Lenoir-Rhyne’s Rivers Named Second Team All-American By Daktronics

May 26, 2010

ROLLA, Mo. - Lenoir-Rhyne University's Kat Rivers has been named to the 2010 NCAA Division II Daktronics Softball All-America Second Team. In addition, L-R's Sarah Atkins earned honorable mention All-America honors.

Rivers, a junior shortstop from Royston, Ga., was named the 2010 Daktronics Southeast Region and South Atlantic Conference Player Of The Year prior to her national selection.

This season, Rivers led the Bears with a .437 batting average and set school single-season records for runs (65), hits (90), home runs (23), runs batted in (64) and total bases (179). In addition, Rivers' 23 home runs this year is a conference record and is currently tied for the national lead.

Rivers, a three-time all-SAC and all-region pick, also became the school's career leader in home runs with 34.

Rivers becomes the third softball All-American in school history (Casey Hanes in 2006 and Meredith O'Connor in 2007).

Kat Rivers

Sarah Atkins

Atkins, a sophomore catcher from Newport News, Va., finished third on the squad in hitting (.355) to go along with 14 home runs and a second-best 63 runs batted in. Atkins, the 2010 Food Lion SAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, has earned first-team all-league and all-region honors the past two seasons.

Both players led L-R to an all-time best 53-9 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II Southeast Super Regional Tournament this year. The Bears also clinched both the South Atlantic Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships in 2010.

The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The team is voted on by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

2010 NCAA Division II Daktronics
All-America Softball Teams

FIRST TEAM
P: Casey Hanes, Sr., Wayne State
P: Sherise Musquiz, Sr., Hawai'i Pacific
P: Sarah Phillips, Jr., North Georgia
C: Becca Tipton, Sr., Arkansas-Monticello
1B: Kyrie Timbrook, Sr., Caldwell
2B: Alix Dean, Jr., Angelo State
3B: Miranda Campbell, Sr., Emporia State
SS: Samantha Ingersoll, Sr., West Chester
OF: Teddy Barry, Jr., Grand Canyon
OF: Haley Chambers, Sr., Ouachita Baptist
OF: Katelyn Lovato, Fr., Adams State
DP: Stephanie Tarango, Fr., Dowling
UT: Lindsey Slocum, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha

SECOND TEAM
P: Shavaun Fisher, Jr., Bloomsburg
P: Breanne Gleason, Sr., New Haven
P: Emilyn Knerem, So., Ashland
C: Kelsey Thompson, Sr., Minnesota State
1B: Shannon Miles, Sr., West Florida
2B: Laura Voyles, Sr., North Georgia
3B: Tara Mickelson, Sr., Metropolitan State
SS: Kat Rivers, Jr., Lenoir-Rhyne
OF: Alison Allen, So., Wayne State
OF: Kris Lesovsky, Jr., California-San Diego
OF: Danielle Monson, Sr., Central Washington
DP: Logan Hursey, So., Ashland
UT: Kelsey Haupert, Jr., Central Washington

THIRD TEAM
P: Torie Bunzell, Jr., Quincy
P: Kirsten Frame, Fr., Rollins
P: Katie Petersen, Sr., Midwestern State
C: Brittnie Boerema, So., Saint Joseph's
1B: Kristen Drage, Jr., Missouri University of Science & Technology
2B: Lauren Medeiros, Fr., Assumption
3B: Jessica Guertin, So., Hillsdale
SS: Lauren Lopez, Sr., Nova Southeastern
OF: Billie Callahan, Sr., Texas Woman's
OF: Lauren Dykes, Fr., North Georgia
OF: Jayme Hefler, Fr., Lewis
DP: Leslee Smith, Sr., North Georgia
UT: Megan Russell, Sr., Indianapolis

HONORABLE MENTION
P: Camille Gaito, UC San Diego
P: Sarah Goetzinger, Wayne State (Neb.)
P: Kayla Jackson, Arkansas-Monticello
P: Ashley Jones, Palm Beach Atlantic
P: Christie Robinson, Metropolitan State
C: Sarah Atkins, Lenoir-Rhyne
C: Kacie Easley, Angelo State
1B: Jaycee Lovato, Adams State
1B: Katherine Martin, North Georgia
2B: Anna Bjorlin, Concordia-St. Paul
2B: Shantae Hunter, Dixie State
3B: Nicole Downs, New Haven
3B: Nikki Shiko, Bloomsburg
SS: Christie Softy, C.W. Post
SS: Amber Roundtree, Metropolitan State
OF: Meagan Bailey, St. Edward's
OF: Erin Gregory, Quincy
OF: Brittany Gross, Lynn
OF: Pilar Harden, North Georgia
OF: Jessica Hernandez, Nova Southeastern
DP: Justine Bosio, Colorado State-Pueblo
DP: Erin Leslie, Northwest Missouri State
UT: Dre Brunskill, University of Mary
UT: Nicole Pitcock, Shepherd