HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., May 5, 2009 -- James Madison senior right-hander Meredith Felts (Greenville, N.C./J.H. Rose) was a repeat performer on the All-Colonial Athletic Association first team to highlight four Dukes on the all-conference teams named Tuesday night on the campus of Hofstra University. Hofstra will host the 2009 CAA Softball Championships beginning Wednesday.
Junior outfielder Courtney Simons (Richmond, Va./Deep Run) joined Felts on the first team, while junior first baseman Shannon Moxey (Church Road, Va./Mills Godwin) was a second-team selection and freshman shortstop Ashley Burnham (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) was selected to the All-Rookie team.
Felts was named to the first team for the second consecutive year and is a three-time All-CAA selection. Simons picked up her second all-conference nod, adding to her second-team selection in 2007. Moxey and Burnham were both first-time honorees.
Heading into the CAA Championship, Felts ranks second in the conference in ERA and strikeouts and is tied for third in wins. The senior is 16-4 this season with a 1.49 ERA and has a school-record 164 strikeouts in 160 innings pitched. She finished behind only three-time CAA Pitcher of the Year Kayleigh Lotti in ERA, strikeouts and batting average against.
Simons hit .316 in 43 games this year for JMU, adding 10 doubles, two triples, 19 runs and 15 runs batted in. The junior also added six walks for a .352 on-base percentage and eight stolen bases in 10 attempts.
Moxey hit .336 out of the leadoff spot to lead the Dukes in batting average. The junior was one of three players to start all 46 games for Madison, recording 11 doubles, three triples, 19 runs scored, and 14 RBI. She finished second on the team with 19 walks for a .420 on-base percentage, stole three bases and posted a .988 fielding percentage.
Burnham also started all 46 games for JMU, hitting .261 with 35 hits, 19 runs scored and 18 RBI. The shortstop added six doubles and two home runs for a .351 slugging percentage and walked 11 times for a .329 on-base percentage. She stole five bases in six attempts and recorded 59 putouts and 95 assists for a .939 fielding percentage.
Hofstra, the CAA regular-season champion, claimed three of the conferences's top honors as right-hander Kayleigh Lotti was named the Pitcher of the Year, first baseman Michele DePasquale took home Player of the Year honors and head coach Bill Edwards was named CAA Coach of the Year. Georgia State's Alana Thomas was named the Rookie of the Year.
Lotti took home Pitcher of the Year honors for the third straight year, while Edwards was named the Coach of the Year for the second straight year.
Hofstra and Georgia State each placed a league-high three players on the All-CAA first team. Joining Lotti and DePasquale for the Pride was second baseman Casey Fee, while Georgia State was represented by catcher Catherine Lee, third baseman Danielle Roddy and outfielder Natasha Berry. Also honored on the first team were Towson second baseman Mindy Bean and outfielder Emily Gould, Delaware shortstop Kim Ovittore, Drexel designated player/non-pitcher Paige Collings and George Mason designated player/pitcher Becky Anderson.
2009 ALL-CAA SOFTBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Player, School Pos. Cl. Hometown/Previous School
Catherine Lee, Georgia State* C So. Covington, Ga./Eastside
Michele DePasquale, Hofstra* 1B Jr. Waterford, N.J./Camden Catholic
Casey Fee, Hofstra* 2B Sr. Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach
Mindy Bean, Towson# 2B Jr. Eugene, Ore./Winston Churchill
Danielle Roddy, Georgia State 3B Jr. Canton, Ga./Woodstock
Kim Ovittore, Delaware SS Sr. Bethel, Conn./Lauralton Hall
Natasha Berry, Georgia State# OF Sr. Victoria, B.C., Canada/North Florida CC
Emily Gould, Towson OF Sr. Lake Forest Park, Wash./Shorecrest
Courtney Simons, James Madison OF Jr. Richmond, Va./Deep Run
Paige Collings, Drexel DP/NP Fr. Delta, British Columbia, Canada/South Delta
Becky Anderson, George Mason DP/P Jr. Oakton, Va./Oakton
Meredith Felts, James Madison* P Sr. Greenville, N.C./J.H. Rose
Kayleigh Lotti, Hofstra* P Sr. S. Attleboro, Mass./St. Raphael's Academy
SECOND TEAM
Player, School Pos. Cl. Hometown/Previous School
Ashley Botelho, Drexel C Jr. Rochester, Mass./Coyle and Cassidy
Shannon Moxey, James Madison 1B Jr. Church Road, Va./Mills Godwin
Morgan Walters, UNC Wilmington 2B Jr. Fuquay-Varina, N.C./Fuquay-Varina
Michelle Grap, Delaware 3B So. Ellicott City, Md./Centennial
Sammi DiPompo, Towson SS So. Berlin, N.J./St. Joseph
Erika Bernstein, Hofstra* OF Sr. Somerville, N.J./Somerville
Kelsey Eddinger, UNC Wilmington OF Fr. Benson, N.C./West Johnson
Melissa Hodge, Hofstra OF Sr. Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West
Holly Willis, Georgia State* OF Sr. Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge
Joanne Kralowetz, Hofstra DP/NP Sr. Mt. Airy, Md./Linganore
Miranda Cranford, George Mason DP/P Fr. Escondido, Calif./Escondido
Shannon Johnston, Towson P Jr. Carrollton, Texas/Hebron
Alana Thomas, Georgia State P Fr. Athens, Ga./Oconee County
2009 CAA Player of the Year: Michele DePasquale, Hofstra
2009 CAA Pitcher of the Year: Kayleigh Lotti, Hofstra
2009 CAA Rookie of the Year: Alana Thomas, Georgia State
2009 CAA Coach of the Year: Bill Edwards, Hofstra
* - 1st team All-CAA in 2008 # - 2nd team All-CAA in 2008
2009 CAA ALL-ROOKIE SOFTBALL TEAM
Player, School Pos. Cl. Hometown/High School
Hillary Allen, Drexel P/OF Fr. Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional
Ashley Burnham, James Madison SS Fr. Danvers, Mass./Danvers
Paige Collings, Drexel C Fr Delta, British Columbia, Canada/South Delta.
Morgan Davis, George Mason C/IF Fr. Fairfax, Va./James Madison HS
Kelsey Eddinger, UNC Wilmington OF Fr. Benson, N.C./West Johnson
Rachel Jones, Delaware OF Fr. Endicott, N.Y./Union Endicott
Alyssa See, George Mason UT Fr. Manassas, Va./Crestview
Amanda Stacevicz, Delaware P Fr. Cedar Grove, N.J./Mt. St. Dominic Academy
Erica Stasch, Towson OF Fr. Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake
Alana Thomas, Georgia State P Fr. Athens, Ga./Oconee County
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Courtesy: JMUSports.com
