Gilbert Becomes First All-American In Softball History

MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State softball junior left fielder Jennifer Gilbert became the first player in program history to earn all-America honors Wednesday, when she was named to the 2013 National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division I All-America Third Team.

“I am very excited for Jenny, who becomes the first NFCA All-American in program history,” said Ball State head coach Craig Nicholson. “She put together a truly amazing season and is very deserving of the title All-American. A team-first player, Jenny is one of the hardest workers I have every coached and continuously strives to improve her game which is evident by her evolution over the past three seasons. I look for her to cap her career next season with an even more impressive senior campaign.”

The two-time reigning Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, Gilbert becomes just the 13th different player in league history to earn NFCA All-America honors and the first since Kent State's Marci Ridenbaugh was named to the third team in 2001.

In all, MAC student-athletes have garnered a total of 17 NFCA All-America honors since 1988 which includes two first-team selections, nine second-team awards and six third team accolades.

The MAC's all-time career RBI leader as just a junior, Gilbert helped guide the Cardinals to a 37-17 overall record this season and the program's fourth MAC regular season crown in the past five years with an 18-3 league mark.

Just the second player in program history to earn NFCA All-Great Lakes Region First Team honors twice in a career, Gilbert finished the 2013 campaign ranked in the top 22 nationally in nearly every offensive category.

Entering the 2013 Women's College World Series, Gilbert's 1.30 RBI-per-game average ranks fourth among all NCAA Division I players, while her 70 total RBI are also fourth. Her .936 slugging percentage is fifth nationally, as is her 0.43 home runs-per-game average. Gilbert also ranks sixth in total home runs (23), 12th in batting average (.451), 17th in on base percentage (.534) and 19th in runs-per-game average (1.04).

Gilbert's 70 RBI in 2013 were a Ball State and Mid-American Conference single season record and helped her become the league's career RBI leader at 185 as just a junior. Her 23 home runs were also a BSU single season record and helped her move into first in program history and second in MAC annals with 56 career home runs.

In all 54 players from 32 different institutions were selected to one of three 2013 NFCA Division I All-American teams.

2013 NFCA Division I All-Americans

		First Team
Pos.	Name	School
P	Keilani Ricketts	University of Oklahoma
P	Blaire Luna	University of Texas
P	Hannah Rogers	University of Florida
C	Amber Freeman	Arizona State University
1B	Lauren Chamberlain	University of Oklahoma
2B	Lauren Gibson	University of Tennessee
3B	Raven Chavanne	University of Tennessee
SS	Madison Shipman	University of Tennessee
OF	Janie Takeda	University of Oregon
OF	Cassidy Bell	Pennsylvania State University
OF	Kayla Braud	University of Alabama
UT/P	Kaitlin Inglesby	University of Washington
UT/Non-P or DP	Alexa Peterson	University of Oregon
At-Large/P	Chelsea Thomas	University of Missouri
At-Large/UT-P	Lauren Haeger	University of Florida
At-Large/3B	Taylor Hoagland	University of Texas
At-Large/P	Rachele Fico	Louisiana State University
At-Large/P	Jessica Moore	University of Oregon

		Second Team
Pos.	Name	School
P	Olivia Galati	Hofstra University
P	Dallas Escobedo	Arizona State University
P	Jolene Henderson	University of California, Berkeley
C	Megan Baltzell	Longwood University
1B	Alicja Wolny	University of Louisville
2B	Katie Keller	University of Louisville
3B	Shelby Pendley	University of Oklahoma
SS	Cheyenne Coyle	Arizona State University
OF	Haylie McCleney	University of Alabama
OF	B.B. Bates	University of California, Los Angeles
OF	Brianna Turang	University of Oklahoma
UT/P	Tatum Edwards	University of Nebraska
UT/Non-P or DP	Cali Lanphear	Texas A&M University
At-Large/SS	Sierra Romero	University of Michigan
At-Large/2B	Kaila Hunt	University of Alabama
At-Large/OF	Emilee Koerner	University of Notre Dame
At-Large/OF	Brianna Cherry	University of Louisiana at Lafayette
At-Large/P	Hannah Campbell	University of South Alabama

		Third Team
Pos.	Name	School
P	Kaia Parnaby	University of Hawaii
P	Aimee Creger	University of Tulsa
P	Lacey Waldrop	Florida State University
C	Sarah Draheim	University of Louisiana at Lafayette
1B	Geri Ann Glasco	University of Georgia
2B	Kaylan Howard	University of Oregon
3B	Kaitlyn Richardson	University of Minnesota
SS	Taylor Thom	University of Texas
OF	Tomeka Watson	Elon University
OF	Maggie Hull	University of Kansas
OF	A.J. Andrews	Louisiana State University
UT/P	Jackie Traina	University of Alabama
UT/Non-P or DP	Brooke Short	Longwood University
At-Large/P	Sara Nevins	University of South Florida
At-Large/OF	Jennifer Gilbert	Ball State University
At-Large/C	Stephanie Pasquale	Temple University
At-Large/2B	Ashley Lane	University of Michigan
At-Large/UT-P	Mel Dumezich	Texas A&M University

Gilbert Becomes First All-American In Softball History

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Jenny Gilbert

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Gilbert Becomes First All-American In Softball History

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