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Four Cougars Named to NFCA All-Region Softball Teams

May 17, 2005

Amy Coker

Courtesy of Matt McLagan Caldwell Sports Information

CALDWELL, N.J. - The National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II all-Northeast Region teams included four members of the Caldwell College softball team. Juniors Katie Jackson (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville) and Jessica Saunders (Glen Burnie, MD/Archbishop Spaulding) were selected to the 14-player first team, while junior Amy Coker (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville) and sophomore Anna Dahl (Lindenwold, NJ/Camden Catholic) made the 15-player second team.

Anna Dahl

Jackson makes her third appearance on the all-Region first team and is a three-time all-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference honoree. The right-fielder batted a team-high .415 with six homers and 37 runs batted in, and was named to the all-tournament teams at both the CACC and Northeast Region tournaments. Last month, the right-fielder became the second Cougar ever to be chosen the NFCA/Louisville Slugger Division II National Player of the Week on Apr. 26.

Saunders emerged as the Cougars' top pitcher this season, going 17-6 with an earned run average of 0.91 while striking out 182 batters in 154 1/3 innings. Also a first team all-CACC choice, Saunders was the Most Valuable Player at the conference tournament after pitching 16 2/3 innings in one day to help Caldwell capture its second CACC Tournament title. At last week's Northeast Region Tournament, Saunders tossed a two-hitter in the Cougars' 2-0 win over Le Moyne College, the eventual region champion. Saunders also was selected to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District II Softball Second Team.

Jessica Saunders

Coker, who was on the all-Region first team the past two seasons, led the Cougars in hits (62), runs scored (39) and doubles (13) this year. The second-baseman was selected to the all-CACC first team and was named the CACC Player of the Week on Apr. 5.

Dahl also made last year's all-Region first team as the designated player. A two-time first team all-CACC selection as well, Dahl matched Jackson for the team-lead with six home runs while pacing the Cougars with 42 RBI. In the elimination game of the CACC Tournament against Goldey-Beacom on May 7, Dahl hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 12th inning to win the game and keep the Cougars alive in the tournament. She also had an outstanding year as a pitcher, going 15-5 with an ERA of 0.96.

Katie Jackson

The Cougars, ranked 11th in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, finished the season 40-11 after this past weekend's NCAA Division II Northeast Region Tournament, where they went 1-2. Caldwell College, coached by CACC Coach of the Year Dean Johnson, have won 85 games over the past two seasons and have won the CACC regular-season and tournament titles two straight years.