June 2, 2005
LAS VEGAS - Freshman Marissa Nichols added to her 2005 achievements when the Louisville Slugger /National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) tabbed her as a first-team outfield selection on Thursday. Nichols' selection gives UNLV its 18th All-America student-athlete and fifth first-team member since 1990.
Nichols' joins a list of distinguished softball players such as Texas' Cat Osterman, Washington's Kristin Rivera, Arizona's Caitlin Lowe and 14 other first-teamers. Overall, 54 individuals made up the first-, second- and third-teams. Of the 53 honorees, excluding Nichols, that made one of the three teams, 28 of them played against the Rebels this season.
The 2005 season was one of the most successful for UNLV to date and was greatly helped by the presence of Nichols. The team finished with a 44-19 record. The 44-wins register as the third-most in the program's history. The team finished with other high marks, such as, most Mountain West Conference wins (17) in the program's history, as well as setting a new record for home runs in a single season with 50.
Nichols was a main contributor to the Rebels' offense this season. She played in all 63 contests, while getting the starting nod in left field and as the lead off hitter in every game. Her speed and power set the tone for the offense; as she stole 35 bases, amassed 89 hits and smacked 18 home runs, all three of which are UNLV single-season records. She, also, broke the single-season runs (66) and total bases (176) records, while registering in seven other categories that are kept. Her numbers translate to five top-16 listings in the NCAA statistics, three of which are in the top-10.
The All-America honor gives her five awards that she has garnered this season, two of which were handed out by the NFCA. Prior to the first round of the NCAA Tournament, she was named to the first-team of the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-West Region. She was also chosen as the MWC's Freshman of the Year and selected as all-conference and all-tournament.
Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America First-Team
Pos. Name SchoolP Monica Abbott TennesseeP Cat Osterman TexasP Jennie Ritter MichiganC Kristen Rivera Washington1B Garland Cooper Northwestern2B Tiffany Haas Michigan3B Vicky Galindo CaliforniaSS Courtney Bures Mississippi StateOF Sarah Fekete TennesseeOF Caitlin Lowe ArizonaOF Marissa Nichols UNLVDP Cameron Astiazaran Illinois-ChicagoUT Amanda Scarborough Texas A&MALT Kristie Fox ArizonaALT Brianne McGowan Oregon StateALT Heather Scaglione OklahomaALT Jamie Southern Fresno StateALT Kim Wendland Georgia
