LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Ave Maria University softball team saw three players honored as NFCA NAIA All-Region on Friday, as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association on Friday. Marisa Michi, Miriam Padgett, and Kalie Romig were all named Second Team All-Region by the NFCA.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced 144 student-athletes from 64 programs received 2021 NFCA NAIA All-Region accolades. The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's six regions with first- and second-team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region vote on the teams, and all student-athletes now become eligible for the 2021 NFCA NAIA All-America squads.
Ave Maria's three selections to the All-Region teams mark the second time in school history where the Gyrenes have had three All-Region selections. In 2017, Sadie Mosher was named First Team All-Region, while Marinna Shadley and Alyssa Colding were selected as Second Team All-Region selections. AMU has also had selections in 2018 (Romig and Genevieve Twigg) and 2019 (Romig and Angela Cataldo).
Marisa Michi, in her first season of college softball, immediately became AMU's top run producer. The Chicago native led the Gyrenes with 32 runs batted in, a total that ranked fourth in single-season school history. The freshman also became the first Ave Maria freshman since the 2017 season to hit four home runs, including a massive two home run performance against then-nationally ranked Mobile. On the season, Michi hit .323 with a .508 slugging percentage. Michi was named a Second Team All-Sun Conference honoree during her first season.
Miriam Padgett had a breakout season for Ave Maria, consistently providing a spark to the Gyrenes. The redshirt sophomore ranked second in The Sun Conference and in the top ten in the nation with 34 stolen bases, and hit .374 with a .462 on base percentage. Both of those totals finished second on the AMU roster. Padgett was also a dependable player in the corner outfield positions, as the Cumming, Georgia native did not make an error on the season. Padgett was named as an at-large selection to the All-Sun Conference First Team.
Kalie Romig ended her illustrious Ave Maria career with her third selection as a First Team All-Sun Conference player. Romig, who is just the second three-time First Team All-Conference player in school history, led the nation with 54 stolen bases, which also set an AMU record. During the season, the fifth-year senior became The Sun Conference's all-time stolen base leader. She also was the only player to score more than one run per game in The Sun Conference.
The Gyrenes won 20 games during the 2021 season, and ranked third in the nation in both stolen bases (130) and stolen bases per game (3.095).
