AMANDA ULZHEIMER NAMED TO NFCA ALL-REGION TEAM

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Sophomore Courtney Hankins and freshman Amanda Ulzheimer were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Northeast Region team as the organization announced its annual awards on Thursday. Hankins was placed on the second team while Ulzheimer collected third team accolades.

Hankins enjoyed another solid season for the Stags, ranking among the team's top offensive players for the second straight year. She posted a .327 batting average with 34 RBI along with a team-best 11 doubles. She averaged nearly a hit per game with 49 base hits in 51 appearances. The sophomore also garnered All-MAAC honors following the regular season. She ended the regular-season with a MAAC Player of the Week nod, batting .545 with 10 RBI in a 3-1 week for Fairfield.

Ulzheimer comes off one of the best rookie seasons in school history, ending the regular-season as the MAAC"s top hitting freshman with a .353 batting average. The freshman paced the team with 55 hits and 17 stolen bases in addition to being on top for batting average. The outfielder was well-decorated within the conference with a MAAC Rookie of the Week award, an All-MAAC selection, and a unanimous pick to the MAAC All-Rookie team. She is one of only two Fairfield student-athletes to play in all 52 games this year.

The Fairfield University softball team, under Head Coach Julie Brzezinski, opens play in the 2017 NCAA Softball Tournament on Friday, May 19 as one of the four teams in the Baton Regional. The Stags will play 18th-ranked LSU in the first game before taking on either McNeese or Louisiana-Lafayette on the second day.