Teams: Softball: Press Releases

Friday, May 12, 2006

PLAYER OF THE YEAR LOPEZ LEADS FIVE ON SOFTBALL ALL-NESCAC TEAMS

MEDFORD -- For the sixth straight year, the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Player of the Year played for Tufts University as sophomore 2B Danielle Lopez (Danvers, MA/Danvers) was selected as the conference best for 2006. She was one of five Jumbos named to the All-NESCAC First and Second Teams in all.

Joining Lopez on the First Team are sophomore catcher Megan Cusick (Albany, NY/Albany) and freshman 3B/OF Samantha Kuhles (Somerville, NJ/Rutgers Prep). Voted on to the Second Team by NESCAC coaches was sophomore P/1B/DH Erica Bailey (Scottsdale, AZ/Chapparal) and freshman OF Laura Chapman (Seattle, WA/Bush School).

The Jumbos are currently playing in the NCAA Tournament Regionals at Rutgers University Camden. Entering the tournament, Lopez led NESCAC with 41 runs scored, 47 runs batted in, 11 home runs and 94 total bases. She was hitting .392 (seventh in NESCAC) with 10 doubles and 14 walks, helping her to .450 on-base and .723 slugging percentages. She joins Courtney Bongiolatti (2005), Katie Smith (2004), Lis Drake (2003), Jen Mackey (2002) and Randee McArdle (2001) as the players to win consecutive Player of the Year award for the Jumbos.

Like Lopez, Cusick is on the First Team for the second straight year. She was hitting .333 with seven doubles and 16 RBIs entering the week. She picked 12 runners off the bases and caught nine stealing. In her first year of collegiate play, Kuhles is ninth in NESCAC with a .380 batting average while scoring 23 runs and posting a solid .954 fielding percentage. She has struck out just five times in 92 at bats.

Bailey is the third member of the team to be recognized as All-NESCAC for a second straight year. She is the team's top double threat, winning four games with a 2.94 earned run average and 53 strikeouts in the pitcher's circle and hitting .333 with two home runs and 21 RBIs at the plate. Chapman's speed at the lead-off spot provided the Jumbo line-up with a new dimension. She is hitting .338 with 16 runs scored and 12 stolen bases, which is tied for the league lead.

Tufts, making its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance, entered the tournament with a 26-14 record. They won the NESCAC East Division for the fourth time with a 7-1 finish.

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