Conference USA boasts nine players that were among the elite selected to the 2004 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Region teams. USF’s Holly Groves was named to the Southeast Region first team, while her teammates Leigh Ann Ellis, Carmela Liwag, and Kattrina Dowd were placed on the second team. Kate Manuse of East Carolina was also a Southeast Region second team selection. Auriel Jenkins of Southern Miss and Houston’s Kristen Glowacz garnered South Region second team honors and representing DePaul on the Mideast Region first team are Sarah Martz and Saskia Roberson.

Groves leads the league and is ranked 16th in the nation with a .424 batting average this season. She has chalked up 80 RBI this year to set a conference single-season record and ranks third in the country with that mark. Groves paces USF with 17 home runs this year, ranking 27th in the nation for longballs per game (0.25).

Ellis ranks third nationally in victories after posting a 40-6 record from the mound. She registered a 0.81 ERA (13th NCAA), while pitching the majority of the Bulls’ contests. Dowd is among the nation’s top scorers, having notched 60 runs in 62 games to rank 11th in NCAA Division I. The second baseman has recorded seven home runs on the year and is second in the league with an on base percentage of .480. Liwag boasts a .377 batting average and has connected on 20 doubles, while notching 47 RBI.

ECU’s Manuse shares a spot with the USF trio on the Southeast second team in the DP position. The junior ranks ninth in the nation in doubles per game after cranking out 26 in 72 games for an average of 0.36. Her mark of 55 RBI ranks second in the conference.

Glowacz leads the Cougars in nearly every hitting category including batting average (.333), RBI (42), doubles (15) and home runs (9). Joining her on the South Region second team is the 2004 C-USA Most Valuable Player, USM’s Jenkins, who ranks fourth in C-USA in batting average (.382) and in slugging percentage (.604).

DePaul’s, Martz ranks 20th in the country for victories after posting 23 (.622) wins from the circle. The senior standout also has a batting average of .377 and has scored 41 runs, tops on her team. Roberson has tallied 17 doubles and 11 roundtrippers for a slugging percentage of .661. She leads the Blue Demons in hitting with a .392 average.

The teams were voted on by NFCA member coaches from each region. The Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, May 26 at the opening ceremonies of the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.



Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Region

Southeast Region First Team
DP: Holly Groves, USF

Southeast Region Second Team
P: Leigh Ann Ellis, USF
1B: Carmela Liwag, USF
2B: Kattrina Dowd, USF
DP: Kate Manuse, East Carolina

South Region Second Team
3B: Kristen Glowacz, Houston
OF: Auriel Jenkins, Southern Miss

Mideast Region First Team
1B: Saskia Roberson, DePaul
UT: Sarah Martz, DePaul