Four Jayhawks Earn NFCA All-Region Honors
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – One day after the Big 12 All-Conference selections were announced, Kansas softball learned that four Jayhawks garnered more postseason accolades, as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced its all-region teams Thursday.
Senior Chaley Brickey was named to the NFCA Midwest All-Region First Team, while senior Shannon McGinley and sophomores Andie Formby and Erin McGinley collected third team honors. Brickey’s NFCA recognition marks the third in her career and first for Formby and the McGinleys.
Brickey started all 51 games at shortstop in 2016 and claimed KU’s all-time RBI, walks and runs scored records. In 2016, Brickey led the Jayhawks in eight offensive categories, including batting average (.387), runs score (48), hits (55), doubles (18) and slugging percentage (.725). Brickey also drew a Big 12-best 41 walks, while recording a team-high 16 multi-hit efforts and nine multi-RBI games. Defensively, Brickey has registered 100 assists and 86 putouts while committing just four errors for a .979 fielding percentage.
In 51 starts in the outfield, Shannon McGinley registered a .344 clip at the plate, good for second-best on the squad. She also finished second on the roster in hits (53), doubles (11) and runs scored (31). The senior recorded a team-best 10 sacrifice hits in 2016, while posting 13 multi-hit efforts and four multi-RBI performances. McGinley registered the longest bases reached streak after safely reaching in 28-straight games. McGinley posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 92 putouts.
Formby led KU’s pitching staff with a 16-7 record in the circle in 33 appearances. Formby posted the fourth-lowest ERA in the Big 12 (2.26) and the fourth-most strikeouts (113). She finished second in the league in shutouts thrown (9) and hurled 14 complete games. She threw her first career no-hitter against Saint Louis (3/20) and tossed nearly 29 shutout innings prior to becoming the 26th Jayhawk to toss a no-hitter. She limited opponents to 48 earned runs and 34 walks in 149 innings of work.
During her sophomore season, Erin McGinley started 45 games and appeared in 48. She posted a .320 clip at the plate, the third-best batting average on the team. She registered 48 hits, including six doubles and two home runs, 19 RBIs and 11 walks. McGinley recorded 13 multi-hit games and five multi-RBI efforts. She posted a nine-game hitting streak, second longest on the squad. Defensively, McGinley registered 37 putouts and one assist while committing no errors.
The awards honor softball student-athletes from the NFCA’s 10 regions with first, second and third team selections. NFCA member coaches from each respective region voted on the teams, and all the honorees are now eligible for selection to the 2016 NFCA Division I All-American squads.
The 2016 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced at approximately 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 1, via NFCA.org.
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