Three Buckeyes Named All-Region – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 18, 2006
TUCSON, Ariz. – Three members of the Ohio State softball team, in Tucson this week for the Arizona Regional of the NCAA tournament, have been named to the Great Lakes All-Region Softball Teams, as selected by the Division I coaches in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan. Sophomore Brittany Vanderink is a first-team selection in the outfield, while on the second-team are juniors Nycole Koyano at second base and Megan Schwab in the outfield.
Ohio State (38-21, 11-7 Big Ten) is the No. 3 seed in the Arizona Regional, which includes No. 2 seed and 24th-ranked Auburn, No. 4 seed Marist and host No. 1 seed Arizona, which returned to the No. 1 spot in the national rankings Tuesday and is the overall No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Buckeyes meet Auburn at 7 p.m. (EDT) Thursday.
Vanderink (Hiram, Ohio/Crestwood), OSU’s right-fielder, was named first-team All-Big Ten last week and is batting a team-best .351. She leads the team in average with runners in scoring position (.378) and her .459 average in Big Ten games was best on the team, second-best in the conference and best among all Big Ten outfielders. In her last 14 games is batting .520 (26-for-50) that included a career-best 13-game hitting streak.
A second-team All-Big Ten pick, Koyano (Walnut, Calif./Walnut) leads the Big Ten in stolen bases (26-for-31) and also leads Ohio State in runs (42, fourth in Big Ten), walks (29) and plate appearances (209). A co-captain and three-year starter at second base, Koyano owns a .397 on-base percentage (second on team) and is hitting .287 overall with six home runs and 26 RBI.
A first-team all-region pick last year, Schwab (Glendale, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) was a second-team All-Big Ten pick and leads Ohio State in on-base percentage (.421), hits (58), total bases (85), multiple-hit games (16) and success rate advancing runners (.614). A three-year starter in left field, she is hitting .339 overall with four homers and 30 RBI, is tied for the team-lead in doubles (11) and is second in slugging percentage (.497).
2006 Great Lake All-Region Softball Teams
| First Team | |
| Position | Player, School |
| Pitcher | Jennie Ritter, Michigan |
| Pitcher | Cassidy Scoggins, Southern Illinois (Pitcher of the Year- Missouri Valley Conference) |
| Catcher | Becky Marx, Michigan |
| First Base | Jenna Hall, Illinois |
| Second Base | Tiffany Haas, Michigan |
| Third Base | Gina Rango, Bowling Green |
| Shortstop | Lauren Clark, Eastern Michigan (Player of the Year- Mid American Conference) |
| Outfield | Alessandra Giampaolo, Michigan |
| Outfield | Randi Patton, Illinois State |
| Outfield | Brittany Vanderink, Ohio State |
| Utility | Ashley Esparza, Penn State |
| Designated Player | Amber Smith, Illinois State |
| Second Team | |
| Position | Player, School |
| Pitcher | Missy Beseres, Penn State |
| Pitcher | Krysten Shumaker, Western Michigan |
| Pitcher | Grace Luginbuhl, Cleveland State (Automatic selection- Horizon League Pitcher of the Year) |
| Pitcher | Laura Chomokos, Oakland (Automatic selection- Mid Continent Conference Pitcher of the Year) |
| Catcher | Kristen McDonnell, Youngstown State |
| First Base | Samatha Findlay, Michigan |
| Second Base | Nycole Koyano, Ohio State |
| Third Base | Amy Hudson, Central Michigan |
| Third Base | Kaleigh Rafter, Detroit (Automatic selection- Horizon League Player of the Year) |
| Shortstop | Jen Acunto, Penn State |
| Outfield | Michele Penney, Cleveland State |
| Outfield | Megan Schwab, Ohio State |
| Outfield | Krystal Stein, Southern Illinois |
| Utility | Stacy Birk, Illinois State |
| Designated Player | Lauren Fuller, Western Michigan |
