LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Penn State softball placed a trio of student-athletes on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Great Lakes Region Teams, the NFCA announced in a release Saturday afternoon. Freshman pitcher Bridget Nemeth garnered First Team recognition, continuing her candidacy for NFCA All-America laurels, while junior utility Maddie Gordon booked a spot on the Second Team. Senior catcher Gaby Garcia secured Third Team recognition to round out the three Nittany Lions in the release.
Nemeth, a native of Glendora, California, adds NFCA First Team All-Region recognition to her already-decorated rookie campaign, with her All-Region laurels joining distinction as a Top 10 Finalist for the Tucci/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Award. With her distinction as the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year as announced on May 8, Nemeth became the first student-athlete in Penn State history to earn an individual award from the conference office since PSU joined the B1G in the 1991-92 academic year. Nemeth also became the first student-athlete to win a conference individual award since Nan Sichler was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Pitcher in 1988.
Nemeth additionally became PSU's 17th selection to the All-Big Ten First Team in program history, earning that acclaim by unanimous vote of the league's coaches, and became the third Nittany Lion to achieve those honors in the last three seasons. PSU earned First Team All-Big Ten recognition in three consecutive seasons for the first time in program history following Nemeth's appointment to the team. Following her NFCA All-Region accolades Saturday afternoon, Nemeth became the 16th First Team All-Great Lakes Region choice in Penn State program history and continues her candidacy for NFCA All-America laurels later this year. Nemeth becomes the first PSU performer to pick up First Team accolades since teammate Emily Maddock collected those honors a year ago.
Gordon, a native of Shenandoah, Virginia, makes her first career NFCA All-Great Lakes Region appearance with a Second Team nod, becoming the 15th Second Team honoree in Nittany Lion program history. Gordon currently boasts the fourth-most doubles in a single season in Penn State program history and became the 13th Nittany Lion to hit 10-or-more homers in a campaign earlier this year, logging 12 overall in the 2024 campaign following an emphatic two-run shot over the Davis Diamond scoreboard in PSU's NCAA Regional-opening game against Texas State Friday evening. Gordon becomes PSU's first student-athlete to pick up Second Team All-Region accolades since 2022.
Garcia has been a power hitting and defensive weapon for the Nittany Lions over the course of her final collegiate season, tied for the team lead in home runs with 11 while pacing the team in RBI (41), putouts (306) and fielding percentage (1.000). Garcia landed her second career NFCA All-Region honors in her career, joining a placement during her stint with SFA. The Southlake, Texas, native also became the 31st selection to the All-Big Ten Second Team in Penn State program history following the league's release on May 8. Garcia's placement on the Third Team marks the fourth Third Team selection in PSU history and first since Kylee Lingenfelter landed those accolades a season ago.
Penn State continues its 2024 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament run in the first elimination game of the Bryan-College Station Regional on Saturday, May 18, with first pitch from Davis Diamond slated for 5:30 p.m (ET). PSU's second test in NCAA Regional competition this season will stream live to a worldwide audience of authenticated subscribers via ESPN+, with streaming available on the ESPN app. Live stats provided by the NCAA and Texas A&M University are available on the Penn State softball schedule webpage at GoPSUsports.com.
ABOUT THE NFCA
Established in 1983, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play. Although collegiate coaches comprised the majority of the organization's membership in the early days, today they are joined by high school, travel ball, professional and international coaches, along with umpires, clubs, companies and fans of fastpitch softball. Growing from 40 members in 1983 to over 6,700 today, the NFCA boasts members from all 50 states and several international countries.
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