Indiana University Athletics
Four Hoosiers Named NFCA All-Region
5/18/2024 12:00:00 PM | Softball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– Indiana Softball's Taylor Minnick, Brianna Copeland, Avery Parker and Aly VanBrandt were all recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on Saturday afternoon for earning all-region honors.
The four Hoosiers earned the distinction as members of the NFCA's All-Region teams in the Midwest.
Minnick was named First Team All-Region while Copeland, Parker and VanBrandt were all named Second Team All-Region.
Minnick's selection to the first team marked two years in a row that she earned the honor. Her junior season has been another great campaign from Minnick, posting a .360 batting average on 64 hits, including 12 doubles and ten home runs.
She leads the Hoosiers in RBI (53), slugging percentage (.607) and on base percentage (.465).
To complete the sweep of Minnesota in the regular season, Minnick hit two home runs, including the walk-off in the 5-4 victory on Sunday, April 14.
Copeland's selection to the second team was her second NFCA All-Region distinction of her career. The junior has been fantastic in the circle for the Hoosiers, going 20-11 while posting a 2.81 ERA.
She has also thrown 170 strikeouts and is holding opposing hitters to a .214 batting average.
Copeland helped lead the Hoosiers to three wins and a Big Ten Tournament Final appearance, including a nine-strikeout performance in the 6-3 win over Purdue.
Earlier this season in a 7-2 win at Michigan State (April 7), Copeland threw a career-high 12 strikeouts.
In addition to being a standout pitcher, Copeland is hitting .332 at the plate with 36 RBI and eight home runs.
Sophomore Avery Parker's All-Region Second Team selection is also the second time in her collegiate career that she has been named to an all-region team.
This season, Parker is having another great year ––– hitting .302 at the plate with a team-high 13 home runs, 43 RBI and ten doubles. She also has scored 34 runs of her own while posting a .587 slugging percentage.
Against Purdue (April 17), she had a two-home run game for the second time in her career.
Additionally, she hit home runs in back-to-back games twice this season, doing so against Valparaiso and Bowling Green (March 2-3) and against Mercer (March 15-16).
As a freshman, VanBrandt's selection to the NFCA All-Region Second Team is the first NFCA award of her collegiate career.
VanBrandt has been a sparkplug for the Hoosiers, making an immediate impact for the team both at the plate and at second base.
The freshman leads the team in batting average, hitting .370 on 57 hits. She has four doubles and a team-high three triples to her name along with 16 RBI. Additionally, she has scored 33 runs and 12 stolen bases.
In the team's opening round win over Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament, VanBrandt went 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple and two RBI.
The four Hoosiers earned the distinction as members of the NFCA's All-Region teams in the Midwest.
Minnick was named First Team All-Region while Copeland, Parker and VanBrandt were all named Second Team All-Region.
Minnick's selection to the first team marked two years in a row that she earned the honor. Her junior season has been another great campaign from Minnick, posting a .360 batting average on 64 hits, including 12 doubles and ten home runs.
She leads the Hoosiers in RBI (53), slugging percentage (.607) and on base percentage (.465).
To complete the sweep of Minnesota in the regular season, Minnick hit two home runs, including the walk-off in the 5-4 victory on Sunday, April 14.
Copeland's selection to the second team was her second NFCA All-Region distinction of her career. The junior has been fantastic in the circle for the Hoosiers, going 20-11 while posting a 2.81 ERA.
She has also thrown 170 strikeouts and is holding opposing hitters to a .214 batting average.
Copeland helped lead the Hoosiers to three wins and a Big Ten Tournament Final appearance, including a nine-strikeout performance in the 6-3 win over Purdue.
Earlier this season in a 7-2 win at Michigan State (April 7), Copeland threw a career-high 12 strikeouts.
In addition to being a standout pitcher, Copeland is hitting .332 at the plate with 36 RBI and eight home runs.
Sophomore Avery Parker's All-Region Second Team selection is also the second time in her collegiate career that she has been named to an all-region team.
This season, Parker is having another great year ––– hitting .302 at the plate with a team-high 13 home runs, 43 RBI and ten doubles. She also has scored 34 runs of her own while posting a .587 slugging percentage.
Against Purdue (April 17), she had a two-home run game for the second time in her career.
Additionally, she hit home runs in back-to-back games twice this season, doing so against Valparaiso and Bowling Green (March 2-3) and against Mercer (March 15-16).
As a freshman, VanBrandt's selection to the NFCA All-Region Second Team is the first NFCA award of her collegiate career.
VanBrandt has been a sparkplug for the Hoosiers, making an immediate impact for the team both at the plate and at second base.
The freshman leads the team in batting average, hitting .370 on 57 hits. She has four doubles and a team-high three triples to her name along with 16 RBI. Additionally, she has scored 33 runs and 12 stolen bases.
In the team's opening round win over Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament, VanBrandt went 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple and two RBI.
Players Mentioned
P/UT
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OF
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C/UT
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UT
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