Gibson, Hinshaw Earn NFCA All-America Accolades
May 28, 2008 | Softball
May 28, 2008
Texas A&M seniors Megan Gibson and Jamie Hinshaw were named to the 2008 NFCA All-America team the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Wednesday.
?I?™m proud of both our kids for the kind of year they?™ve had. I?™m happy for them,? A&M head coach Jo Evans said. ?Megan, obviously, is a no-brainer. She?™s had a phenomenal year. I think every player in their senior year aspires to go out on top, to be their very best and that?™s what Megan and Jamie have done. They?™ve had their career year. They are a huge reason why our team is playing in the College World Series. This honor, I?™m sure is a thrill for them. It?™s the payoff of a lot of hard work.?
Both players led the Aggies to their best ever finish in conference play (17-1) and have helped A&M set a school second-best record for wins in a season (54).
Gibson was selected to the first team as a utility/pitcher marking the third time she has been honored as an All-American and the second as a member of the first team.
?This is another award for Megan to tack on,? Evans noted. ?It?™s sweet that she can get this in her senior year and do what she?™s done.?
Heading into the Women?™s College World Series this weekend, Gibson boasts an impressive 38-1 record and 0.98 ERA in the circle for the Aggies. In 264 innings of work, Gibson has fanned 315 hitters, averaging eight strikeouts per game. The senior hurler has posted double-digit strikeouts in four of her last five games, totaling 14 on the season. The Spring, Texas-native is holding opponents to a stifling .164 batting average, limiting her opposition to just under a run per game.
At the plate this season, Gibson is hitting .345. The Midwest All-Region first team selection has driven in a team-leading 48 RBIs off 59 hits, including 15 doubles, a triple and 13 homeruns.
The first player in conference history to earn both Pitcher and Player of the year honors in the same season, Gibson led the Big 12 in walks (51), wins (38), shutouts (19), innings pitched (264), strikeouts (315) and complete games (37).
Hinshaw earned her first career All-American honor as an at-large selection to the third team.
?Jamie really has stepped up for our team,? Evans ended. ?She?™s been stellar on defense and offense, as well. She picked up a lot of the slack when Amanda Scarborough went down, in terms of our batting order.?
Hinshaw has started every game of her Aggie career with all but one start coming at the third base. The All-Big 12 first team selection leads the team in runs scored (47) and hits (66). She ranks second in doubles (12) and RBIs (33).
In Big 12 games this season, Hinshaw boasted a league third-best .410 average at the plate. Through 18 league games, she ranked second in hits (25), runs scored (19) and total bases (40).
The Aggies open play at the 2008 WCWS against Virginia Tech on Thursday at 2 p.m.
Log on to AggieAthletics.com for complete NCAA tournament information.
A complete list of the 2008 NFCA All-America teams can be found at http://www.nfca.org/pagebank/?id=1171.
