Four Wolverines Garner NFCA All-America Accolades
6/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
June 1, 2016
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Four members of the University of Michigan softball team earned Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America recognition today (Wednesday, June 1) from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. U-M is one of just two schools -- along with Florida -- to receive four All-America nods.
Senior second baseman Sierra Romero, senior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence and sophomore first baseman Tera Blanco were all named to the 18-player first team -- giving U-M more first-team selections than any other team -- while junior RHP Megan Betsa was selected to the second team. It is the second straight All-America honor for Lawrence and Betsa, while Romero becomes first four-time All-American in Michigan program history.
Michigan has boasted 38 different All-Americans -- combining for 63 distinctions -- in its 39-year program history. The Wolverines previously garnered four All-America citations in 1998, 2005, 2008 and 2010 and program-high five in 2015. Michigan's three first-team selections represent the most in program history.
Named the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last night (Tuesday, May 31), Romero became the first player in NCAA softball history to record 300 runs, 300 hits and 300 RBI in her career and owns NCAA record in career runs (300) and grand slams (11). She ranks among the nation's leaders in several offensive categories this season, boasting a .465 batting average, .916 slugging percentage and .585 on-base percentage. She leads the nation with 1.38 RBI per game and lists third with 1.32 runs scored per game.
Romero joins Sara Griffin (utility/pitcher 1995, '96, '97) as the only Wolverines to earn three All-America first team selections.
Lawrence, Michigan's everyday leadoff hitter, garners All-America honors for the second straight year -- she was a third-team selection in 2015 -- after recording career highs in several categories, including batting average (.440), slugging percentage (.687) and on-base percentage (.553). She also leads the Wolverines with 73 hits, 76 runs and 20 stolen bases. A unanimous All-Big Ten first team selection, she was a top-25 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
Blanco has enjoyed a breakout season for the Wolverines, boasting career highs in every offensive category, including batting average (.406), home runs (12), runs batted in (64), slugging percentage (.762) and on-base percentage (.539). She opened the season with a 13-game hit streak and owns 16 multi-hit and 18 multi-RBI games. She was also U-M's top performer at home this season, posting a .490 batting average in games at Alumni Field.
Betsa, the two-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, garnered repeat selection to the All-America second team after compiling a 27-3 record and ranking among the nation's leaders with a 1.96 earned-run average, 387 strikeouts and eight complete-game shutouts. She boasts nine double-digit strikeout games this season and ranks second nationally with 10.8 strikeouts per game.
Communications Contact: Leah Howard
