Daykin Leads Australia to Fourth-Place Finish at World University Games – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
July 31, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State’s Lauren Daykin, who will be a senior on the Buckeye softball team in 2006-07, helped lead her native country of Australia to a fourth-place finish at the Second World University Games, held July 19-24 in Tainan City, Taiwan. Daykin (Melbourne, Australia/Manatee C.C., Fla.) is a five-year member of the Australian Junior National Team and helped lead the Aussies to a fifth-place finish last year at the First World University Games in Plant City, Fla.
“It always has been, and always will be, a huge thrill and honor to represent my country,” Daykin said. “Growing up, it was my dream and I am always working harder to play for Australia at the highest level. It’s an honor to play with and against some of the best softball players in the world. Taiwan hosted a fantastic tournament and their hospitality was great.”
Daykin and the Aussies turned in two of the more lopsided wins in the tournament with a 17-0 win over Thailand and a 19-0 win over South Africa. Australia was eliminated from the championship bracket by Japan. Both World University Games have been won by the United States, which posted a 9-1 win over Australia during the tournament. Daykin went 3-for-3 in the win over South Africa and had an RBI against Japan.
After playing junior college softball for two seasons in Florida, Daykin transferred to Ohio State last spring and started 47 games for the Buckeyes, including all 18 Big Ten games and all five postseason games. She hit .246 with three home runs and 21 RBI last season and helped lead the Buckeyes to a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten and to the NCAA tournament, where one of her homers came off All-American Alicia Hollowell of eventual national champion Arizona.
Daykin, who led Ohio State with a .556 average with runners in scoring position in Big Ten games, received OSU Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten honors last spring and was a second-team academic all-district selection.
### GO BUCKS! ###
