GWU's Meenaghan and Gomes Earn 2012 NFCA Division I All-Region Team Honors
May 17, 2012 | Softball
Starkville, Miss. - Gardner-Webb sophomore Samantha Meenaghan and freshman Amanda Gomes were both named to the 2012 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I Mid-Atlantic All-Region Team. Meenaghan earned a spot on the First-Team All-Region Team at second-base, while Gomes was named to the Second-Team in the utility/designated player position.
Meenaghan, the 2012 Big South First-Team selection at second-base, led GWU and the Big South with a .409 average and 74 hits overall on the season. Meenaghan was also third in conference play with 24 hits, while leading the Runnin' Bulldogs and was third in the conference with 35 runs score on the season. The sophomore lead-off hitter had three triples on the year overall and hit .343 in conference play which ranked 10th overall in the Big South. She was third in League play with 15 runs scored, posted a hitting streak of 11-games and one of eight-games this season, while also recording 21 multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI games on the year. Meenaghan, who hit her first career home run in a win over N.C. A&T, was second on the team with a .492 slugging percentage and in stolen bases with five on the season. The 2011 Big South Freshman of the Year, the 2011 Big South First-Team All-Conference pick and the 2011 Big South All-Tournament, selection hit over .500 in the conference tournament this year for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
In her first year at GWU, Gomes was named to the 2012 Big South Conference Second-Team, as she was fifth in League play with 17 RBI and hit .327 in Big South action. Gomes finished tied for ninth in conference play with three home runs and ranked second on the team with four home runs and 23 RBI on the season. The freshman, who split time at both catcher and designated player throughout the season, was fourth on the team with a .394 slugging percentage, posting a .558 slugging percentage in conference play. She was also third on the team with six doubles, had a total of 11 extra base hits on the year and posted a season-high five-game hitting streak. On the season, Gomes recorded six multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games. She recorded her first career home run in a win over UNCG on 3/22, was just a triple shy of the cycle in a 7-1 win over PC at home.
Meenaghan and Gomes were two of only four Big South Conference players to earn all-region recognition, joining Radford's Nichole Beal and Jackie Jenkins on the Mid-Atlantic Region First-Team and Second-Team, respectively.
The 2012 NFCA Division I All-Region teams honors student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions. A total of 263 players representing 129 different institutions comprise this season's regional teams, including first and second teams for each region.
The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to one of three 2012 NFCA Division I All-American teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration.
To view all of the 2012 NFCA Division I All-Region teams, click here.
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