June 2, 2010

NFCA Release
(Includes video presentation of All-America teams)

STARKVILLE, Miss. – After compiling an East Carolina single-season record 356 strikeouts to go along with a 31-11 mark, junior pitcher Toni Paisley has been named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Third Team, according to an announcement by The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Wednesday. Paisley becomes only the third NFCA All-America selection in Pirate history, joining Isonette Polonius (1998-99) and Keisha Shepperson (2000-01). Paisley and Tulsa’s Lauren Lindsay, another third-team honoree, are the lone Conference USA members to make an All-America squad this season.

“Toni has truly set herself among the nation’s elite pitchers,” head coach Tracey Kee said. “We are so happy for her and all she has accomplished. She is a fierce competitor and a relentless hard worker.”

Last month, the Lakewood, Calif., native repeated as a NFCA All-Mideast First-Team member, the Conference USA Pitcher-of-the-Year and a First-Team All-C-USA selection. She helped guide ECU to its first Conference USA regular season title after going 13-2 with a 0.52 earned run average in league contests. She also hurled 12 solo or combined shutouts in C-USA action. This season, she was the C-USA Pitcher-of-the-Week seven times, tying the mark she reached last year and shares with Southern Miss’ Courtney Blades (2000) for the most weekly honors in a season.

In addition to the regular season crown, the Pirates picked up their first C-USA Tournament title as Paisley was named the most valuable player. She went 3-0 and did not surrender an earned run in 19 innings while striking out 20 at the league event in Houston, Texas.

The tournament championship gave the team C-USA’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, where Paisley helped East Carolina advance to the regional final for the first time in program history. While at the Austin Regional, she eliminated the host Texas Longhorns with a 1-0, 10-strikeout performance that moved the Pirates into the championship contest against BYU.

“What Toni has done for ECU and our program is hard to put into words,” Kee said. “Her statistics and records speak for themselves, but nothing can measure her heart and pure joy of competing game after game.”

Paisley’s 31 wins are the fourth most in a season in Pirate history. She also finished with a 1.09 earned run average, the sixth-best mark in the program record books. Her 22 shutouts trail only Washington’s two-time defending National Player-of-the-Year Danielle Lawrie, who has 24. With the release of the most recent set of NCAA statistics, through May 30, Paisley ranks fifth in ERA, ninth in strikeouts, 13th in hits allowed per seven innings (3.89), 14th in victories and 30th in strikeouts per seven innings (9.0).

For her career, Paisley’s 894 strikeouts rank her second in Pirate and Conference USA history, trailing only Keli Harrell’s 948. Paisley also checks in fourth on the ECU and league career wins list with 86, two behind Harrell for third. Paisley is the school’s career record-holder in shutouts with 45.

2010 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Americans
First Team
Pos., Name, School
P, Kenzie Fowler, University of Arizona
P, Danielle Lawrie, University of Washington
P, Jen Mineau, Fordham University
C, Chelsea Bramlett, Mississippi State University
1B, Meredith Hackett, University of Illinois
2B, Jen Yee, Georgia Institute of Technology
3B, Melissa Gonzalez, University of Hawai'i
SS, Katelyn Boyd, Arizona State University
OF, Alissa Haber, Stanford University
OF, Brittany Lastrapes, University of Arizona
OF, April Setterlund, Boston University
UT/P, Megan Langenfield, University of California, Los Angeles
UT/Non-P/DP, Niki Williams, University of Washington
At-Large/UT-P, Valerie Arioto, University of California, Berkeley
At-Large/2B, GiOnna DiSalvatore, University of California, Los Angeles
At-Large/SS, Jenn Salling, University of Washington
At-Large/OF, Kirsten Shortridge, Louisiana State University
At-Large/UT-P, Danielle Spalding, University of North Carolina

Second Team
Pos., Name, School
P, Blaire Luna, University of Texas
P, Keilani Ricketts, University of Oklahoma
P, Jordan Taylor, University of Michigan
C, Stacie Chambers, University of Arizona
1B, Dorian Shaw, University of Michigan
2B, Amber Flores, University of Oklahoma
3B, Maggie Viefhaus, University of Michigan
SS, K'Lee Arredondo, University of Arizona
OF, Kelly Majam, University of Hawai'i
OF, Taylor Schlopy, University of Georgia
OF, Francesca Enea, University of Florida
UT/P, Charlotte Morgan, University of Alabama
UT/Non-P/DP, Jessica Shults, University of Oklahoma
At-Large/2B, Kayla Braud, University of Alabama
At-Large/3B, Alisa Goler, University of Georgia
At-Large/C, Meagan May, Texas A&M University
At-Large/UT-P, Nikki Nemitz, University of Michigan
At-Large/C, Melissa Roth, University of Louisville

Third Team
Pos., Name, School
P, Whitney Kiihnl, Lipscomb University
P, Toni Paisley, East Carolina University
P, Sara Plourde, University of Massachusetts
C, Sam Marder, The Ohio State University
1B, Renae Sinkler, Creighton University
2B, Kara Nelson, Illinois State University
3B, Abby Olson, Illinois State University
SS, Lauren Grill, University of Mississippi
OF, Raven Chavanne, University of Tennessee
OF, Lauren Lindsay, University of Tulsa
OF, Rhea Taylor, University of Missouri
UT/P, Hope Rush, Georgia Institute of Technology
UT/Non-P/DP, Miranda Dixon, University of Arkansas
At-Large/P, Samantha Beasley, San Diego State University
At-Large/P, Stephanie Brombacher, University of Florida
At-Large/OF, Kat Dotson, University of Tennessee
At-Large/P, Kelsi Dunne, University of Alabama
At-Large/SS, Katie Fleury, University of Notre Dame

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