BEHREND'S BUPP, NICHOLS EARN NFCA ALL-REGION HONORS

Penn State Behrend junior shortstop Alexa Bupp and sophomore pitcher AJ Nichols have been named to the 2017 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III All-East Region softball team.

Bupp and Nichols were selected to the third team for at-large positions, earning their first All-Region honors.

Nichols was recently named to the All-AMCC first team. She finished with a team-leading .411 batting average, while ranking first in hits (58), RBI (34), runs scored (34), and triples (3). On the mound, she tied for most wins this season for the Lions with 11 and struck out 71 batters. Nichols posted a 2.29 ERA in 20 appearances and posted two shut-out victories.

Bupp, the AMCC Player of the Year and All-AMCC first-team choice, was second on the team in hits (45) and RBI (32), while leading the squad with 17 doubles. She finished with a .360 batting average, good for fourth on the team. In the circle, Bupp led the team with a 1.24 ERA 17 appearances. She tallied four saves and three wins. Bupp allowed just six earned runs in 34 innings pitched and struck out 40.

All-Region players are nominated and selected by NFCA member coaches in each of the eight Division III regions. As in the past, the squad is comprised of three 15-player teams in each of the country's NCAA regions.