Velasquez earns NFCA honors

Velasquez named to NFCA All-Northeast Region Second Team

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Just one week after being named to the All-Northeast Conference First Team following her first season with the Black and Gold, freshman outfielder Madeline Velasquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) earned her second regional accolade on Thursday by earning a spot on the NFCA All-Northeast Region Second Team, as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Thursday.

Velasquez becomes the second player in program history to earn a spot on the all-region squad since Bryant moved to Division I in the 2009 season, joining Aubrey Mable who was named second team all-region in 2011.

The freshman standout left fielder was the owner of the Northeast Conference's third-best overall batting average (.385) while posting a .411 in-conference batting average.

The rookie needed little time to adjust to the college game and appeared in 42 contests while starting 40. She went 45-for-117 at the dish and scored 21 runs, ranking third on the squad in that category. Velasquez launched a team-high 12 doubles and ripped two homers while driving in 19 runs to the tune of a .538 slugging percentage. She went 2-for-4 on the base paths and made just five errors in left field while accumulating five outfield assists.

Other schools represented on the all-region second team were Army, Boston University, Brown, Fairfield, Harvard, James Madison and Saint Joseph's.

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