Kaitlyn Richardson Earns NFCA Third Team All-America

May 29, 2013

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. - Sophomore third baseman Kaitlyn Richardson (Phoenix, Ariz./Sandra Day O'Connor HS) has been named Third Team All-America, as announced today by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).

Richardson is one of just five Big Ten players on the three All-America teams. Penn State senior outfielder Cassidy Bell is a member of the first team, while Nebraska junior utility/pitcher Tatum Edwards and Michigan freshman shortstop Sierra Romero are on the second team, and Michigan senior second baseman Ashley Lane joins Richardson on the third team.

Richardson becomes the ninth Minnesota softball player to earn All-America honors, and she is the first since Shannon Beeler earned NCAA First Team At-Large and Steph Midthun made the third team as an outfielder during 1998.

On the field, Richardson was among NCAA Division I leaders with a .430 (64-for-149) batting average and a .544 on base percentage in 55 games this season. She led the Gophers in batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage (.705), runs batted in (43), and walks (34), while ranking second with 34 runs scored, 11 doubles, and 10 home runs.

Richardson played a key role in Minnesota's success on the field this season, as the Gophers finished third in the Big Ten (14-6) and qualified for their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2003. The Gophers competed at the Seattle Regional, where they defeated Portland State and lost a pair of close games to No. 20 Hawai'i to end the season with a record of 36-19.

Minnesota had three players receive NFCA All-Region accolades, as Richardson and junior pitcher Sara Moulton were on the first team, and sophomore shortstop Tyler Walker was a member of the second team.

Richardson recently earned Capital One Third Team Academic All-America recognition from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), as she carries a 3.91 grade point average as a marketing major in Minnesota's prestigious Carlson School of Management.

*2013 NFCA Division I All-America Teams*

*First Team*
Pos.	Player	School
P	Keilani Ricketts	University of Oklahoma
P	Blaire Luna	University of Texas
P	Hannah Rogers	University of Florida
C	Amber Freeman	Arizona State University
1B	Lauren Chamberlain	University of Oklahoma
2B	Lauren Gibson	University of Tennessee, Knoxville
3B	Raven Chavanne	University of Tennessee, Knoxville
SS	Madison Shipman	University of Tennessee, Knoxville
OF	Janie Takeda	University of Oregon
OF	Cassidy Bell	Penn State University
OF	Kayla Braud	University of Alabama
UT/P	Kaitlin Inglesby	University of Washington
DP or UT/Non-Pitcher	Alexa Peterson	University of Oregon
At-Large/P	Chelsea Thomas	University of Missouri
At-Large/UT/P	Lauren Haeger	University of Florida
At-Large/3B	Taylor Hoagland	University of Texas
At-Large/P	Rachele Fico	Louisiana State University
At-Large/P	Jessica Moore	University of Oregon


*Second Team*
Pos.	Player	School
P	Olivia Galati	Hofstra University
P	Dallas Escobedo	Arizona State University
P	Jolene Henderson	University of California, Berkeley
C	Megan Baltzell	Longwood University
1B	Alicja Wolny	University of Louisville
2B	Katie Keller	University of Louisville
3B	Shelby Pendley	University of Oklahoma
SS	Cheyenne Coyle	Arizona State University
OF	Haylie McCleney	University of Alabama
OF	B.B. Bates	University of California, Los Angeles
OF	Brianna Turang	University of Oklahoma
UT/P	Tatum Edwards	University of Nebraska
DP or UT/Non-Pitcher	Cali Lanphear	Texas A&M University
At-Large/SS	Sierra Romero	University of Michigan
At-Large/2B	Kaila Hunt	University of Alabama
At-Large/OF	Emilee Koerner	University of Notre Dame
At-Large/OF	Brianna Cherry	University of Louisiana-Lafayette
At-Large/P	Hannah Campbell	University of South Alabama



*Third Team*
Pos.	Player	School
P	Kaia Parnaby	University of Hawaii
P	Aimee Creger	University of Tulsa
P	Lacey Waldrop	Florida State University
C	Sarah Draheim	University of Louisiana-Lafayette
1B	Geri Ann Glasco	University of Georgia
2B	Kaylan Howard	University of Oregon
3B	Kaitlyn Richardson	University of Minnesota
SS	Taylor Thom	University of Texas
OF	Tomeka Watson	Elon University
OF	Maggie Hull	University of Kansas
OF	A.J. Andrews	Louisiana State University
UT/P	Jackie Traina	University of Alabama
DP or UT/Non-Pitcher	Brooke Short	Longwood University
At-Large/P	Sara Nevins	University of South Florida
At-Large/OF	Jennifer Gilbert	Ball State University
At-Large/C	Stephanie Pasquale	Temple University
At-Large/2B	Ashley Lane	University of Michigan
At-Large/UT/P	Mel Dumezich	Texas A&M University

University of Minnesota's Softball All-Americans
2013 Kaitlyn Richardson, 3B (3)
1998 Shannon Beeler, at large (1), Steph Midthun, OF (3)
1996 Rachel Nelson, OF (1), Amber Hegland, OF (2)
1995 Rachel Nelson, OF (3)
1992 Lezlie Weiss, 3B (2)
1991 Kari Blank, at large (2)
1986 Barb Drake, UT/DP (2)
1984 Barb Drake, UT/DP (2)
1983 Gretchen Larson, UT (1)

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Sara Moulton

Kaitlyn Richardson

Kaitlyn Richardson

Tyler Walker

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