac-10
1999 (hm)
