Four Blinn College softball players earned All-America honors after leading the Buccaneers to a Region XIV Conference championship and a fifth-place finish at the NJCAA National Championship.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) named shortstop Delilah Pacheco and switch-hitting outfielder Meghann Wrinkle first team All-Americans, while pitcher Mariah Gibson was named to the NFCA second team and NJCAA second team. Pacheco was also named an NJCAA third-team All-American.
Gibson, Pacheco and Wrinkle were named to the NFCA All-Midwest Region first team while Jordin Wilkins was named third team.
"We had outfielders, infielders and a pitcher recognized, so that is pretty good representation," said coach Rick Church. "We are glad those kids received that recognition."
A sophomore from Corpus Christi, Pacheco led the team in hits (89), runs (64) and at-bats (220). She finished with a .405 batting average and was hard to catch on the base paths with 49 stolen bases on the year.
Wrinkle, a freshman from Rockdale, hit .400 with seven doubles, three home runs and 28 runs batted in.
A sophomore from Cypress, Gibson went 25-9 in 233 in the circle. She piled up 192 strikeouts while maintaining a 1.23 ERA. Gibson was no novice with the bat, as she hit .338 and led the team with 10 home runs.
Wilkins, a freshman infielder from Katy, finished the season with a .316 average and her seven home runs were the most by the team's freshmen. Wilkins ripped 13 doubles and added 35 RBIs on the year.
Blinn placed fifth at the NJCAA National Championships and wrapped up the year with a 45-16 record.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit: www.buccaneersports.com.
About Blinn College
A comprehensive community college committed to educational excellence and to individual and community enhancement, Blinn College has served its 13-county Central Texas region since 1883. With an enrollment of 19,317 students, Blinn ranks among the nation's leaders in transferring students to leading four-year universities and has received national recognition for affordable educational excellence.
Blinn offers job seekers the skills and credentials they need to succeed in the region's fast-growing industries, and partners with local businesses to provide skills development training for incumbent employees. Each year, Blinn programs and students make a $345.3 million impact on the local economy.
For more information about Blinn College and exciting student success initiatives such as Destination Success: First-Year Focus and the Blinn TEAM Program, visit: www.blinn.edu or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
