CHICO – In what can only be described as a career year for senior Charlotte Honciano, the leader of the Chico State softball team was the recipient of two postseason awards Thursday as she and the Wildcats made final preparations in Hawaii for Friday’s NCAA West Super Regional against Hawaii Pacific. The ’Cats second sacker, a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Conference first team selection earlier this month, was among 13 athletes to be named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-West Regional first team, while also earning Daktronics West Region second team honors.
Honciano, who leads the Wildcats in nine different offensive categories, including batting average (.370), hits (a Chico State single-season record 64), home runs (4), slugging percentage (.514), on-base percentage (.441) and stolen bases (11), shared NFCA first team honors with fellow second baseman Shantae Hunter of Dixie State. In so doing, Honciano became the first Chico State softball player to earn an All-West Region first team selection since Allison Fritz was honored in 1999.
NFCA member coaches in each of the eight regions select the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region teams; Honciano and all honorees are now eligible to be selected to one of three All-American teams.
The 2010 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American teams will be announced at the 2010 NCAA Banquet of Champions at the Fulkerson Center on the campus of Missouri Western University in St. Joseph, Mo., on Wednesday night, May 26.