May 7, 2009
EL PASO, Texas (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF softball team set a program-record Wednesday night when five members of the squad were selected to All-Conference USA teams, league officials announced at the C-USA Softball Championship Banquet in El Paso, Texas. Sophomore Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) garnered All-C-USA First Team honors, marking the third-straight season the Knights have had at least one player on the team.
The Black and Gold, which finished the regular season with a 27-26 overall record and an 11-12 league mark, tied Houston for the second-most All-C-USA selections this season, while regular-season champion Tulsa paced the league with eight selections.
Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) and Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) both grabbed spots on the All-C-USA Second Team, while Natalie Land (Mayo, Fla.) and Vanessa Perez (San Diego, Calif.) were selected to the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
Lane is no stranger to post-season honors, as she was named the 2008 C-USA Championship MVP and was also a member of the C-USA All-Freshman Team a year ago as a freshman. The sophomore leads the nation with eight triples in 2009, while also ranking in the top-10 in triples per game. Lane broke UCF's all-time record and ranks third in C-USA history with her 15 career-triples. The California native ranks in the top-10 in the league in six different offensive categories, while leading the Knights in four this season.
Javier received All-C-USA honors for the third-straight season, being selected to the All-C-USA First Team in both 2007 and 2008, and to the C-USA Championship All-Tournament Team the same two seasons. The senior was also named to the Preseason All-C-USA team prior to the start of the 2009 season. Javier ranks in the top-five at UCF in 15 career categories and paces the team this season in both hits and RBI.
A C-USA All-Freshman Team selection in 2008, McClain has posted eight multiple-RBI games and 15 multiple-hits games, including a program-record eight three-hit games, this season and paces the Black and Gold in four offensive categories.
Land and Perez have started in all 53 games for UCF in their freshmen seasons, with Land leading the Knights in stolen bases and assists and Perez leading the squad in sacrifice hits.
UCF will face Marshall on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET, in the opening round of the C-USA Championship, as it is on a quest to defend its C-USA Championship crown.
The championship game of the tournament will be aired live on CBS College Sports Network Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The Knights are 6-2 all-time in the C-USA Championship after sweeping through the tournament last season with wins over Southern Miss, UTEP and host Houston to claim the championship crown and earn the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. UCF posted a 3-2 record in the event it hosted at the UCF Softball Complex in 2007, defeating Marshall, Tulsa and East Carolina to make it to the semi-finals.
The Black and Gold will look to defend its C-USA Championship title beginning May 7 when it travels to El Paso, Texas for the 2009 C-USA Championship presented by Helen of Troy. For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
2008 C-USA SOFTBALL AWARDS
Freshman of the Year
Chelsea Troupe, UT, UTEP
Co-Newcomers of the Year
Katie Murphree, P, Marshall
Martina Landrum, CF, UAB
Pitcher of the Year
Toni Paisley, East Carolina
Player of the Year
Camilla Carrera, UTEP
Coach of the Year
Tracey Kee, East Carolina
All-Conference USA First Team
C - Camilla Carrera, UTEP
IF - Jessica Johnson, East Carolina
IF - Jessica Valis, Houston
IF - Kailey Yarmer, Tulsa
IF - Tiffany Lane, UCF
OF - Megan Hill, Southern Miss
OF - Brooke Smart, Tulsa
OF - Lauren Lindsay, Tulsa
UT - Chelsea Troupe, UTEP
P - Toni Paisley, East Carolina
P - Jackie Lawrence, Tulsa
All-Conference USA Second Team
C - Kristin Pilgrim, Southern Miss
IF - Haley Valis, Houston
IF - Leila Dolfo, Memphis
IF - Vanessa Vice, Tulsa
IF - Breanne Javier, UCF
OF - Katie Bush, Houston
OF - Laurie Wagner, Houston
OF - Joscelyn Bitner, Marshall
UT - Abby McClain, UCF
P - Samantha Davis, Southern Miss
P - Jordan Kinard, Tulsa
All-Conference USA Freshman Team
Melissa Gregson, Houston
Rebecca Gamby, Marshall
Alianna Telles, Marshall
Lelani Bernardino, Memphis
Ashley Razey, Southern Miss
Jessica Stoelke, Tulsa
Skylar Swanson, Tulsa
Catherine Douglass, UAB
Natalie Land, UCF
Vanessa Perez, UCF
Chelsea Troupe, UTEP