BATON ROUGE — LSU softball players Emily Turner and Leslie Klein were two of the 54 student-athletes named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America team, it was announced by the organization on Wednesday.
Turner and Klein both garnered third-team All-America honors, Turner earning honors as a pitcher and Klein garnering at-large honors. It marked the second All-America award for Klein, who also earned third-team honors as a freshman in 2004. This is the first All-America honor for Turner.
The USA Softball National Player of the Week on April 18, Turner was a first-team All-SEC selection and named to the SEC All-Tournament team. Compiling a 28-9 overall record with a 0.93 earned run average, the junior from Chula Vista, Calif., ranks ninth in the NCAA in earned run average and in the top 10 in the Southeastern Conference in wins, ERA, saves, strikeouts, strikeouts looking, opponent’s batting average, innings pitched and games started.
Posting a 14-7 record against nationally ranked teams, she knocked off No. 1-ranked Arizona in the NCAA Super Regionals and is the only pitcher to defeat No. 5 Alabama twice. She threw 16 complete-game shutouts, second most in LSU single-season history. On two separate occasions this season, she recorded streaks of over 25 consecutive innings without allowing a run.
A first-team All-SEC selection, Klein is the fourth Tiger to earn multiple All-America honors and remains the only freshman to earn All-American honors in LSU history. Returning to form after the second ACL surgery on her right knee in the fall of 2004, the junior from Sunrise, Fla., hit .396 for the season with 14 doubles and a led the team with four triples, nine home runs and 53 stolen bases. In addition, she recorded 18 stolen bases and did not post an error in 87 chances in center field.
Klein ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in batting average, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, RBIs, doubles, triples, total bases and stolen bases this season. A Top 25 Finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, she recorded a team-best 12-game hitting streak during the year, which is tied for seventh longest in LSU history. On 12 occasions, she knocked in the game winning runs, including wins over four nationally-ranked teams.
2006 Louisville Slugger/NFCA NCAA Division I All-Americans
First Team
P Monica Abbott, Tennessee
P Cat Osterman, Texas
P Jennie Ritter, Michigan
C Haley Woods, California
1B Jenna Hall, Illinois
2B Veronica Wootson, Florida State
3B Andrea Duran, UCLA
SS Lindsay Schutzler, Tennessee
OF Sarah Fekete, Tennessee
OF Danyele Gomez, UL-Lafayette
OF Katie Cochran, Arizona State
UT Cambria Miranda, Oregon State
DP Kristi Durant, Tennessee
AL Tonya Callahan, Tennessee
AL Kristie Fox, Arizona
AL Caitlin Lowe, Arizona
AL Anjelica Selden, UCLA
AL Kristin Vesely, Oklahoma
Second Team
P Alicia Hollowell, Arizona
P Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech
P Kristina Thorson, California
C Rachel Folden, Marshall
1B Ianeta Le’I, BYU
2B Caitlin Benyi, UCLA
3B Brette Reagan, Baylor
SS Christina Clark, Fresno State
OF Norrelle Dickson, Oklahoma
OF Kellie Middleton, Georgia
OF Lindy Winkler, Sacramento State
UT Serena Settlemier, Kansas
DP Jessica Strickland, Colorado State
AL Eileen Canney, Northwestern
AL Alexis Switenko, Syracuse
AL Stephanie VanBrakle, Alabama
AL Jackie Wong, Utah
Third Team
P Brianne McGowan, Oregon State
P Emily Turner, LSU
P Crystal Cox, North Carolina
C Becky Marx, Michigan
1B Garland Cooper, Northwestern
2B Dominique Lastrapes, Washington
3B Megan McAllister, Georgia
SS Tammy Williams, Northwestern
OF Catalina Morris, Stanford
OF Stephanie Brown, Notre Dame
OF Brittany Rogers, Alabama
UT Jessica Doucette, Georgia
DP Amber Smith, Illinois State
AL Leslie Klein, LSU
AL Lacy Wood, Louisville
AL Ashley Charters, Washington
AL Erin Floros, San Diego State
AL Chelsi Lake, Baylor