University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Four Panthers Named to NFCA All-Region Team
5/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Four members of the University of Pittsburgh softball team were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All Mid-Atlantic Region teams, as announced by the NFCA on Thursday. Senior Savannah King was named to the First Team and redshirt junior Shelby Pickett was named to the Second Team, while junior Jenna Modic and two-time honoree, senior Carly Thea were tabbed to the Third Team.
"I am so incredibly proud of these girls," said head coach Holly Aprile. "We had our first ever All-Region selection last year in Carly Thea and to get more this year was really nice. It's an acknowledgement from others around the league."
"Whether you get those or not, you are trying to be the best player you can be. So when you receive that honor it is validating. It's a tribute to those four and how great of a season they had and that we all had. The whole team doing well has allowed these individuals to be seen and earn these awards."
King is the first-ever first-team selection in Pitt program history. She has appeared in 37 games for the Panthers in 2015, and collected a single-season program-best 20 wins on the mound. Although she is not finished yet, the California native owns a 2.72 ERA after pitching in 174.2 innings. After a successful senior campaign, King is a career pitching leader in appearances (153), complete games (69), and innings (738.1). At the 2015 ACC Championships, King played a major role in the upsets over Notre Dame and North Carolina, pitching two complete games, allowing just one run and walking three. King was also named to the ACC All-Tournament team for her efforts.
A second-team selection, Pickett collects her third award in 2015. She was recently an All-ACC Second Team selection and was named to the ACC All-Tournament team. The third baseman has been a leader at the plate as she boasts a .354 average, good for second-best of the Panthers. She also leads the team in runs (46) and doubles (15). Pickett's notable batting performance has led her to break single-season batting records in at-bats (189) and hits (67). The leadoff batter notched four hits through three games at the 2015 ACC Championships and hit a home run against North Carolina.
Thea made history last season as she was the first Pitt softball player to be an all-region selection. Tabbed to third-team this year, second last year, the New York native has been a key part of the 2015 Panthers. Named to the All-Tournament team, Thea had an outstanding performance at the ACC tournament as she recorded four hits and multiple impressive catches in center field. Batting .327 on the season, Thea has tallied 53 hits including 13 doubles, three homers and 36 RBI.
Modic has also been an important piece to the Panthers' success this season. Named third-team, the designated player was also an All-ACC First-Team selection. In her first season at Pitt, Modic claims a .303 average and has knocked six homers and five doubles. She has sent 35 runners home and has scored 23 runs herself. Modic has played consistently throughout the season, but had a standout performance against Louisville in the final regular season series when she hit a walk-off home run to win the game for the Panthers.
The four selections look to finish the 2015 season with a bang as Pitt competes in it's first-ever NCAA tournament. The Panthers will take on California on Friday, May 15 in Ann Arbor, Mich at 3:30 p.m.
The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first, second and third teams selected for each region. The all-region teams were voted on by NFCA member coaches from each respective region, and all the honorees now become eligible for selection to one of three 2015 NFCA Division I All-America teams.
FIRST TEAM
| Pitcher | Emily | Bausher | Lehigh University |
| Pitcher | Savannah | King | University of Pittsburgh |
| Catcher | Lisa | Cadogan | Binghamton University |
| First Base | Micaela | Arizmendi | University of Notre Dame |
| Second Base | Alexis | Watanabe | Lehigh University |
| Third Base | Katey | Haus | University of Notre Dame |
| Shortstop | Alex | Nickel | Saint Louis University |
| Outfield | Karley | Wester | University of Notre Dame |
| Outfield | Emilee | Koerner | University of Notre Dame |
| Outfield | Bria | Green | Stony Brook University |
| Utility/Pitcher | Rachel | Gillen | Fordham University |
| DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher | Liz | Seymour | George Mason University |
|
| |||
| Pitcher | Manda | Cash | University of Dayton |
| Pitcher | Kayla | English | University of Dayton |
| Catcher | Cassidy | Whidden | University of Notre Dame |
| First Base | Holiday | Cahill | Towson University |
| Second Base | Kylie | McGoldrick | Virginia Tech |
| Third Base | Shelby | Pickett | University of Pittsburgh |
| Shortstop | Brook | Miko | Towson University |
| Outfield | Kristen | Zahn | Bucknell University |
| Outfield | Shayla | Giosia | Stony Brook University |
| Outfield | Nicole | Yozzo | Lehigh University |
| Utility/Pitcher | Missy | McCormick | Towson University |
| DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher | Taylor | DuPree | College of Charleston |
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| Pitcher | Allyson | Frei | Boston College |
| Pitcher | Brianna | Lore | Saint Louis University |
| Catcher | Kayla | Lombardo | Fordham University |
| First Base | Tiffany | Ricks | University of Dayton |
| Second Base (t) | Amy | Van Hoven | Fordham University |
| Second Base (t) | Jenna | Simon | University of Notre Dame |
| Third Base | Brooke | Blankenship | George Mason University |
| Shortstop | Morgan | Reed | University of Notre Dame |
| Outfield | Breanna | Davenport | Virginia Tech |
| Outfield | Carly | Thea | University of Pittsburgh |
| Outfield | Kara | Shutt | Elon University |
| Utility/Pitcher | Gabrielle | Snyder | University of Dayton |
| DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher | Jenna | Modic | University of Pittsburgh |
#H2P
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