Wolverine Quartet Earns NFCA All-America Recognition
6/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
June 2, 2010
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Four members of the University of Michigan softball team earned Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America recognition today (Wednesday, June 2) from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. U-M was one of two schools -- along with Arizona -- to receive four All-America nods.
Junior RHP Jordan Taylor (Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS), junior first baseman Dorian Shaw (Burke, Va./Robinson SS), senior third baseman Maggie Viefhaus (Eureka, Mo./Eureka HS) and senior LHP Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) all earned All-America second team. It is the second career All-America honor for Taylor, while Nemitz, who was selected as a utility player/pitcher, becomes just the fourth three-time All-American in Michigan program history.
Michigan has boasted 28 different All-Americans -- combining for 46 distinctions -- in its 33-year program history. U-M has boasted at least one All-America selection in each of the last 15 seasons. The 2010 quartet matches the program's largest single-season contingent. The Wolverines also garnered four All-America citations in 1998, 2005 and 2008.
Taylor and Nemitz's dual selection marks the third time in program history that Michigan placed a pair of pitchers on the All-America teams; the Wolverines previously achieved the feat two seasons ago in 2008.
Taylor becomes the 14th Wolverine player to earn multiple All-America selections after her 2008 second-team nod at pitcher. The U-M hurler, voted as the 2010 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, led Michigan with a 26-4 record, 1.44 earned-run average and 316 strikeouts. She boasted 16 games with double-digit strikeouts, including a career-high 18 against perennial power UCLA, and recorded two perfect games -- both against Big Ten competition -- and three no-hitters on the season.
Nemitz joins Sara Griffin (utility/pitcher 1995, '96, '97), Traci Conrad (first base, 1997, '98, '99) and Marissa Young (utility/pitcher, 2000, '02, '03) as Michigan's three-time All-Americans. She boasted career offensive statistics in her final season, registering a .331 average with 18 extra-base hits -- nine homers -- and 44 runs batted in en route to Big Ten Co-Player of the Year. From the circle, Nemitz accumulated a 21-4 record with a 1.79 ERA and 173 strikeouts. She is the only pitcher in Wolverine program history to earn four straight 20-win seasons, and with a career record of 92-21, ranks third among Michigan's all-time winningest pitchers.
With her game-two blast against Tennessee in last weekend's NCAA Super Regional, Shaw claimed a share of Michigan's single-season home run record with 21. She boasted career highs in every offensive category, including batting average (.362), runs (41), runs batted in (60) and slugging percentage (.855).
Named the 2010 Big Ten Co-Player of the Year, Viefhaus led the Wolverines with a .381 batting average and established career highs with 67 runs, 61 hits and 60 RBI. She slugged an incredible .863, boasting 11 doubles, three triples and 20 home runs in her final season. A two-time All-Big Ten first team selection, Viefhaus led the league with a .478 average in Big Ten play; she also led the league last season with a .417 average.
U-M wrapped up the 2010 season with a 49-8 overall record. The Wolverines captured their third consecutive Big Ten title and won their 13th NCAA Regional championship.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
