FORT MYERS, Fla. - After recently earning a share of the Atlantic Sun regular season championship the FGCU softball team placed two players on the NFCA Southeast All-Region Team as was announced Wednesday. Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year Carmen Paez earned first team honors along with junior Cheyenne Jenks.

"Cheyenne and Carmen had record-setting seasons, not only for FGCU Softball and the Atlantic Sun Conference, but for Division I as a whole," said head coach Dave Deiros. "Their inclusion with the nation's elite softball players is greatly deserved."

Paez, who recently earned 2008 A-Sun Player of the Year and ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III Team honors, turned in one of the best seasons in school history as she ranked among the NCAA leaders in most offensive categories including homeruns, batting average and RBI. In one season in the A-Sun, she cracked the top 10 in the record books in five different categories. For the season, she hit .425 with 22 homers, just four shy of an A-Sun single-season record, 68 RBI, and 76 runs scored. Her 22 home runs ranked third in the NCAA this season, which resulted in several teams pitching around her; she coaxed 84 walks, the fifth most in NCAA history. She had a .928 slugging percentage and an on base percentage of .638. Paez, one of the most decorated athletes at FGCU, was among 25 semifinalists for the NFCA Player of the Year award.

Jenks, a two-sport star from Naples, Fla., joined Paez on the first team. FGCU’s cleanup hitter leads the country in RBI with a new A-Sun record of 72. Jenks batted .398 during the season and blasted 16 homeruns, which ranked 20th in the nation. Jenks has been a part of two Atlantic Sun Champions during FGCU’s first season in the league as she was also a member of the FGCU volleyball squad.

The Eagles ranked third with two first team selections behind the Florida’s four and North Carolina’s three.

NFCA 2008 Southeast All Region Team - First Team Southeast All Region Team


P- Stacey Nelson, University of Florida

P- Lisa Norris, University of North Carolina

P- Allison Kime, University of Central Florida

C- Catherine Lee, Georgia State University

1st- Alexandra Gardiner, University of Florida

2nd- Aja Paculba, University of Florida

3rd- Cheyenne Jenks, Florida Gulf Coast

SS- Shanna Smith, North Carolina State University

OF- Carmen Paez, Florida Gulf Coast

OF- Francesca Enea, University of Florida

OF- Lisa Kingsmore, Winthrop University

UT/Pitcher- Danielle Spaulding, University of North Carolina

UT/Non Pitcher- Jennifer Jacobs, University of North Carolina

Second Team Southeast All Region Team

P- Cari Wooldridge, Winthrop Univeristy

P- Morgan Childers, University of SC, Upstate

P- Amanda Lindsay, Stetson University

P-Ashley Taylor, Radford University 

P- Amanda Black, Hampton Uiversity

C- Alyssa Allbritten, North Carolina State University

1st- Andrea Migliori, Stetson University

2nd- Cassie Palmer, University of North Carolina

3rd- Alisa Goler, University of Georgia

3rd- Robyne Siliga, Georgia Southern

SS- Aileen Morales, Georgia Tech University

OF- Breanna Brown, University of North Carolina

OF- Kim Waleszonia, University of Florida

OF- Courtney Quinn, Campbell University

OF- Courtney Young, Howard University

UT/Pitcher- Jessica Cross, Kennesaw State University

UT/Non Pitcher - Ashton Payne, University of South