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Rams softball nets four all-MWC honorees Senior Cusick tabbed conference Player of the Year
May 12, 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Senior third baseman Lauren Cusick earned her fourth career all-conference nod, joining a trio of sophomores - Ashley Munoz, Allison Majam and Rebecca Penland - as the Mountain West Conference announced Monday the 2008 all-MWC softball team as selected by the league's six head coaches. Cusick, a Salem, Ore., native, earned Conference Player of the Year honors. She led the league in three offensive categories to help her team to a 29-22 season. During the conference season, she tallied a league-leading nine home runs, scored 26 runs and reached 53 total bases. She currently ranks fourth in the nation for home runs per game (0.38), seventh for slugging percentage (.862) and second in runs per game (1.23). Cusick also set a school record for home runs in a season (20) and career home runs (36). Defensively, she collected 113 assists from the third-base position. "Lauren really had a solid year, as she has throughout her career, and she is very deserving of this honor." said Head Coach Mary Yori. "She is extremely consistent, quick and makes good, smart plays. Obviously she is a great hitter, and she is a leader on and off the field. People take notice of all of those things." With the honor, Cusick becomes the second player in CSU history to earn MWC Player of the Year, joining former All-American Stephanie Roberts (co-Player of the Year, 2003). Munoz, Majam and Penland rounded out the Rams named to the all-MWC team. Munoz and Majam earned the nod for a second consecutive year, while Penland is a first-time honoree. Munoz, the 2007 MWC Freshman of the Year, avoided a sophomore slump in 2008. The catcher from Diamond Bar, Calif., hit .327 on the season, .328 in MWC play. Against conference foes, Munoz started 20 games behind the plate, and recorded 12 runs, four doubles, five home runs and a team-most 16 RBI, while compiling a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage as the Rams backstop. Majam, a native of Pine Valley, Calif., also hit .328 against MWC competition, scoring 10 times and recording four doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI. In 20 MWC games in the outfield, Majam committed just one error, posting a .950 fielding percentage. Penland, who was selected by the coaching staff as the Rams' most improved player, enjoyed a breakout season in 2008. In MWC action, the Riverside, Calif., native ranked second only to Cusick in batting average (.361), scored eight runs, recorded a team-best seven doubles and knocked in 12 RBI. Overall, the Rams ranked tied for second in the conference with four players earning all-MWC honors, marking the sixth consecutive season that CSU has placed at least three players on the all-MWC team. Champion San Diego State also posted four honorees. BYU's five led all schools. UNLV and Utah each garnered three spots and New Mexico finished with one. Click here for a complete listing from the Mountain West Conference.
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