Five Drovers Named All-Conference

SHAWNEE – Dominating pitching has helped the University of Science and Arts post a 38-16 record this season. And the Sooner Athletic Conference coaches rewarded USAO’s senior hurlers Kindra Gregory and Dana Askins by voting both to the 2006 All-Sooner Athletic Conference First Team Saturday.

USAO placed five players on the all-conference teams with Courtney Foley earning first team honors at centerfield and Stephanie Hey and Amanda Cotton earning second team honors.

Gregory finished the regular season with a 19-6 record and a 1.71 earned run average. The Lexington native pitched two games during this weekend’s conference tournament giving up only two earned runs. USAO beat Southern Nazarene 5-2 on Friday, but Gregory was saddled with a 5-4 loss to No. 5 St. Gregory’s in the semifinals after the team gave up three unearned runs.

Askins finished the regular season 17-7 on the mound with a 1.51 ERA. The two-time All-American from Moore also put up a team-best .358 batting average with 12 doubles, two home runs and 18 RBIs.

Foley, a senior from Piedmont, leads the team with 54 hits and ranks second on the team with a .351 batting average, five doubles and 11 RBIs. Her 4.0 grade-point average in chemistry also made her an easy selection as a 2005 NAIA-Dakstronics All-American Scholar-Athlete and nominee for a spot on the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team.

Hey was named second team all-conference at third base for the second straight season. The senior from Oklahoma City hit .301 for the season with 10 doubles and five home runs. Her three-run homer Saturday gave USAO a 3-0 lead in the SAC semifinals against SGU.

Cotton, a senior from Hudson, Texas, made the most of her opportunities to play in her final season. Used mainly as the designated player for much of the season, Cotton posted a .280 batting average with four doubles and two home runs. She moved to first base for the second half of the season, where she earned all-conference selection.

USAO is set to begin its quest for three straight national tournament appearances on Thursday at the NAIA Region VI Tournament in Farmer’s Branch, Texas. The Drovers’ first round game will begin at 10 a.m. against Southern Nazarene.

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