GREENSBORO, N.C. – Eleven student-athletes comprise the 2006 North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) College Division All-State Softball Team released Wednesday.

        The team consists of NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA student-athletes from North Carolina colleges and universities. North Carolina sports information professionals submitted nominations and NCCSIA members voted for the all-state teams.

        The all-state softball teams include two starting pitchers, one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders and one designated hitter. In the event of ties, all players included are honored on the all-state team.

        The third annual NCCSIA softball all-state team is led by five students from South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Tournament champion Wingate University. Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) titlist North Carolina Central and SAC runner-up Lenoir-Rhyne both placed two players on the unit.

        Founded in 2002, the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) is comprised of sports information professionals from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions from the state of North Carolina. The purpose of the organization is to promote collegiate athletics at all schools. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina, and whose area of responsibility lies within sports information. NCCSIA selects all-state teams for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, softball and baseball on both the College and University (Division I) levels.

North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association
2006 College Division All-State Softball Team

Pos. - Name, Class, School, Hometown

P - Ashley Green, Jr., Wingate, Charleston, S.C.

P - Casey Hanes, Fr., Lenoir-Rhyne, Richmond, Va.

C - Mandi Chester, Jr., Wingate, Charlotte, N.C.

IF - Sophia Blue, Fr., North Carolina Central, Hope Mills, N.C.

IF - Sarah Carleton, Sr., Wingate, Powhatan, Va.

IF - Jessica Clack, So., Greensboro, Clayton, N.C.

IF - Grace Cunningham, Sr., Wingate, Camden, S.C.

OF - Kimee Lewis, Jr., Wingate, Farmington, Utah

OF - Lauren Pleasant, Jr., Peace, Raleigh, N.C.

OF - Taylor Queen, So., Lenoir-Rhyne, Conover, N.C.

DH - Jameka Little, Sr., North Carolina Central, Kinston, N.C.

Nominated by North Carolina Sports Information professionals / Selected by NCCSIA members

        Lenoir-Rhyne topped the SAC’s regular-season standings, reached the NCAA playoffs and won a school-record 52 games thanks to the efforts of third-team All-America Casey Hanes and all-region outfielder Taylor Queen. One of the all-state team’s two rookies, Hanes logged a 30-9 pitching record with a 0.42 earned run average and fanned 293 batters in 264 innings. She won the SAC’s Pitcher of the Year Award and ranked second among NCAA Division II’s ERA leaders. Queen set a Bears’ record with 12 homers this year while batting .353 with 15 doubles and five triples. Just a sophomore, she already owns the school’s career home runs mark.

        Jameka Little, a 2004 all-state honoree, hit .448 with six homers and 46 RBIs despite missing the first part of the season due to injury. Teammate Sophia Blue, the all-state team’s other freshman, ranked among NCAA’s top-11 students in runs per game (2^nd), stolen bases per game (9^th) and batting average (.483). The leadoff hitter and third baseman scored a school-record 83 runs and had six triples and 49 RBIs. The pair helped North Carolina Central to a school-record 35 wins and the Lady Eagle’s first NCAA playoff berth.

        USA South Athletic Conference Player of the Year Jessica Clack represented Greensboro College on the all-state team. The third team NFCA All-Atlantic Region pick batted .448 with a homer and 20 RBIs in 41 games.

        Another first team All-USA South honoree, Peace’s Lauren Pleasant, rounds out the all-state team. The two-time all-region and all-league selection hit .462 with 14 doubles and 31 RBIs for the Pacers.