Nine Softball Players Named to Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region Softball Team

ROCK HILL -- Nine softball players from the South Atlantic Conference, including four from champion Lenoir-Rhyne College, were named to the 2007 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-South Atlantic Region Team.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced the region award winners on Wednesday.

Meredith O'Connor, the SAC Pitcher of the Year, was one of two first team selections. O'Connor (Charlotte, N.C./Appalachian State University) is 24-2 on the season, and set the SAC record for strikeouts in a season.

Meredith O'Connor

Allie Marshall

Karie Pushard

Leah Krohn

Taylor Queen

Jessie Howard

Courtney Lindler

Joy Henry

Brittney Walker

Catawba's Allie Marshall, the SAC Freshman of the Year, was the other first-team choice. Marshall, a former standout at Southeast Guilford High School, has set school records this season in hits (74), home runs (15) and RBI (55).

Lenoir-Rhyne catcher Karie Pushard, the SAC Player of the Year was a second-team choice, as were first baseman Leah Krohn and outfielder Taylor Queen.

Carson-Newman's Jessie Howard was a second-team choice at third base. Howard, a freshman from Knoxville, TN (Farragut HS), hit .414 and led the conference with 32 stolen bases on 33 attempts.

Newberry College shortstop Courtney Lindler was a second team selection. Lindler, a senior from Irmo, S.C., was named the first team shortstop, making her eligible for All-American honors. Lindler led the Lady Indians in nearly every offensive category this season and was also one of the most consistent defensive shortstops in the region. She was also named second team all-South Atlantic Conference.

Wingate University outfielder Joy Henry (Virginia Beach, Va.) was also a second team selection. Henry earned first team All-South Atlantic Conference honors two years in a row (2006 and 2007). Henry hit .524 in the 2007 Food Lion SAC tournament, leading Wingate to the championship game for the second season in a row. She finished the 2007 season on a 15-game hitting streak, the longest on the team this season.

In 2007, Henry led the Bulldogs in batting average (.421), hits (72) and total bases (88). She shared the team lead in multiple hit games (23). Thanks to the efforts of Henry and her teammates, the Bulldogs (37-20 overall) tied for second in the 2007 SAC regular season race.

In 2006, Henry hit .345 with 35 runs, 11 doubles, six triples and 24 RBI. The Bulldogs set a new school single-season win record with a 47-11 overall ledger in 2006. The 47 wins included two victories in the 2006 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional tournament.

Lincoln Memorial's Brittney Walker (Ooltewah, TN) was a second team selection at utility. A 5-7 pitcher/outfielder, Walker hit .429 this season crossing the plate a team-best 56 times. In addition, the four-year letter winner had 82 hits, 26 doubles, two triples and a team-best 16 homeruns while recording 50 RBI. Walker's .838 slugging percentage and .495 on base percentage were also at the top of the Lady Railsplitter statistics.

Walker ends her career at Lincoln Memorial as a three-time All-Gulf South Conference First Team selection, having literally rewritten the Lady Railsplitter record book. By making the all-region team, Walker now becomes eligible for the Daktronics All-American Team which will be released in the next several weeks. Walker leaves the LMU softball program at the top of nearly every career statistical category.

Kutztown and LIU-C.W. Post led all schools with five players named first team all-region as the were announced by the association Wednesday afternoon.

The complete list of Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-Region Teams can be found here.

Kutztown, host and No. 2 seed of the Mid-Atlantic Regional, made up all but one slot on the first team infield with Stephanie Denlinger at first base, Kim Morrison at second and Krista Cameron at third. Adriane Willmer earned outfield honors on the first team, while Ashley Fitzgerald garnered utility accolades.

LIU-C.W. Post paced the Northeast region as battery-mates Samantha Yodowitz and Christie Softy claimed spots on the first team along with first baseman Melissa Hippo, second baseman Katie Younes and designated player Jillian Fisher.

Columbus State, the No. 1 team in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, placed four players on the first team in the South Atlantic region. Amber Browning led the charges as she garnered first team pitcher accolades. Her catcher, Amber Lanier, earned one of the two catcher slots, while Brittany Leverett was tabbed first team shortstop and Erin Brown first team outfield.

USC Upstate joined CSU with four players on the region's first team. Shay Slater and Heidi Gibbs comprised two-thirds of the outfield, while Vanesa Flores and Amber Patterson claimed first team designated player and utility honors, respectively.

The 2007 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America teams will be announced Wed., May 16.

South Atlantic Region

First Team
Pos. Name School
P Amber Browning Columbus State University
P Meredith O'Connor Lenoir-Rhyne College
C Jessica Strickland USC-Aiken
C Amber Lanier Columbus State University
1B Paige Phillips Augusta State University
2B Allie Marshall Catawba College
3B Keidra Baitey Georgia College & State
SS Brittany Leverett Columbus State University
OF Shay Slater USC-Upstate
OF Heidi Gibbs USC-Upstate
OF Erin Brown Columbus State University
DP Vanessa Flores USC-Upstate
UT Amber Patterson USC-Upstate

Second Team
Pos. Name School
P Amy Dumas Augusta State University
P Rachael Darr Columbus State University
P Jenny Jackson Mount Olive College
C Karie Pushard Lenoir-Rhyne College
C Katie McCauley Coker College
1B Leah Krohn Lenoir-Rhyne College
2B Natalie Vogler Armstrong Atlantic State
3B Jessie Howard Carson-Newman College
SS Courtney Lindler Newberry College
OF Whitney Propes North Georgia College & State
OF Joy Henry Wingate University
OF Taylor Queen Lenoir-Rhyne College
DP Ginny Walsh Columbus State University
UT Brittney Walker Lincoln Memorial University