The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Softball lands five on NFCA All-Region squad
05.14.2009 | Softball
May 14, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas Softball team placed five players on the 2009 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Central Region Team, the organization announced Thursday. The Longhorns' five first teamers equaled a program-best five players that UT put on the squad in 1998.
Freshman shortstop Lexy Bennett, freshman rightfielder Courtney Craig, junior second baseman Loryn Johnson, freshman third baseman Nadia Taylor and senior first baseman Desiree Williams all earned first team honors.
Johnson claimed her third straight all-region accolade, while Williams picked up her second and first since 2006.
Bennett has shined in her freshman season, hitting at a .350 clip for the year and starting 55 of Texas' 56 games at shortstop. The Kingwood, Texas, native ranks second on the team with 56 hits and has added 17 runs scored, nine doubles, 21 RBI, five homers and a .500 slugging percentage.
Craig became the Horns' every-day starter in right field midway through the season and ended her inaugural campaign as the Big 12's leading hitter with a .420 batting average. The Oceanside, Calif., native has scored 30 runs, swiped 16 bases, registered 50 hits and slugged at a .613 clip in 2009.
Johnson has started all 56 games for UT in 2009, splitting time between second base and designated player. The Alvin, Texas, native has hit .405 on the year with a Big 12-best 68 hits. She ranks second in the league with 14 doubles and second with 106 total bases, while ranking fourth with a .631 slugging percentage.
Taylor has earned the starting nod at the hot corner in 54 games as a freshman, posting a .321 batting average with 29 RBI and 22 runs scored. The Humble, Texas, native ranks fourth on the club with a .434 on-base percentage, reaching base with 24 walks and 45 hits.
Williams, a fifth-year senior, has hit in the leadoff spot for the Longhorns all 56 games this season, hitting at a .289 clip with 10 doubles and 34 RBI. In 2009, the Tucson, Ariz., native has set UT single-season records with 47 walks and 48 runs scored, while tying her own home run record of 12 that she shares with Johnson and Tallie Thrasher.
The Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Region teams honor student-athletes from 10 NFCA regions. A total of 264 players from 121 different institutions comprise the regional teams. A change this year is the announcement of just one team per region (First Team), although the team has the same number of members of the previous year's first and second teams combined. The change gives the regional representatives more leeway in presenting candidates for All-America selection.
The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first, second or third teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration.
Texas returns to action at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15 when it takes on Chattanooga in the first round of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional.
