FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University softball team earned five spots on the 2013 Virginia Sports Information Director's (VaSID) All-State University Division Softball Teams, as announced by the organization today. Recent graduate Brooke Short/Hurt was named the VaSID Player of the Year and was joined on the First Team by rising juniors Megan Baltzell/Stafford and Kori Nishitomi/Kaneohe, Hawaii, and rising sophomore Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach. Rising junior Libby Morris/Dillwyn was named to the Second Team to round out Longwood's honorees.

Short, a four-year standout for the Lancers, graduated as one of the most productive hitters in the history of the program. The All-American Third Team selection holds the school's all-time records for at-bats (636), hits (248), RBI (197), runs scored (172), home runs (55), walks (106) and games played (218). In addition to being named an All-American, she was also an All-Southeast Region First Team member, the Big South Conference Player of the Year, an All-Conference First Team honoree and an All-Tournament Team member. The southpaw started all 61 of the team's games and finished first on squad with a .527 on base percentage, and second with a .420 average, 15 doubles and 69 RBI, in addition to an .824 slugging percentage.

Baltzell, a Second-Team All-American, started all 61 games behind the plate for Longwood this season. She received All-Southeast Region and All-Big South Conference First Team accolades, and was an All-Tournament Team selection following the championship game. The lefty, who set a program and conference record, led the nation with 30 home runs and 0.49 home runs per game. She also achieved a new program best with 78 RBI and finished first on the squad a .984 slugging percentage, as well. With the help of a team-best, 39-game streak of reaching base and a .406 batting average, Baltzell logged a .506 on base percentage and a .406 batting average during her sophomore campaign, while registering a team-high 21 multi-RBI games.

Murphy finished her successful freshman campaign with a .318 batting average and 14 home runs. The All-Big South Second Team selection and Big South All-Freshman Team member set a new school record with 41 walks, and finished third on the team with 68 RBI. At the conference tournament, Murphy led the team with nine RBI and four home runs, along with a 1.125 slugging percentage. She tied a program record with three home runs against Campbell to propel the Lancers into the Big South title game, as well.

Nishitomi, who was also named to the All-Southeast Region First Team, the Big South All-Conference First Team, as well as the All-Tournament Team, started all 61 games for the Lancers in 2013. In what has proved to be a record setting season, the outfielder set program highs of 209 at-bats, 80 runs scored and 92 hits. She logged a school-record, 24-game hit streak that spanned from March 1 to March 27, as well. Nishitomi, who paced the Lancers with a .440 batting average, was ranked first in the nation with 1.36 runs scored per game.

Morris, the Big South Championship MVP, finished the season with a 21-10 record in the circle and a 3.25 ERA. She totaled 93 strikeouts in 176.1 innings pitched, including 16 complete games, while holding opposing batters to just a .250 batting average. Morris stepped up as the Lancers' defensive backbone for the Big South Championship, leading the squad with several great performances. After entering the team's game against Liberty on May 9 in relief, she started the next five games, pitching 36.2 of the team's 40 total innings at the tournament. The righty allowed just 14 runs, while striking out 20 batters.

2013 VaSID All-State University Division Softball Team
First Team
C - Megan Baltzell, So., Longwood
1B - Sarah Mooney, So., James Madison
2B - Kylie McGoldrick, So., Virginia Tech
SS - Emily Murphy, Fr., Longwood
3B - Marcy Bowdren, Jr., Virginia
OF - Jasmine Butler, Sr., James Madison
OF - Lauren Gaskill, So., Virginia Tech
OF - Kori Nishitomi, So., Longwood
UT/DP - Brooke Short, Sr., Longwood
P - Jailyn Ford, Fr., James Madison
P - Heather Kiefer, So., James Madison
P - Melanie Mitchell, Sr., Virginia

Second Team
C - Erica Field, Fr., James Madison
1B - Taylor McCoy, Fr., Hampton
2B - Alina Moriarty, So., Norfolk St.
SS - Caitlin Sandy, Jr., James Madison
3B - Whitney Williams, Fr., Norfolk St.
OF - Morgan Heath, So., James Madison
OF - Katie Zavodny, Jr., Liberty
OF - Hakey Ward, So., Norfolk St.
UT/DP - Courtney Liddle, Sr., Virginia Tech
P - Kelly Heinz, Fr., Virginia Tech
P - Jailynn Jackson, So., Hampton
P - Libby Morris, So., Longwood

VaSID Player of the Year - Brooke Short, Sr., Longwood
VaSID Pitcher of the Year - Jailyn Ford, Fr., James Madison
VaSID Coach of the Year - Mickey Dean, James Madison
VaSID Rookie of the Year - Jailyn Ford, James Madison