STARKVILLE, Miss. – LSU softball signee Bianka Bell picked up 2012 Louisville Slugger/NFCA High School All-South Region First-Team accolades Thursday as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Bell, the reigning Florida Gatorade Player of the Year, will be a freshman for the Tigers to open the 2013 season. She recently led Chamberlain High School to the 2012 Class 7A state championship where she drove home 12 of her 35 RBIs during the seven-game postseason run. For the season, the Tampa Tribune and Tampa Bay Times Player of the Year selection garnered a .731 batting average fueled by 11 home runs and a 1.366 slugging percentage.
All first-team honorees from the five NFCA Regions (North, South, East, West and South Central) are now eligible to be named to one of three 2012 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American squads which will be announced on June 26.
LSU finished its inaugural season under head coach Beth Torina with a 40-25 record and made the program’s third appearance at the Women’s College World Series. It marked the 14th time in 16 seasons that the Tigers finished with at least 40 victories since softball was reinstated in 1997.
LSU is slated to return 14 letterwinners for the 2013 campaign sparked by NFCA First-Team All-American selection Rachele Fico along with All-SEC Freshman pick A.J. Andrews.
2012 Louisville Slugger/NFCA High School All-South Region First Team
Position, Name, School
P, Tori Finucane, Bishop Denis J. O’Connell (Virginia)
P, Cara Goodwin, Good Hope (Alabama)
P, Kelsey Nunley, Soody Daisy (Tennessee)
C, Jillian Ferraro, Bishop Denis J. O’Connell (Virginia)
C, Taylore Fuller, Chiefland (Florida)
1B, Whitney Troxclair, St. Amant (Louisiana)
2B, Paige Wall, North Davidson Senior (North Carolina)
SS, Bianka Bell, Tampa Chamberlain (Florida)
3B, Jenna Kreamer, Evangel Christian Academy (Louisiana)
OF, Chloe Fitzgerald, Huntingtown (Maryland)
OF, Stephanie Hartness, Niceville (Florida)
OF, Jessica Plemmons, North Davidson Senior (North Carolina)
UTL, Danielle Marinna Shadley, Golden Gate (Florida)
At-Large, Lindsey Neyland, Evangel Christian Academy (Louisiana)
At-Large, Taylor Wike, Alexander Central (North Carolina)