Chelsea Thomas Class: Sophomore Hometown: Pleasantville, Iowa High School: Pleasantville Position: Pitcher

2009: In her first year with the Missouri softball team, Chelsea Thomas helped the Tigers to their first Women's College World Series appearance in 15 years. Managing a 16-7 record, the Tiger freshman made 27 appearances, 24 starts and threw 148.2 innings, striking out 116 of the batters she faced. Managing 10 solo shutouts on the year, a mark that stood 19th in the nation and ties for 10th best in the Missouri single season record book, Thomas tallied a 1.65 ERA, good enough for third best in the Big 12 Conference, and combined with her teammates for a 10-year squad low 1.47 ERA. Thomas made her first career start in the circle Feb. 14 against Virginia Tech. Missouri's right-handed ace threw a complete game shutout, allowing just one hit in five innings of work. Later in the campaign, Thomas was credited with two no-hitters, the first coming March 7, against SEMO in five innings, the second March 8, against Missouri State in seven innings. Throughout the year, Thomas held her opponents to a .185 batting average, a mark that led the league. Competing in her first Big 12 Conference Tournament, Thomas was credited with two of Missouri's three wins, recorded a combined shutout of Oklahoma State on May 9 and managed a solo shutout of No. 9 Oklahoma, May 10, giving the Tigers their first softball crown since 1997. For her work at the tournament, Thomas was named the Big 12 Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament, the first Missouri player since 1997 to earn the annual award. Thomas earned three wins in NCAA postseason play, besting Illinois in the NCAA Regional opener in Columbia, Mo., and holding off DePaul to advance to the NCAA Super Regional series. Taking on No. 1 seeded UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif., Thomas collected Missouri's first win of the tournament throwing a complete game and allowing the Bruins only one earned run. Honors: Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Big 12 Player of the Week.

Pleasantville: A 2008 graduate of Pleasantville High School, Thomas was a three-sport varsity athlete throughout her high school career. As a pitcher for the Trojans, under the direction of her father, Coach Rich Thomas, Thomas was a four-year letterwinner, all-conference and academic all-conference player, and all-state pitcher. She also earned all-district honors her sophomore (2006), junior (2007) and senior (2008) seasons. The Trojans placed sixth in the 2A State Softball Tournament in Thomas' junior season and seventh her senior season. Thomas holds the State Tournament record for strikeouts (35 in 14.2 innings). Playing on the Trojans basketball team, Thomas was a four-time letterwinner, all-conference player, and team Most Valuable Player. She was also a three-year captain, academic all-conference member, Pride of Iowa Conference Champion, and all-district player, and was the first five-on-five girls' basketball player from Pleasantville to be an all-state selection (2007 and 2008). Thomas also earned three varsity letters with the Trojans' track team (2005, 2006, 2007).

Personal: Chelsea Thomas is the daughter of Rich and Dana Thomas and was born Jan. 26, 1990, in Des Moines, Iowa. Thomas' father played football at Central College. The eldest of two children, Thomas has a brother Collin (15) and is majoring in biology, with plans to work as a physical therapist following graduation.