Friday, May 20, 2005

BONGIOLATTI SELECTED AS NFCA FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN
Slugging shortstop also picked as New England Player of the Year by NEISCA

MEDFORD – Tufts University senior shortstop Courtney Bongiolatti (Locust, NJ/Middletown) was named as a 2005 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division First Team All-American on Thursday. Jumbo freshman 2B Danielle Lopez (Danvers, MA/Danvers) was also chosen as a Third Team All-American, capping a bonanza of post-season awards earned by the team this spring. Tufts finished 27-8 overall.

In honors released by the New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association (NEISCA) earlier this week, Bongiolatti was Player of the Year and a First Team selection and Lopez was a First Team pick. Freshman catcher Megan Cusick (Albany, NY/Albany) was All-NEISCA Third Team, as was freshman DP Erica Bailey (Scottsdale, AZ/Chaparral).

Bongiolatti is Tufts' first First Team All-American. Together with Lopez, they bring the total of Jumbos honored as All-Americans since the 2000 season to six. Bongiolatti and Clark University outfielder Jen Scavone are the only New England players named to the All-American First Team. Bongiolatti's 14 home runs this spring were a Tufts record and the most by a New England player since 2000. She also hit .374 with 45 runs batted in, also a Tufts Softball record.

Lopez made a spectacular debut for Coach Cheryl Milligan's Jumbos this spring, hitting .379 with eight doubles, eight home runs, 26 runs scored and 27 runs batted in. She made just six errors at second base in 166 chances, a sharp .964 percentage. Her seven stolen bases led the Jumbos. She is the first Freshman All-American at Tufts since Lis Drake was recognized in 2000.

Bongiolatti and Lopez, who were both honored as At-Large selections to the All-American teams, were also named to the All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and NFCA All-New England First Teams.

Cusick, an All-NESCAC and All-NFCA New England First Team pick, hit .302 with three home runs and 12 RBIs, while deftly handling the Tufts pitching staff and playing some left field as well. Bailey, a Second Team All-NESCAC and All-NFCA New England player, was equally effective in the pitching circle (7-3, 1.58 era, 35 Ks in 62 IP) and at the plate (.337, 8 HRs, 29 RBIs.).

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