LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Three Lady Vols were named to 2019 NFCA Division I All-Region Teams as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Thursday.
Freshman Ashley Rogers and senior Aubrey Leach were tabbed First Team All-Region while senior Haley Bearden earned Third Team All-Region accolades.
The selections marked the first of both Rogers’ and Bearden’s careers while Leach has now earned All-Region accolades three years in a row. The Woodlands, Texas, native was also recognized as a First Team selection in 2018.
Leach enters the NCAA Tournament as Tennessee’s all-time leader in runs scored and walks. She is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award and currently leads the Orange and White with a .401 batting average, 61 hits and 58 runs scored.
Rogers is the first freshman since Annie Aldrete in 2014 to earn First Team honors. She is also the first freshman pitcher to be selected to the First Team since Ellen Renfroe was in 2011. The Athens, Tenn., native is having a stellar freshman season that has seen her lead the SEC in conference wins (10) and become the first Tennessee freshman since Renfroe to throw six shutouts. Rogers was also recently named to the Schutt Sports/NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 10 List and became the first freshman to earn First Team All-SEC since 2014.
In a breakout senior campaign, Bearden has tallied 43 hits, 42 RBI and a team-leading 14 home runs en route to a .312 batting average. Not only do her homers lead the squad, but her .674 slugging percentage is also tops on the staff. Bearden’s hits, RBI and homer totals for 2019 alone surpass her previous three season totals combined and her 2019 average is 193 points higher than her batting average as a junior.
Overall, the Southeastern Conference paced all leagues with 40 honorees, while the Pac-12 and Big 10 were right on its heels with 38 and 37, respectively.
The 2019 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced at approximately 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 29, via NFCA.org.
-UT Athletics
