May 16, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior outfielder Cassidy Bell was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Great Lakes Region first team after a record-breaking season that left her name etched in Penn State softball history.
The full list of NFCA Division I All-Region honorees is available here. Bell is now eligible to join the NFCA Division I All-American list. The NFCA will announce that group May 29 at 5 p.m. ET via NFCA.org.
Bell was also named first team All-Big Ten this season after finding her way on the NFCA All-Great Lakes and All-Big Ten first-team lists as a junior in 2012.
The Bakersfield, Calif., native finished the season batting a program-record .456 at the plate. Bell also broke single-season Penn State marks with 20 home runs, 55 runs and 42 walks while posting a 1.007 slugging percentage and .591 on-base percentage. The center fielder was quick on the basepaths as well, leading the team with 18 stolen bases, 13 doubles and a triple. Bell totaled 17 multiple-hit and 10 multi-RBI games while reaching base safely in 48 of 50 contests, including at one point extending her hitting streak to 22 games early in the season before reaching base in 31 games to close the regular season.
A consistent threat at the dish throughout her four years, Bell moved to the top of the Nittany Lion career leaderboards in home runs (37) and total bases (375) while she finished second in runs (141) and walks (98), third in RBI (110), fourth in doubles (41), fifth in hits (209) and tied with associate head coach Jen McIntyre for seventh in stolen bases (42). Bell is in second place with a career .359 batting average after starting all 189 games she played in her career.
ABOUT THE NFCA ALL-REGION TEAMS
For their outstanding efforts on the diamond this season, 263 players from 137 different teams across the nation have been selected to the 2013 NFCA Division I All-Region teams. The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first and second teams selected for each region.
The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each respective region, and all the honorees now become eligible for selection to one of three 2013 NFCA Division I All-American teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration.