Four Huskers Earn All-Region Honors

Four Nebraska softball players were among 24 student-athletes named to the NFCA All-Midwest Region first and second teams, released on Wednesday. Senior second baseman Jessica Yoachim, junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr and freshman first baseman Crystal Carwile were each named to the first team, while senior outfielder Lizzy Aumua garnered second-team accolades.

 

Yoachim was named to the first team for the second time in her career. She was also a first-team selection in 2004 and earned second-team honors in 2005. A native of Arkansas City, Kan., Yoachim is hitting .380 this year with a .433 on-base percentage. A three-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, Yoahcim is also a perfect 30-of-30 in stolen base attempts this year, becoming just the third player in school history to steal 30 or more bases in a single season.

 

DeBuhr was honored for the second time in her career, as she earned second-team accolades in 2005. DeBuhr joined two-time national player of the year Cat Osterman as the only pitchers on the first team. A 2006 first-team All-Big 12 pick, DeBuhr is 24-8 this season with a 1.38 ERA. She also boasts 272 strikeouts in 203.1 innings this season and is just six strikeouts shy of the NU junior class strikeout record. She also needs just 28 strikeouts to become the first pitcher in school history to post more than one 300-strikeout season in a career.

 

Carwile rounded out the Huskers’ first-team honorees by becoming one of only three freshmen honored. As NU’s cleanup hitter, Carwile leads the team with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs. She is the first Husker to hit 10 or more home runs in a season since the 2002 campaign and her 12 roundtrippers double the home run totals off all of the NU freshmen from the 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 classes combined. Her home run total is also second in the NU freshman record book, one behind freshman record holder Ali Viola.

 

Aumua is hitting a team-high .385 this season and has added six doubles, 16 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. A first-team All-Big 12 selection, Aumua currently boasts the second-highest career average (.382) in the 31-year history of Nebraska softball. She also leads the team with 17 multi-hit games this season, including a 5-for-5 effort against Illinois that tied Yoachim’s school record for most hits in a single game. Aumua has also been perfect in the field in 38 chances.

 

Nebraska’s three first-team selections tied Oklahoma and Baylor for the most first-team picks. Baylor led all schools with five honorees overall, while the Huskers and Sooners each had four.

 

Nebraska opens NCAA Tournament play on Friday at 4:30 p.m. against Iowa in Iowa City.

 

2006 NFCA All-Midwest Region First Team

Player                           Pos.                 School

Ashley DeBuhr             RHP                 Nebraska

Cat Osterman                LHP                  Texas

Chelsi Lake                   C                      Baylor

Crystal Carwile            1B                    Nebraska

Jessica Yoachim          2B                    Nebraska

Desiree Williams            SS                    Texas

Brette Reagan               3B                    Baylor

Samantha Ricketts        DP                    Oklahoma

Serena Settlemier          UT                    Kansas

Kelly Osburn                 OF                    Baylor

Kristin Vesely                OF                    Oklahoma

Norrelle Dickson            OF                    Oklahoma

 

2006 NFCA All-Midwest Region Second Team

Player                           Pos.                 School

Lisa Ferguson                RHP                 Baylor

Kassie Humphreys         RHP                 Kansas

Ashley Killeen                C                      IowaState

Samantha Fleeman        1B                    MissouriState

Lauren Cisneros             2B                    Creighton

Savannah Long              SS                    Oklahoma

Jamie Hinshaw              3B                    Texas A&M

Tessa Lynam                 DP                    Baylor

Megan Gibson               UT                    Texas A&M

Lizzy Aumua                OF                    Nebraska

Lauren Kitchens             OF                    OklahomaState

Katie Reichling              OF                    IowaState