The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has ranked the Georgian Court University softball squad 13th in its final Top-25 national poll of the 2009 season after the Lions enjoyed its most successful campaign in program history, a year in which the CACC champions reached 40 victories (40-17) for the first time and came within one win of advancing to the NCAA Division II College World Series.
“This has been an amazing season, and to finish 13th in the final NFCA TOP 25 poll is remarkable. It just goes to show you that if you work hard throughout the entire year the rewards will come at the end of the year when it really matters," stated GCU head coach Jeff Franquet.
“I am so proud of this team. All teams go through learning curves, ups and downs, and the normal grind of the long year-but through all of that this team has bonded better then any I have ever coached. The passion and energy we had at the end of the year is the primary reason we were successful. This team believed the were going to win, and in the end that is what we did.”
GCU, after finishing 17-7 in the regular season against conference foes, breezed through the CACC tournament (4/30-5/2), dropping Holy Family University, Dominican College, and defending champion Caldwell College twice to earn its second conference crown in three years.
The Lions took the momentum with them to the NCAA Division II East 2 Regional Tournament in Brookville, NY (5/8-5/10) where they polished off Southern Connecticut State University and the University of New Haven twice, earning their first-ever trip to the NCAA Super Regionals.
The next stop for GCU was Syracuse, NY were the Lions would take on the top-ranked LeMoyne College Dolphins. The magic continued for Georgian Court in Game One as they dropped LeMoyne, 4-1. Unfortunately, the Lions were unable to score again in the best-of-three-series, dropping the next two contests, 2-0 and 4-0.
Numerous players received postseason accolades for their achievements on the diamond, including: junior pitching ace Diana Sansevera (CACC Pitcher of the Year, First-Team All-CACC, CACC Tournament MVP, Louisville Slugger/NFCA Second-Team All-American, Daktronics Northeast Region Pitcher of the Year, Daktronics All-American Honorable Mention); Mallory Kirchner (Louisville Slugger/NFCA First-Team All-American, First-Team All-CACC, CACC All-Tournament Team, Daktronics All-American Honorable Mention); Rachel Ruch (Louisville Slugger/NFCA First-Team All-American, CACC Rookie of the Year, Daktronics Second -Team All-Region, CACC All-Tournament Team); Courtney Cuevas (Daktronics All-American Honorable Mention, Louisville Slugger/NFCA Second-Team All-Region, All-CACC Second Team); Brooke Hull (Louisville Slugger/NFCA Second Team All-Region; First-Team All-CACC, CACC All-Tournament Team) and Jess Comiskey (CACC All-Tournament Team).
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