Gomez Highlights Cajuns' Selections on All-South Region Team

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Click Here to View the 2006 NFCA All-Region Teams

LAFAYETTE – Danyele Gomez found herself in select company on Wednesday when the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced its 2006 All-South Region Team.

Gomez, the nation's leader in home runs and 2006 Sun Belt Player of the Year, was listed alongside 10 SEC players on the region's First Team. She and Louisville's Lacy Wood were the only non-SEC student-athletes on the first team list.

Gomez received All-South Region First Team honors for the second straight season and third time in her career. She was a member of the First Team in 2003 and 2005.

She joins former UL greats such as Brooke Mitchell, Tiffany Clark, Jana Mower, Kyla Hall, Kathy Morton and Cathy Sconzo to earn All-Region honors at least three times in a career.

Gomez highlighted a list of four Ragin' Cajuns who were voted by NFCA South Region coaches onto the All-Region team. Joining Gomez as representatives on the All-South Region Second Team were Ashley Kirchberg (pitcher), Lacey Bertucci (first base) and Ashley Evans (outfield).

UL was tied with SEC-member Tennessee for the second-most selections among NFCA South Region membership. Alabama led all region members with five selections.

Louisiana-Lafayette was the only Sun Belt Conference school to have a player named to an NFCA All-Region Team.

Each one will now advance to the national ballot for the opportunity to be named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America team. The All-America team will be determined on May 29 and announced prior to the start of the Women's College World Series in the first week of June.

This season's selections to the NFCA All-South Region team marked the 19th straight season that the Ragin' Cajuns softball program had at least one player selected to an All-Region team.

It marks the second straight season that four were honored. The Ragin' Cajuns have had four NFCA All-South Region selections in three of the past five seasons (2002, 2005, 2006).

Louisiana-Lafayette has now had 20 NFCA All-South Region selections under co-head coaches Stefni and Michael Lotief.

Bertucci, Evans and Kirchberg are all appearing on the NFCA All-South Region team for the first time in their careers.

Gomez Danyele.gif" width="120" height="144" align="left">Gomez was the Sun Belt's “Triple Crown” winner as she ended the regular season with a .456 average, 28 home runs and 64 RBI. She has maintained an average above .400 all season and was still hitting .567 on March 14.

Gomez was the first player in Division I this season to reach 20 home runs and currently leads the nation with 29 home runs. She scored in 45 of 58 games and hit safely in 46 of 58 games.

Gomez' home run total this season has pushed her career total to 82 – the fourth-most in NCAA history. She enters NCAA Regional needing only three home runs to move into a tie for second in the record books.

Kirchberg was named the 2006 Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year after leading the regular season with 23 victories. She finished the season undefeated in league play and was only Sun Belt pitcher with over 100 innings pitched that held opponents below 100 hits.

Earlier this season Kirhcberg went 42 2/3 straight innings without allowing a run (earned or unearned) tossing a shutout in seven straight appearances starting the season 10-0

Bertucci Lacey.gif" width="120" height="144" align="left">Bertucci had a career season at first base. She set personal bests for single season home runs and RBI. Her 19 home runs ranked ninth (9^th) in the nation at the end of the regular season.

Bertucci hit .400 (6-for-15) with four home runs and eight RBI at the prestigious Judi Garman Classic - owns home runs against some of the top pitchers from Top 15 teams. The junior homered off of Texas' Meagan Denny, Washington's Danielle Lawrie (2 home runs) and Arizona State's Danielle Serrano.

Evans Ashley.gif" width="120" height="144" align="right">Evans has joined Gomez in the 20-home run club by belting 20 homers this season. Her home runs are a career-high and 51 RBI is also a career-high. Of her 57 hits she has posted 32 extra base hits (11 doubles, 1 triple, 20 HR) – 56 percent of her hits for extra bases.

On May 29 a committee consisting of the NFCA region representatives will meet in Oklahoma City to select the 2006 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America teams. The All-American selections will be announced during the week of the Women's College World Series (June 1-7).

South Region