Senior Dani Miller

Four Irish Players Earn NFCA All-Region Honors

May 17, 2012

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – For the fourth time in as many seasons, Notre Dame softball senior infielder Dani Miller was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Great Lakes all-region team, as announced Thursday by the NFCA. Miller becomes the third player in program history to earn the honor four straight times, joining Megan Ciolli (2002-05) and Terri Kobata (1993-96).

Named to the region’s second team in 2012, Miller was a first-team selection from 2009-11 and later earned third team NFCA All-America honors last season as a junior.

Junior catcher Amy Buntin was the lone Irish player named to the first team as sophomore pitcher Laura Winter and senior outfielder Alexa Maldonado found a spot on the second team along with Miller.

Maldonado was named to the NFCA all-region’s first team in 2011, the same season in which Winter was a second-team performer.

Each of Notre Dame’s four honorees also copped all-BIG EAST Conference honors with Winter being named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year.

Winter was a first-team all-league performer along with Miller and Winter. Buntin was part of the league’s second team.

The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to one of three 2012 NFCA Division I All-American teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration.

The 2012 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced at May 30.

The Irish quartet begins NCAA Championship play at 5:30 p.m. (ET) Friday when Notre Dame faces Hawaii at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. The game will be televised live on ESPNU with live stats available at UND.com.

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