May 16, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky junior pitcher/infielder Lauren Cumbess, who is second on the team in both batting average and earned run average, was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Southeast Region Second Team as a utility player/pitcher, it was announced Thursday.
A total of 263 players from 137 different teams across the nation were 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.
The 2013 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced at 4 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, May 29, via NFCA.org. To view all of the 2013 NFCA Division I All-Region teams, please click here.
Cumbess is having a great year for Kentucky, sitting second on the team in batting average at .335 with a team-high 11 home runs. The native of Normal, Ill., is second on the team in doubles with 12 and RBI with 39, while her 61 hits lead Kentucky. The two-way star paces Kentucky with 22 multi-hit games this season, including 14 multi-RBI games. Earlier this season, Cumbess had a career-best 12-game hitting streak, which is the longest of the season for Kentucky.
In the circle, Cumbess has wins over some of the best teams in the nation, including highly ranked California and South Florida. The junior is second on the team in nearly every pitching category with a 10-7 record and 4.02 ERA, striking out 81 in 106.1 innings pitched.
Cumbess is the 10th player in school history to earn NFCA All-Region honors and the first since UK had a school-record five players on the list in 2011 in Meagan Aull, Brittany Cervantes, Kara Dill, Rachel Riley and Megan Yocke.
Cumbess, who is one of three captains on the team this season, has helped lead Kentucky to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season. UK is the No. 12 national seed in the tournament and is hosting a NCAA Regional for the first time in school history this weekend. Play starts Friday at 5 p.m. ET between Virginia Tech and Notre Dame with UK and Marshall to follow at 7:30 p.m. ET. A full schedule of events and ticket information can be found at www.ukathletics.com/ncaasoftball.
Kentucky’s games over the weekend can be heard live on the UK/IMG Sports Radio Network with Dick Gabriel, Jenny Hill and Christi Thomas calling the action. Friday and Saturday’s games can be heard live in Lexington on 105.5 WWRW-FM. If Kentucky advances to Sunday, the games will air on 630 WLAP-AM in Lexington.
For the latest on UK softball, follow “@UKSoftball” on Twitter or like Kentucky Softball on Facebook.
