FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5-18-00

Annie Sells Earns NFCA Second Team DII All-America Honors

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Sophomore Annie Sells, the Peach Belt Athletic Conference's softball Player of the Year, was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association DII All-America second team by the organization on Thursday.

Sells compiled a 23-3 record with an 0.75 ERA and also batted .364 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI for the No. 2-ranked Pirates in 2000. The Chattanooga, Tenn., native struck out 264 batters in just 176.1 innings pitched and ranks among national leaders in ERA, strikeouts and home runs.

The All-America honor is the first for the AASU softball program, which just completed its third season of competition. AASU finished the 2000 season with a 51-7 record and a berth in the NCAA South Atlantic Regional.

Sells was the only AASU player named to the three NFCA DII All-America teams. Three other Pirates – juniors Tesh Wiewel, Crystal McCracken and Maria Lopez – were first-team All-South Atlantic Region honorees along with Sells.

- Pirates -