May 11, 2011
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By Sarah Tarasewicz
UCFAthletics.com
GREENVILLE, N.C. (UCFAthletics.com) - A day after learning she earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Academic Team and a day prior to opening play at the C-USA Championship, league officials announced Wednesday that UCF junior Natalie Land (Mayo, Fla.) was named to the All-C-USA First Team, while senior Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) garnered a spot on the All-C-USA Second Team.
Both infielders are making repeat appearances on the all-conference team, as Land is making her second-consecutive appearance on the All-C-USA First Team and Lane was also named to the first team in both 2009 and 2010.
Land enters the C-USA Championship hosted by East Carolina this weekend with team-highs in batting average (.353), runs (31), hits (53), doubles (7), triples (5), slugging percentage (.527), on-base percentage (.443), sacrifice hits (9) and stolen bases (25). The second baseman ranks in the league's top-10 in nine offensive categories in all games and in five offensive categories in C-USA only contests, while also ranking eighth nationally in triples, 31st in triples per game (0.10) and 50th in stolen bases per game (0.48).
During her career, Land has twice been named to the All-C-USA First Team, the C-USA All-Academic Team and the Capital One Academic All-District III Team, while also being honored with a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman Team in 2009. She is a two-time recipient of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal for maintaining a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher and a three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA average while pursuing a degree in athletic training.
A Preseason All-C-USA Team selection, Lane earned a spot on the all-league second team in her senior campaign after posting a .315 batting average with 39 hits and 22 runs scored. The shortstop was at her best in league competition this season, as she posted a .344 average with 21 hits, 12 runs scored and seven RBI in conference-only games.
Lane will conclude her career at UCF ranked in the program's top-10 in 16 career offensive categories and seven defensive categories. She was a three-time All-C-USA selection, a member of the C-USA All-Freshman Team, a three-time member of the Preseason All-C-USA Team and was named the C-USA Hitter of the Week two times. As a freshman she was named the MVP of the C-USA Championship after hitting the game-winning home run to lead the Knights to their first league crown, while she currently holds the C-USA career record for triples with 23.
Since joining the league in 2006, the Black and Gold has had 15 Knights named to All-C-USA Teams and six named to the league's all-freshman team.
No. 6 UCF will face No. 3 UAB in the opening round of the C-USA Championship hosted by East Carolina Thursday at 1:30 p.m. All games of the event will be streamed live on UCFAthletics.com via Knights All-Access Player, while fans can also listen to the game live and follow the Black and Gold on Gametracker.
2011 ALL-CONFERENCE USA SOFTBALL TEAMS
First Team
C - Rebecca Gamby, Marshall
IF - Holly Anderson, Houston
IF - Heather Mott, Memphis
IF - Samantha Cobb, Tulsa
IF - Natalie Land, UCF
OF - Melissa Gregson, Houston
OF - Caitlin Everett, Tulsa
OF - Caley Walden, UAB
U - Lacey Middlebrooks, Tulsa
P - Toni Paisley, East Carolina
P - Aimee Creger, Tulsa
Second Team
C - Mandy Lowman, UAB
IF - Sissy Jimenez, East Carolina
IF - Brooke Lathan, Houston
IF - Jill Barrett, Tulsa
IF - Kelly Chapman, Tulsa
IF - Tiffany Lane, UCF
OF - Suzanne Riggs, East Carolina
OF - Leslie LeJune, Southern Miss
OF - Shelby Blanton, Tulsa
U - Jill Jelnick, East Carolina
P - Donna Bourgeois, Houston
P - Amanda Crabtree, Houston
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Jill Jelnick, East Carolina
Kristi Oshiro, East Carolina
Jasmine Robbins, East Carolina
Jordan Lewis, East Carolina
Haley Outon, Houston
Diedre Outon, Houston
Ashleigh King, Memphis
Brittany Lilly, Southern Miss
Jill Barrett, Tulsa
Aimee Creger, Tulsa
Shelby Blanton, Tulsa
Leigh Streetman, UAB
2011 ALL-CONFERENCE USA SOFTBALL INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
Coach of the Year
John Bargfeldt, Tulsa
Player of the Year
Melissa Gregson, Houston
Pitcher of the Year
Toni Paisley, East Carolina
Freshman of the Year
Aimee Creger, Tulsa
Newcomer of the Year
Donna Bourgeois, Houston