May 19, 2011

NFCA All-Region Teams

STARKVILLE, Miss. - On the heels of her third-straight Conference USA Pitcher-of-the-Year award, East Carolina senior Toni Paisley was selected to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Mideast All-Region First Team, according to an announcement from The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Thursday. Paisley becomes the first player in Pirate program history to earn three all-region accolades in her career.

As a result of her selection to the first team, Paisley is now eligible for Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America First, Second or Third Team honors. A year ago, the Lakewood, Calif., native was a third-team All-America pick.

Paisley enters this weekend's NCAA Tournament College Park Regional with a 30-11 record to go along with a 1.08 earned run average. Last week, she joined Houston's Angel Shamblin (2006-08) as the only hurlers in league history to take home the pitcher-of-the-year award in three consecutive campaigns. A top 25 finalist for the Amateur Softball Association of America's Player of the Year Award, Paisley has recorded an ECU single-season record 365 strikeouts in 2011, passing her own mark of 356 from a year ago. Last weekend at the C-USA Tournament, she went 3-0 and fanned 21 in leading the Pirates to their second-straight championship.

For her career, Paisley has tallied 116 victories and 1,259 strikeouts, good for the 20th and 22nd most, respectively, in NCAA Division I history. This year, she became the Conference USA career record holder in wins, whiffs, innings pitched (1,060.0) and appearances (179).

In addition to Paisley, Conference USA had two other players named mideast all-region. UAB's Leigh Streetman and Marshall's Rebecca Gamby were second-team honorees.

The Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America team selections will be announced June 1.

NFCA Mideast Region Teams
First Team
Position, Name, School
P, Toni Paisley, East Carolina University
P, Sara Nevins, University of South Florida
C, Elizabeth Kay, Illinois State University
1B, Stephanie Medina, University of South Florida
2B, Lauren Buch, Murray State University
3B, Brittany Lindley, Rutgers University
SS, Julie Towers, University of Connecticut
OF, Mallory Duran, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
OF, Gina Kafalas, University of South Florida
OF, Jenna Bradley, Murray State University
UT/Non-P, Janine Richardson, University of South Florida

Second Team
Position, Name, School
P, Leigh Streetman, University of Alabama at Birmingham
P, Jordan Birch, Illinois State University
P, Jessica Simpson, Miami University of Ohio
P, Amber May, Eastern Illinois University
C, Rebecca Gamby, Marshall University
1B, Taylor Orsburn, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
2B, Kara Nelson, Illinois State University
3B, Alex Feltes, University of Akron
SS, Hannah Fulk, Bowling Green State University
OF, Ashli Goff, University of South Florida
OF, Liz Andrews, Illinois State University
OF, Tomeka Watson, Elon University
UT/Non-P, Jhavon Hamilton, Illinois State University

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