May 19, 2000

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - - Three Notre Dame softball players, pitcher Jennifer Sharron (Agoura Hills, Calif.), shortstop Melanie Alkire (Union City, Calif.) and outfielder Jennifer Kriech (Indianapolis, Ind.) earned first team all-Mideast region honors Wednesday from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and Louisville Slugger. The three are now eligible for first team All-America honors, which will be announced on May 24 at the Women's College World Series Banquet.

Sharron earned her third consecutive BIG EAST Pitcher-of-the-Year award, while setting a school-record for wins with 26. A junior lefthander, Sharron is a three-time first team all-BIG EAST honoree and earned second team all-Mideast region honors last season.

Alkire repeated as the BIG EAST Player of the Year for the second straight season in 2000 and also is making her second appearance on the all-Mideast region first team. Alkire leads the team in batting average with a .382 mark, while setting school season records for RBI (64) and home runs (13). The junior also was named the BIG EAST Tournament MVP, leading the Irish to their second straight championship by going 6-for-8 in three games.

Kriech is making her first appearance on the all-region team. The team's starting rightfielder is a two-time first team all-BIG EAST honoree and is first on the team in runs scored with 45 and second in batting average .362. Kriech also has tied a school-record for triples in a season with eight, including two in one game versus Indiana State, also tying a school record.

Junior outfielder Lizzy Lemire (Irvine, Calif.) also was named to the all-region second team for the second straight season. Lemire is a two-time first team all-BIG EAST honoree and is one of five Notre Dame players to have a batting average over .300. While she is not eligible for first-team All-America honors, Lemire is eligible for the second and third team.

2000 Louisville Slugger Mideast Region Softball Teams

First Team

Second Team