Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Softball Sweeps A-Sun Honors
5/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 9, 2002
Florida Atlantic University swept the Atlantic Sun Conference individual softball post-season honors, announced the conference office Wednesday. Nikki Myers won her third straight Player-of-the-Year award while Candice Freel was named Freshman-of-the-Year. In addition, Joan Joyce was named Coach-of-the-Year for the fifth time in eight seasons.
Myers was far from being the only Lady Owl among First-Team selectees. Ninya Ybarra, Ginny Matthews, and Pam Mazzarella were also named First-Team All-Conference. Myers, who was a First-Team selection as a pitcher, claimed Second-Team honors as a designated player. Along with Freel, the All-Freshmen Team included Mazzarella and Jennifer Piazza.
Myers became the first player in A-Sun history to receive three Player-of-the-Year awards. The senior went a perfect 9-0 against A-Sun teams this season and is 26-1 in her career, including A-Sun Tournament action. Myers is one of 10 finalists for the USA Softball Player-of-the-Year Award. Her 32 wins is second in the nation while she continues to add to a team record of 17 shutouts this season. At the plate, she leads the team with a .384 batting average. She also is tops in homers, doubles, and walks.
Ybarra is hitting .299 and has hit 10 doubles and 10 homers, with two triples. She has also driven in 23 this season. Mazzarella leads FAU with 44 RBIs while compiling a .296 batting average. She has also added four homers in her initial campaign. Matthews, a sophomore, is the only lady Owl to have started all 66 games this year. She is hitting .288 with six homers and 27 RBIs.
Freel's impressive freshman campaign has included a 24-5 record with a 1.15 ERA. She has an FAU freshman record 12 shutouts while allowing just 32 earned runs in over 200 innings of work. She also tossed a no-hitter April 5 against Mercer. Piazza played in 13 A-Sun games and hit .412 in those contests with one homer and six runs batted in.
Joyce was also named the conference's top coach in 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2000. She has led FAU to five straight A-Sun championships and three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Her eight-year record at FAU is 366-165 (.689).
Florida Atlantic next takes part in the A-Sun Tournament May 9-11 in Troy, AL. The Lady Owls are the no. 1 seed as they seek their sixth consecutive A-Sun Tournament championship.
