GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - As the UCF softball team prepares for the NCAA Gainesville Regional, a pair of Knights added to their postseason accolades on Thursday. Senior Shelby Turnier was named an NFCA First Team All-Region honoree, while sophomore Courtney Rotton earned Third Team All-Region accolades.
"We really appreciate the regional coaches voting for our hard-working players," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "We were pleased that the results of Shelby and Courtney's season allowed them the honor to represent UCF in this season. We're very elated that our team has worked so hard and is receiving the recognition for that hard work."
For the second consecutive year, Shelby Turnier was a first team selection. Turnier, a three-time first team all-conference honoree, earned her third all-region nod as a Knight, garnering third team laurels in 2014.
The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., native set the program record with 79 career victories while fanning a postseason-best 13 batters against UConn on May 12. She became the third Knight to reach 800 career strikeouts in UCF's 5-0 win over East Carolina on May 8, and currently ranks seventh among active NCAA pitchers with 822 career strikeouts.
For the third straight season, Turnier has posted 20 wins and 200 strikeouts. The right-handed hurler has 20 wins in the circle and ranks 12th in the nation with 243 strikeouts on the season.
Courtney Rotton earned third team honors. The Clermont, Fla., native leads the team with 15 multi-hit games and has five multi-RBI games in 2016. Rotton, who earned second team all-conference honors, tied the UCF Softball single game hits record, going 4-for-4 to lift UCF over No. 5 Alabama.
Rotton leads the team with a .304 batting average and has driven in 26 runs, tied for the second-most on the season. Rotton tied the single season record with 11 hit-by-pitches.
UCF (36-20) earned the No. 3 seed and will open against the No. 2 seed Florida Atlantic (50-7) at noon on Friday on ESPNU.
Ticket information, along with a complete championship bracket, can be found on the Gainesville Regional page.