@MizzouSoftball Grabs Four 2016 NFCA All-Region Accolades
5/19/2016 2:26:00 PM | Softball
Crane, Fagan, Gadbois and Rathburn honored by NFCA
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Softball claimed four Southeast All-Region honors on Thursday, as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). A total of 385 student-athletes from 157 programs received NFCA Division I All-Region accolades.
Senior Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) was tabbed All-Southeast Region First Team, redshirt senior Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) and junior Chloe Rathburn (Mission Viejo, Calif.) earned All-Southeast Region Second Team accolades while redshirt senior Taylor Gadbois (Maryville, Mo.) was named to the All-Southeast Region Third Team.
Thursday's honors marked Crane's third career All-Region nod, Gadbois and Rathburn's second career honor and Fagan's first career recognition by the NFCA. Crane, Gadbois and Fagan also garnered 2016 All-SEC honors earlier this month. It also marked Mizzou Softball's 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th all-time NFCA All-Southeast Region honorees.
Crane enters NCAA postseason play with already one of the top hitting seasons in program history. The Tiger right fielder currently sports a .401 average, 16 home runs and 55 RBI slash line. For an individual season in Tiger history, Crane's .815 slugging percentage ranks first, 16 home runs ranks third, 15 doubles ranks seventh and 58 runs scored ranks fourth.
Fagan is concluding her outstanding Mizzou career with a strong 2016 campaign. The Tiger shortstop's .425 average, 25 stolen bases and .554 on-base percentage are all new single-season career bests. Fagan will leave the program with her name etched across the record books. Currently, her .376 career average ranks third, 265 career hits ranks second, 187 career RBI ranks second, 73 career stolen bases ranks 10th and 199 career runs scored ranks second.
Rathburn joined Mizzou prior to the 2016 campaign following two standout seasons with South Alabama. The first-year Tiger has continued to produce, tallying a .340 average, 14 home runs and 58 RBI slash line entering NCAA Regional play. Rathburn's 58 RBI ranks seventh-most in a single season in program history. She has produced in clutch situations all year for Mizzou, hitting .655 with a runner on third and less than two outs. Additionally, Rathburn's 18 two-out RBI ranks third-most on the team.
Gadbois is also in midst of her final season in Mizzou black and gold. The speedy Tiger center fielder has produced a career high 52 stolen bases with a superb .393 average. Earlier this year, Gadbois became only the second Tiger in program history to record three 40-plus stolen base campaigns. Gadbois' 52 swipes are tied for first in the NCAA and her 144 career stolen bases are the most among active NCAA players.
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