May 11, 2010

IRVING, Texas - Three University of Memphis softball student-athletes earned Conference USA postseason honors on Tuesday as selected by the league's coaches prior to the start of the C-USA Championship tournament in Houston, Texas.

Sophomore outfielder Lelani Bernardino and senior utility player Vanessa Walle were named to the All-Conference USA Second Team, while freshman RHP Carly Hummel was named to the All-Conference USA Freshman Team.

Sophomore outfielder Lelani Bernardino was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team.

Bernardino earns her first all-conference selection after being named to the all-conference freshmen team last season. The native of Valencia, Calif., is second on the team with a .297 batting average and has 12 RBI, 21 runs scored and eight doubles. She is one of two players to start every game this season for the Tigers, and has made four assists from left field. Bernardino led the team with a .314 average in conference play and had a .429 slugging percentage and a .415 on base percentage.

Walle earns her first all-conference selection, receiving the honor as a utility player after spending time this season at pitcher, designated player and first base. The Phoenix, Ariz., native made 22 starts at pitcher, 13 as the designated player and seven at first base. In the circle, Walle went 8-12 with a 2.13 ERA, which ranks seventh in the conference. She also ranked in the top 10 in the league in earned runs allowed (5th, 32), fewest walks allowed (7th, 33), fewest triples allowed (T1st, 0) and fewest home runs allowed (T7th, 7). Walle led the team in conference play with a 2.42 ERA.

Offensively, Walle was tied for second on the team with four home runs and had 17 RBI and a .382 batting average. Twice during the season, she provided both the offense and the defense. She had a career best five RBI with a grand slam against North Florida in a 7-1 victory, which she also earned the win on the mound. She later had two home runs and four RBI in a 6-1 victory over Tulsa, a game in which she also pitched a complete game.

Freshman RHP Carly Hummel was named to the All-Conference USA Freshmen Team.

Hummel becomes the seventh Memphis player to earn all-freshmen honors. The Tigers have had a all-freshmen selection in each of its five years. The Bakersfield, Calif., native became just the second Memphis pitcher to record 200 strikeouts in a season and her 206 K's ranks third in the conference. Hummel ranks first in the league in lowest opponent batting average with a .150 mark and leads the team with a 14-10 record. Her 1.78 ERA ranks fourth in the conference. She earned five shutouts during the season and had four complete-game one hitters. Hummel struck out 10 or more batters in five games, including a school record 15 against both Mississippi Valley State and Alabama State.

Tulsa's Lauren Lindsay was named the Player of the Year, while Toni Paisley of East Carolina earned the Pitcher of the Year honor. UAB's Lauren Webster was named Freshman of the Year and teammate Alisha Smith claimed the Newcomer of the Year. East Carolina head coach Tracey Kee was named Coach of the Year for the second-straight season and now has three for her career.

The Tigers compete in the Conference USA Championship as the seventh seed and will play the No. 2 seed, Tulsa, on Thursday at 11 a.m. The winner will face No. 3 UCF or No. 6 UTEP on Friday at 3 p.m. in the conference tournament semifinals. The championship game will be on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., and will be televised live by CBS College Sports.

All-Conference USA First Team
C - Mandy Lowman, UAB
IF - Camilla Carrera, UTEP
IF - Kayla Orr, UAB
IF - Natalie Land, UCF
IF - Tiffany Lane, UCF
IF - Vanessa Vice, Tulsa
OF - Marina Gusman-Brown, East Carolina
OF - Martina Landrum, UAB
OF - Lauren Lindsay, Tulsa
U - Stacie Townsend, UTEP
P - Ashleigh Cole, UCF
P - Toni Paisley, East Carolina

All-Conference USA Second Team
C - Abby McClain, UCF
IF - Hillary Barrow, UCF
IF - Samantha Cobb, Tulsa
IF - Charina Sumner, East Carolina
IF - Jazmine Valle, Marshall
OF - Lelani Bernardino, Memphis
OF - Caitlin Everett, Tulsa
OF - Megan Hill, Southern Miss
U - Reina Gaber, Houston
U - Vanessa Walle, Memphis
P - Alisha Smith, UAB
P - Lauren Webster, UAB

All-Freshman Team
Kate Armstrong, UAB
Samantha Cobb, Tulsa
Caitlin Everett, Tulsa
Reina Gaber, Houston
Carly Hummel, Memphis
Ashleigh Jones, Houston
Gabby Luciani, Southern Miss
Marissa Menendez, UCF
Jazmine Valle, Marshall
Bailey Watts, Houston
Lauren Webster, UAB

Coach of the Year
Tracey Kee, East Carolina

Player of the Year
Lauren Lindsay, Tulsa

Pitcher of the Year
Toni Paisley, East Carolina

Freshman of the Year
Lauren Webster, UAB

Newcomer of the Year
Alisha Smith, UAB