Folden Tabbed Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America Second Team Selection

May 31, 2006

STARKVILLE, Miss. - After an impressive sophomore campaign that earned her Conference USA Player of the Year honors, Marshall Thundering Herd catcher Rachel Folden (Baldwin Park, Calif./Diamond Bar) claimed Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America second team accolades Wednesday.

As a freshman last season, Folden became the first All-American in school history, earning Louisville Slugger/NFCA third team honors. She finished her rookie season batting at a .406 clip with nine home runs and 60 RBI.

Folden, the only C-USA player to earn All-America honors, enjoyed a record-setting season that saw her bat .386 with a school- and conference-record 18 home runs and 54 RBI. She fell four RBI shy of tying the single-season school record she set a year ago.

Folden finished the season tied for 12th nationally in home runs. She also finished as the C-USA leader in conference-only home runs (seven) and RBI (23).

"This is a great accomplishment for Rachel and she is well deserving of this honor," Marshall head coach Shonda Stanton said. "She ranks among the best power hitters in the country and she is a very solid catcher defensively.

"We are very excited to have her here for two more years and to help guide our program to national prominence."

She became the first player in school history to amass 50-plus RBI in consecutive seasons, while earning the elusive C-USA "Triple Crown." Defensively, Folden picked off a conference-best seven runners, while throwing out 13 more along the base paths.

The Baldwin Park, Calif., native also garnered first team All-Conference USA and NFCA All-Mideast Region honors.

"I am so excited right now," Folden said. "This is amazing. To become an All-American playing in Conference USA is awesome because I respect those teams so much.

"This speaks volumes about our program. We are going places and people around the country are beginning to realize it."

Earlier this season, Folden became the first player in school history to hit three home runs in a game, accomplishing the feat against Austin Peay March 4. With the three-homer performance, she tied the Conference USA single-game record held by Houston's Kristen Glowacz.

The Thundering Herd (33-23), which finished its first season in Conference USA with a 15-9 record, earned its second consecutive trip to a conference tournament championship game. Under Stanton, the Herd has enjoyed four consecutive 30-win seasons and two conference regular season championships en route to the most successful era in program history.

2006 Louisville Slugger/NFCA NCAA Division I All-Americans
First TeamP   Monica Abbott, TennesseeP   Cat Osterman, TexasP   Jennie Ritter, MichiganC   Haley Woods, California1B  Jenna Hall, Illinois2B  Veronica Wootson, Florida State3B  Andrea Duran, UCLASS  Lindsay Schutzler, TennesseeOF  Sarah Fekete, TennesseeOF  Danyele Gomez, Louisiana-LafayetteOF  Katie Cochran, Arizona StateUT  Cambria Miranda, Oregon StateDP  Kristi Durant, TennesseeAL  Tonya Callahan, TennesseeAL  Kristie Fox, ArizonaAL  Caitlin Lowe, ArizonaAL  Anjelica Seldon, UCLAAL  Kristin Vesely, Oklahoma
Second TeamP   Alicia Hollowell, ArizonaP   Angela Tincher, Virginia TechP   Kristina Thorson, CaliforniaC    Rachel Folden, Marshall1B  Ianeta Le'I, BYU2B  Caitlin Benyi, UCLA3B  Brette Reagan, BaylorSS  Christina Clark, Fresno StateOF  Norrelle Dickson, OklahomaOF  Kellie Middleton, GeorgiaOF  Lindy Winkler, Cal State SacramentoUT  Serena Settlemier, KansasDP  Jessica Strickland, Colorado StateAL  Eileen Canney, NorthwesternAL  Gina Carbonatto, University of the PacificAL  Alexis Switenko, SyracuseAL  Stephanie VanBrakle, AlabamaAL  Jackie Wong, Utah
Third TeamP   Brianne McGowan, Oregon StateP   Emily Turner, LSUP   Crystal Cox, North Carolina1B  Garland Cooper, Northwestern2B  Dominique Lastrapes, Washington3B  Megan McAllister, GeorgiaSS  Tammy Williams, NorthwesternOF  Catalina Morris, StanfordOF  Stephanie Brown, Notre DameOF  Brittany Rogers, AlabamaUT  Jessica Doucette, GeorgiaDP  Amber Smith, Illinois StateAL  Leslie Klein, LSUAL  Lacy Wood, LouisvilleAL  Ashley Charters, WashingtonAL  Erin Floros, San Diego StateAL  Chelsi Lake, Baylor

Marshall University Athletics

Folden Tabbed Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America Second Team Selection

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