Seven Named To All-PSAC Softball Team. Dacey Player of the Year, Shields Rookie of the Year, Brookens Coach of the Year. Six Named All-Region.

May 11, 2005

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Shippensburg University women’s softball team gathered several awards today, as the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and Louisville Slugger National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region teams were announced today. The Lady Raiders had a total of seven players named to the All-PSAC Eastern Division, with six being named to the NFCA All Mid-Atlantic Region softball team.

Of the seven All-PSAC East selections, six were named to the first team.

Out of the eight regions, Shippensburg led all Division II teams with six players named first team All-Mid-Atlantic region.

In addition, the Lady Raiders (40-3, 20-2 PSAC East) swept all three awards categories in the PSAC East. Senior Jaime Dacey (Langhorne, Pa./Archbishop Wood) was named the Eastern Division Player of the Year, while freshman Danielle Shields (Laurel, Del./Sussex Tech) earned East Rookie of the Year honors. Head Coach Bob Brookens earned his fourth straight East Coach of the Year award.

Dacey, a first team All-PSAC East and All-Region selection, is Division II's top hitter with a .556 average. She also leads the league and ranks nationally in triples (11 - .26/gm - 3rd NCAA), RBI (57 - 1.33/gm - 6th NCAA) and runs (51 - 1.19/gm - 13th NCAA). She also carries a slugging percentage of .880, which is second among PSAC players and 11th in Division II. She is a Shippensburg record holder in career triples (23) and RBIs (155) and her 2005 numbers in those two categories broke school season records, as well. She needs three more hits to break the Shippensburg single season record. Dacey is a four-time All-PSAC East selection (including a three-time first team member), and three-time All-Region selection in the outfield.

Shields, a second team All-PSAC East selection, has established a 13-1 record in her initial campaign. She ranks third in the PSAC and 16th in the country with 8.8 strikeouts per seven innings, having totaled 131 in her 22 appearances. Her 1.07 ERA ranks her fifth among league pitchers. She registered complete games in half of her 16 starts and produced five shutouts. Most recently, Shields was named the MVP of the PSAC Championships. She pitched 17 scoreless innings in semifinal and championship game wins over Lock Haven and Bloomsburg, registering 21 strikeouts in the process.

Brookens, in his fifth year coaching the Lady Raiders, has won his fourth straight PSAC East Coach of the Year honor. Brookens has guided Shippensburg to three straight conference titles and the No. 1 seed heading into this week's NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. The Lady Raiders have won the previous two regionals and have finished fifth and third, respectively, in the last two national tournaments. With this year's 40-3 record (20-2 PSAC East), he owns a 187-63 record at Shippensburg and a 92-23 record in conference play. In the past two seasons, Shippensburg is 88-9 and 41-4 in league contests.

Senior Anna Corr (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) was selected first team All-PSAC and All-Region, earning the awards for the first time in her career. She is batting .359 and is ranked seventh nationally in triples per game (7 - 0.19 gm). Corr has 10 doubles, and four home runs. She was named PSAC East Player of the Week on April 4. Corr was a first team selection.

Senior Liz Corr (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) is a first team All-PSAC and All-Region selection. An outfielder, she was a first team selection. Corr currently holds Shippensburg career records for hits (276), runs (164) and at-bats (689). Corr is ranked nationally in batting average (.469 - 16th) and runs per game (1.03 - 35th). She was All-PSAC East Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2003, and is a four time All-PSAC East player. She has been named All-Region three times.

Senior Sarah Costa (Laurel, Md./Atholton) was named as the first team All-PSAC and All-Region catcher. She is ranked nationally in batting average (.458 - 21st), RBIs (103 - 1.14/gm - 15th), triples per game (7 - 0.16/gm - 12th), and slugging percentage (.786 - 20th). She has thrown out seven runners this year at second base. Costa holds the school record for career doubles with 54, including 11 doubles this year. She is a three time All-PSAC selection, and has twice been named All-Region.

Senior Beth Rudai (Glen Mills, Pa./University High, Ill.) was named first team All-PSAC and All-Region. She is batting .308 and leads the team in sacrifice hits with four. Rudai has stolen four bases and has 17 runs batted in with 45 hits. She has a fielding percentage of .980. She is a four time All-PSAC and All-Region selection.

Junior pitcher Kelley Tiesi (Baltimore, Md./Catholic School of Baltimore) earned her third consecutive first-team selection on both the All-PSAC and All-Region teams. She leads the pitching staff with a 0.64 earned run average, and leads the conference with 171 strikeouts and 22 victories. Tiesi recently recorded her 700th career strikeout, and currently has a school record 717 strikeouts. She was named All-PSAC East Player of the Year last year and Rookie of the Year as a freshman, as well as NCAA Division II Softball Player of the Year in 2004.

The full PSAC East team can be found at: http://www.psacsports.org/200405/5_11.htm

The all of the eight regional teams can be found at: http://www.nfca.org/news/?id=2195

Shippensburg is hosting the NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament beginning on Thursday, May 11, 2005. The Lady Raiders, winner of the past two regional tournaments, are looking for their third consecutive trip to the Division II national tournament. Shippensburg is ranked fifth in the latest NFCA Division II Poll. Shippensburg, as the No. 1 seed, take on the winner of No. 4 seeded Indiana (Pa.) and No. 5 seeded Kutztown at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.

- Lady Raider Softball -