May 17, 2012
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa shortstop Megan Blank was selected as a 2012 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Second Team All-Midwest Region selection, it was announced Thursday.
All-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to one of the three 2012 NFCA Division I All-American teams.
Blank is the ninth player in Iowa history — the first since Jessica Bashor in 2000 — to earn all-region honors as a freshman. She is also the first Hawkeye to earn an all-region nod since 2010.
Blank led the Hawkeyes with a .390 batting average, collecting a team-best 60 hits in 154 at-bats. She also paced the team in doubles (17), triples (5) and walks (25), while scoring 34 runs and driving in 29. The Culver City, Calif., native was second on the team with 18 multi-hit contests and had a team-long 10-game hitting streak during the season.
Blank’s 17 doubles are tied for the fourth most in a single season in Iowa history. Her five triples are tied for eighth and her .390 batting average is tied for 10th in the record books.
Blank, who was a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree during the season, was tabbed as a first team All-Big Ten selection by the league coaches Wednesday. She was also selected as a first team all-conference honoree by College Sports Madness earlier this week.
Iowa finished the 2012 season as the Big Ten runner-up with a 16-8 conference record. The Hawkeyes were 27-26 overall.