Gravdahl, Leary named NFCA All-Americans

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced its 2010 Division III Louisville Slugger All-American teams and two Salisbury University softball players were honored. Freshman Michelle Gravdahl (Ellicott City, Md.) was selected to the second team and junior Kelly Leary (Severn, Md.) was named to the third team.

This is the 10th consecutive season that at least one Sea Gull has been honored as an All-American, and the pair brings the program's total to 23 All-Americans.

This marks the first time that either Leary or Gravdahl have garnered an All-American award. In Gravdahl's first year with the Gulls she was named to the All-Capital Athletic Conference first team and All-Region first team. The Ellicott City, Md., native played in all 40 games throughout the season and started 39 games. The freshman outfielder led the team in batting average (.474), on-base percentage (.538), hits (54) and doubles (16). Gravdahl also finished with three home runs, 33 runs scored and 39 RBI. She led the CAC in batting average and on-base percentage, with both of those numbers ranking in the top 32 in all of Division III softball.

Leary left an impression in the circle in her first year with the Gulls as she went 20-1, along with two saves, and an ERA of 0.79. Leary struck out 162 batters in 132 2/3 innings of work this season, while walking just 41. The 162 punch outs put Leary in ninth place on the Salisbury program list for career strikeouts. Her stellar ERA, which ties former Sea Gull Lacey Lister for the lowest single-season mark in CAC history, currently ranks fifth in all of Division III softball while her 8.5 strikeouts per seven innings rank 17th. The Severn, Md., native had a strong first year as she was named ECAC South Region Pitcher of the Week (March 22),  CAC Player of the Week (March 22), an All-CAC first team selection and All-Region first team honoree.

The Salisbury softball team finished the 2010 season with a record of 36-4 which included a 33-game winning streak and the program's 15th trip to the NCAA tournament.