May 21, 2007

Starkville, Miss. - The National Fastpitch Coaches Association has announced the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Region teams, honoring student-athletes from nine NFCA regions. Chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, the honorees will now be eligible for selection to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first, second or third teams. These will be announced on ESPN during the Women's College World Series.

Fordham's junior catcher Allison Storc (Boynton Beach, Fla./Santaluces) was named First Team All-Mid Atlantic Region by the NFCA this week, as the Rams had four All-Region selections for the 2007 season. Junior utility/pitcher Allison Twarowski (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee), sophomore outfielder Melissa Andrews (Vista, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista), and freshman pitcher Nicole Ayres (Westville, N.J./Deptford) earned Second Team honors.

Storc, a 2007 First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection, moves onto the national ballot for All-American honors after a sensational junior season. She posted career-highs in virtually every category, hitting .328 with 12 doubles, nine home runs and 41 RBI. She led the team in home runs and was third in RBI, while she has committed just three errors defensively in 399 chances (.992) behind the plate and threw out 17 base runners (30%) to go with three pickoffs. In Atlantic 10 play this spring, Storc hit .354 (23-65) with five doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI. Over her career, Storc ranks third in home runs (17) and fifth in RBI (75).

Ayres, a 2007 Second Team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Rookie Team selection, became the fourth Ram in the past five years to earn Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year honors, joining Laura Klaiber (2005), Sara Kinney (2004) and Michelle Schlichtig (2003). On the year, Ayres was 17-5 with a 2.12 ERA, leading the team in wins, striking out 137 batters in 139 innings. A three-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week and one-time Pitcher of the Week, she recorded three shutouts on the year, two in A-10 play, to go with one save. In addition, she held conference opponents to a .193 batting average, while her 17 wins on the year are the second most for a Fordham freshman.

Twarowski, who garnered Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors for the second straight season, batted .393 (75-191), which was the second highest batting average ever for a Fordham Ram. She set single season records for hits and runs (58), while collecting 15 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 30 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. She capped her season at the Atlantic 10 Championship, hitting .600 (6-10) in the tournament with five RBI and was named to the All-Championship team. Twarowski, a Mathematics major who made her first appearance on the All-Academic team, also spent time on the mound for the Rams, compiling a 6-3 record in 18 appearances with a 1.52 ERA, fanning 32 batters in 60 innings. She was named Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week once in 2007.

Andrews, a transfer to Fordham from Saint Peter's College, earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors this season, batting .379 (67-177) with seven doubles, three triples, four home runs and 43 RBI. She also stole a Fordham single season record 21 bases. She tied for the team lead in RBI, while ranking second in batting average and hits. In conference play, Andrews was the Rams' leader in batting average, home runs, RBI and stolen bases and she was named Atlantic 10 and ECAC Player of the Week once. Like Twarowski, Andrews was also named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship team, batting .556 for the tournament.