The University of Mississippi Athletics
Three Rebels Earn NFCA All-Region Honors
5/19/2016 | Softball
OXFORD, Miss. - Three Ole Miss softball players - Elantra Cox, Hailey Lunderman and Madi Osias - have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region Team, the NFCA released Thursday.
Cox, a sophomore and former All-SEC selection, earned First Team honors as an outfielder, while Lunderman earned a spot on the Second Team and Osias landed a spot on the Third Team.
The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first, second team and selections. NFCA member coaches from each respective region voted on the teams, and all the honorees now become eligible for selection to the 2016 NFCA Division I All-American squads.
The All-Region selections for Ole Miss are the first since 2014, and the first time in program history with more than one honoree in a season. RT Cantillo was a First Team selection in 2014, while Lauren Grill earned a spot on the First Team twice in 2008 and 2010. Allison Brown (2013), Mary Jane Callahan (2007) and DeDe Justice (2003) were second team honorees.
Cox hit .377 in SEC play for the Rebels with 29 hits and eight runs scored, and also swiped five bases. Overall, she hit .369 with 59 hits and 30 runs and 16 RBI. The Henderson, Tenennessee native is 20-for-25 in stolen bases, and is second on the team with 18 multi-hit games.
Lunderman has led Ole Miss all season with a .372 average, breaking the Rebels' single-season record with 73 hits and 40 runs scored. She's also swiped 19 bases contributing to the Rebels' record-breaking total, and is a Top-10 Finalist for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award. She's the leading freshman hitter in the SEC, and has 24 multi-hit games as the only player to start every contest this season.
Osias has been the warrior in the circle for Ole Miss all season, also breaking the single-season wins record with 21. She's amassed a 2.95 ERA in 163 innings pitched, and has 10 complete games in 26 starts. In her last eight starts alone, she's gone the distance six times with three shutouts, helping the Rebels to their first ever NCAA Championship appearance.
For all Ole Miss Softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Fans can also follow head coach Mike Smith on Twitter at @msmithsb16. Additionally fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.
