NFCA RELEASE

Fairfax, Va. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced it All-Region teams today. Three Patriots were named to the Mid-Atlantic All-Region Second Team; grad student Aly Rayle, senior Haley Taormina, and redshirt junior Nicole Bechtel.

The trio led the Patriots' team to the second-most wins ever in program history with 35 total wins, tying the 1981 team.  The Patriots earned its first-ever conference championship this season while setting a new Mason record for most conference wins in a season with 16.

Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Aly Rayle (19-9, 2.01 ERA, 1 SV) led the conference in overall strikeouts (242) and looking strikeouts (72). She finished the A-10 tournament with a 4-1 record, pitched 33 innings and recorded 39 strikeouts to earn the Most Outstanding Player award.

A NFCA National Pitcher of the Week awardee this season, Rayle set the all-time single-season strikeouts record and became the only Patriot pitcher to have struck out 200 batters in a single season. 

Redshirt junior catcher Nicole Bechtel's bat anchored the Patriot offense throughout the course of the season. Bechtel was a top-three offensive contributor earning her A-10 First Team All-Conference. She led the team in batting average during the regular season (.352) and was second overall in hits (53), doubles (15), RBI and total bases (81). 

The Harrisburg, Pa., product was a NFCA National Player of the Week awardee. In the Atlantic 10, Bechtel finished in the top 10 in doubles (T-2^nd), RBI (3^rd), hits (4^th), OPS (8^th), batting average (9^th) and slugging percentage (10^th).

Taormina saved her best season for her final season, leading the Patriot offense in at-bats (175), runs (41), hits (61), doubles (21), home runs (8), RBI, total bases (110) and slugging percentage (.629).

The Chesapeake, Va., native was named to the A-10 Second Team All-Conference team for the second straight season. Taormina's single season performance put her in the Mason record books in the top-five category in doubles (2^nd), slugging percentage (3^rd), runs scored (5^th), and home runs (5^th). In career numbers, Taormina is now fourth all-time in home runs (15) and eighth all-time in doubles.

Taormina also led the NCAA and A-10 in doubles hit. In the conference, she was a top-ten finisher in RBI (2^nd), hits (3^rd), runs scored (4^th), slugging percentage (4^th), sacrifice flies (5^th), OPS (6^th), home runs (6^th), at-bats (6^th) and batting average (10^th).
 
Nationally, third baseman Haley Taormina leads in the nation in doubles (21) and is third in doubles per game (0.37).