Softball lands five on NFCA All-Region Team
May 20, 2010
2010 NFCA Division I All-Region teams AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas Softball team placed five players on the 2010 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Central Region Team, the organization announced Thursday. The Longhorns' five first teamers equaled a program-best five players that UT put on the squad in 1998 and 2009. Freshman righthander Blaire Luna and sophomore third baseman Nadia Taylor earned first-team honors, while sophomore first baseman Lexy Bennett, freshman rightfielder Taylor Hoagland and senior designated player Tallie Thrasher each garnered second-team accolades. The honor was Taylor's second-straight first-team nod, while Bennett earned second-team honors after picking up first-team lauds in 2009. Thrasher nabbed her third career laud after being named first team in 2008 and second team in 2007. Luna, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team choice, headlined the Horns' staff and the Big 12 Conference, leading the league with 29 wins, 372 strikeouts, a 1.25 ERA, 26 complete games and a .131 batting average. Luna is a top 10 finalist for USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year. Taylor, an All-Big 12 First Team selection, started all 55 games at the hot corner, led the team with a .383 batting average and ranked second in the conference with a .465 average in league action. The sophomore recorded 62 hits, 37 runs scored, eight homers, nine doubles and 31 RBI in 2010. Bennett, an All-Big 12 First Team honoree, garnered her second all-region nod after starting all 55 games, splitting time between designated player and first base. She hit .340 and led the team with 44 runs scored and 13 doubles. She added nine home runs and 34 RBI, while walking 26 times.
Hoagland, an All-Big 12 First Team pick, hit .381 and notched 61 hits, while leading the squad with 16 stolen bases. In 2010, Hoagland shattered the UT hitting streak record with her 21-game hitting streak that stands as third-best in UT history. Thrasher garnered her third all-region honor after hitting .348 with 12 home runs and 32 RBI as the Longhorns' designated player. She posted a team-best .779 slugging percentage in 2010 and set a new UT single-game record with three home runs against Missouri on April 11. The 2010 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Region teams honor student-athletes from the 10 NFCA regions. A total of 256 players from 116 different institutions comprise this season's regional teams, including first and second teams for each region. The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first, second or third teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration. The NFCA Division I All-American teams will be announced at 4 p.m. Central on Wednesday, June 2. |
|
