Softball Lands Two On NFCA All-Region Teams
May 18, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Senior Serena Settlemier (Kelso, Wash.) and junior Kassie Humphreys (Glendale, Ariz.) of the University of Kansas softball team were honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association with the announcement of the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Midwest All-Region Teams on Thursday. Settlemier was a first team selection as a utility player while Humphreys was a second team pick as a pitcher.
Settlemier was named the 2006 Big 12 Softball Player of the Year after an outstanding senior campaign in the pitcher’s circle and in the batter’s box. Through the regular season, Settlemier led the conference in home runs (21), RBI (59) and slugging percentage (.815). She led the KU offense with a .331 batting average and blasted six grand slams. On the rubber, Settlemier went 16-6 and posted a 1.21 ERA to rank third in the Big 12 and second on the team. She lowered her ERA to 0.83 against conference opponents and ranked third in the league in opponent batting average at .166. Settlemier was named Big 12 Player of the Week twice, including on April 25 when she also was tabbed USA Softball Co-National Player of the Week.
Humphreys, the Jayhawks’ ace in the circle, was an All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2006. Humphreys (17-16) held hitters to a .148 batting average while posting an ERA of 1.18 ERA to rank second in the Big 12 in both categories. Through 213.2 inning of work, the hard-thrower sat down 242 batters by way of strike out.
After sweeping through the Big 12 Championship to take its first title in program history, Kansas (34-24) traveled to Provo, Utah, where it is competing in its second straight NCAA Regional. KU opens against host school BYU (42-20) today at 5 p.m. CST at Miller Park. Also in the bracket are Southern Utah (34-20), winners of the Mid-Continent Conference, and Washington (32-23) of the Pacific 10. The Jayhawks are guaranteed at least two games in the double-elimination tournament to be held Thursday-Saturday.
Chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, the honorees will now be eligible for selection to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first, second or third teams to be announced prior to the Women’s College World Series. The WCWS will be played June 1-7 at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
2006 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region Midwest Selections (www.nfca.org)
First Team
Ashley DeBuhr, Pitcher, University of Nebraska
Cat Osterman, Pitcher, University of Texas (Big 12 Pitcher of the Year)
Chelsi Lake, Catcher, Baylor University
Crystal Carwile, First Base, University of Nebraska
Jessica Yoachim, Second Base, University of Nebraska
Desiree Williams, Short Stop, University of Texas
Brette Reagan, Third Base, Baylor University
Samantha Ricketts, Designated Player, University of Oklahoma
Serena Settlemier, Utility, Kansas (Big 12 Player of the Year)
Kelly Osburn, Outfield, Baylor University
Kristin Vesely, Outfield, University of Oklahoma
Norrelle Dickson, Outfield, University of Oklahoma
Second Team
Lisa Ferguson, Pitcher, Baylor University
Kassie Humphreys, Pitcher, University of Kansas
Ashley Killeen, Catcher, Iowa State University
Samantha Fleeman, First Base, Missouri State University (Missouri Valley Player of the Year)
Lauren Cisneros, Second Base, Creighton University
Savannah Long, Short Stop, University of Oklahoma
Jamie Hinshaw, Third Base, Texas A&M University
Tessa Lynam, Designated Player, Baylor University
Megan Gibson, Utility, Texas A&M University
Lizzy Aumua, Outfield, University of Nebraska
Lauren Kitchens, Outfield, Oklahoma State University
Katie Reichling, Outfield, Iowa State University
