2012 NFCA All-Region Teams

Utica, NY – Junior outfielder Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) and freshman designated player Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) of the Utica College softball team were named to the 2012 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III North East All-Region Second Team on Tuesday. Matan and Fitzgerald ranked first and third on the team in batting average this past season, respectively.  The duo combined for 114 hits, 60 runs and 55 RBIs to pace the Pioneers to a 22-17 overall record. 

Matan, a junior transfer, wrapped up her record setting season by earning Empire 8 All-Conference First Team status in her first year as a Pioneer.  She finished fourth in the Empire 8 Conference with a .436 batting average and she also set the Empire 8 record for hits per game (1.74). She broke the College's single-season records for hits (68), stolen bases (18), total bases (85) and at bats (147).  She also finished the year ranked first in the conference in runs scored (35), hits, and total bases.

Matan had at least one hit in all but five games this past year.  She recorded two separate eight game hitting streaks and she also registered 19 multi-hit games.  She posted ten games with at least two runs scored and she also held a batting average of .515 through the first 27 games of the the season. 

Fitzgerald led the team in home runs (six) and RBIs (34) in her freshman campaign. She ranked second in slugging percentage (.558) and total bases (72), and third in batting average (.357).  The Albany, NY native finished third in the conference in home runs and fourth in RBIs, while also ranking third and fourth on the College's single-season list for home runs and RBIs.

Fitzgerald posted a season-high nine game hitting streak down the stretch and in her last five games of the year she tallied nine hits, seven RBIs and six runs scored.  She registered five games with three RBIs, including a two home run outburst against Oswego on April 11.  She finished the year with 46 hits in 129 at-bats. 

The Pioneers 22 win season marked the program's best record since 2006. UC had a program-best 11-game win streak that ran from March 14 in Florida until April 1.

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