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Five Gallaudet Bison selected to NEAC South Division All-Conference teams
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) released its 2011 softball all-conference awards on Friday and Gallaudet University had five players receive honors as one Bison made the first team and four landed on the second team for the South Division. Sophomore second baseman Nicole O'Malley (Fredericksburg, Va.) was named to the first team while junior first baseman Jessica Buckwalter (Palmyra, Mo.), senior shortstop Alicia Balzer (Montgomery Village, Md.), and sophomore outfielders Michelin Barron (Frederick, Md.) and Alicia Johnson (San Jose, Calif.) were picked for the second team. The five honorees for the Bison helped GU to a 10-26 record this season, its first double digit win total since 2006, and a 7-13 conference mark in the first season in the NEAC for the program.
O'Malley led the entire NEAC (North and South Divisions) in hit by pitch with eight, she was eighth in the conference in total plate appearances (106) and ninth in runs scored (29). She was fourth on the team in batting with a .322 batting average as she started 33 games. She was second on the team in at bats (90), runs (29), hits (29) and third in doubles (four) and RBI (16) and led the team with eight steals on 10 attempts.
Balzer saw action in 28 games where she started 27 of them at various positions. She finished the season with a .284 batting average as she went 23-for-81 at the plate, scored 19 runs, hit five doubles, three triples and drove in 23 runs. She was first on the team in triples and second in RBI while being ranked fifth in the conference for doubles.
Barron was third on the team in batting with a .351 batting average (27-for-77), runs scored (24) as she started 31 games. She hit six doubles, two triples, two home runs, collected 43 total bases and 18 RBI as she slugged .558 percent.
Buckwalter was the second leading hitter for the Bison as she finished with a .358 batting average (24-for-67) as she started 27 games and played in 28. She was sixth in the conference for hit by pitch (three) and was also ranked for her defense as she was second in fielding double plays (five) and eighth in putouts (121).
Johnson led the Bison in nearly every offensive category as she batted .380 (38-for-100), scored 31 runs, seven doubles, two triples, three home runs, 30 RBI, 58 total bases and compiled a .580 slugging percentage as she started 35 games. She led the NEAC in sacrifice flies with four, she was fifth in hits (38), sixth in home runs (three), total bases (58), at bats (100), seventh in runs scored (31), runs batted in 30 and total plate appearances (107).
Penn St.-Berks coach Mandy McClune and Penn St.-Harrisburg coach Tonya Dengler shared the NEAC South Division Coach of the Year award as their peers voted on the award. Wilson College ran away with the South Division with an 18-2 conference record. Penn St.-Harrisburg pitcher/outfielder Kara Boyd was named NEAC South Division Player of the Year while Wilson sophomore Nicole Musser was selected as the NEAC South Division Pitcher of the Year. Penn St.-Berks led the South Division with five first team honorees, six overall. Surprisingly, Wilson only had one first team selection and Musser was not on the first team as she was one of four Phoenix on the second team. Gallaudet had the most players on the second team with four.
Also see:
2011 Gallaudet University Softball All-NEAC South Division Honorees
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Nicole O'Malley |
Alicia Balzer All-NEAC Second Team |
Michelin Barron All-NEAC Second Team |
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| Jessica Buckwalter All-NEAC Second Team |
Alicia Johnson All-NEAC Second Team |
