O'Gara named to 2009 CoSIDA Academic All-America Softball Third Team; Four All-District honors
TOWSON, Md. - Salisbury University senior leftfielder Meaghan O'Gara was named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Softball Teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). O'Gara was named to the third team for the College Division, comprised of Division II and III institutions.
O'Gara becomes the 17th SU student-athlete to garner CoSIDA Academic All-America honors since 2001. The SU softball program now has the most Academic All-America honors throughout the athletics program with five. O'Gara joins the company of Rosie Aley and second-team selections Lisa Gentilella ('04) and Kim Rementer ('03). Aley is the only SU softball player to earn the award twice as she was a third team representative in '03 and second team selection in '04.
The Northport, N.Y., native recently graduated from SU with a degree in Physical Education and finished with a grade point average of 3.63. O'Gara had similar success on the field this spring as she was named Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year as she led the team in batting average (.409) and doubles (14). The right-hander played and started in 45 games where she scored 36 runs, 45 hits, six home runs, 39 RBIs, 77 total bases, .700 slugging percentage, 11 walks and a .455 on-base percentage. O'Gara was a defensive stalwart for the Sea Gulls as she had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 29 putouts and five assists.
O'Gara has made valuable contributions to the SU campus in her four years as she is a member of the prestigious Chi Alpha Sigma National Athletic Honor Society-Zeta Society, the ODK Leadership Honor Society, Physical Education Society and served as an officer for SU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for two years. In addition to that O'Gara has participated in Relay for Life the past three years and earned the Campus Life award. She also worked the past year in the SU Sports Information Office where she was a Web site content manager and archive specialist.
To become eligible for the CoSIDA Academic All-America Softball Teams one must first make Academic All-District first team. O'Gara was selected to the College Division - District 2 first team earlier this month. O'Gara is one of just five student-athletes from District 2 to garner All-America accolades.
O'Gara was joined on the Academic All-District Softball Teams by fellow senior Stacy Davis and juniors Lauren Brenneman and Ali Ritter.
Davis, a recent graduate of SU with a degree in Elementary Education, was a third team honoree as she finished her final season as the pitcher had a record of 20-3 and an ERA of 1.29. The Westminster, Md., native pitched 15 complete games, pitched a total of 136 innings pitched, struck out 119 batters and limited opposing batters to a .184 batting average.
Brenneman, an Environmental Science major, was selected to the third team as she was one of the most feared hitters in the region as the junior catcher finished with a .399 batting average, 13 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs and 48 RBIs. The York, Pa., native was great in the field as she recorded 266 putouts, 21 assists and had a fielding percentage of .986.
Ritter, a Physical Education major, was named to the third team as she was a great defensive player for the Sea Gulls as she recorded 313 putouts, 20 assists and had a fielding percentage of .988 as she played and started in 47 contests. The Belvidere, N.J., native was a constant threat at the plate for opposing pitchers as she finished the season with a .336 batting average, 46 hits, six doubles, three home runs, 33 RBIs and a .455 slugging percentage.
Salisbury finished the season with a 40-7 record and reached the 2009 NCAA Division III Softball Championships where the Sea Gulls placed sixth.
To be eligible for CoSIDA Academic honors, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
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