COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M softball junior Mel Dumezich and senior Natalie Villarreal were selected to the College Sports Madness Preseason Softball All American Team, the publication announced recently.
Dumezich (Whiting, Ind.) was selected to the third team while Villarreal (Frisco, Texas) took fourth-team honors. This is a first time selection for both players.
Dumezich, a 2011 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America second team selection, had an outstanding sophomore season with the Aggies, claiming 12 solo shutouts in 34 complete games from the circle. The right-handed pitcher garnered a 1.92 ERA and fanned 262 batters to rank ninth in the Aggie career strikeouts list. Dumezich ended the 2011 season with spots on the All-Big 12 first team, the All-Central Region first team and the All-College Station Regional Team.
Villarreal became the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career last season. The rare left-handed second baseman also showed skill at the plate, batting a team-second .335 in a team-best 170 at bats. Villarreal led the team in hits (57) and doubles (14) and hit two grand slams on the season. Villarreal also took honors on the All-Big 12 first team and the All-Central Region second team.
The Aggie softball team returns to action in a Feb. 10 doubleheader at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to AggieAthletics.com.