Liz Decima named Louisville Slugger/NFCA First Team All-America in softball for 2009

Liz Decima

By Tim Glon

MONTCLAIR, N.J. — Ohio Northern junior Liz Decima (Freedom, Pa./Ambridge) was named a Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association First Team All-American in softball for 2009 at the NCAA III Championships banquet Thursday night at Montclair State University.

Decima, a First Team All-Region honoree and the Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Year, joins teammate Tina Mangola as an All-America honoree.

Decima leads the Polar Bears in hitting with a .493 average through 43 games this season. She also has a team-high 54 runs scored, a school-record 74 base hits, five triples, a .700 slugging percentage and a .550 on-base percentage.

A two-time First Team All-OAC and First Team All-Central Region honoree, Decima becomes the frst ONU athlete to earn First Team All-America honors since shortstop Kerry Barnett in 1994.

In three seasons as a Polar Bear, decima is ONU's all-time career hits leader with 185 and doubles leader with 40.

She also ranks among ONU's all-time leaders in RBIs (105), home runs (10), triples (8), runs scored (122) and stolen bases (37).

The Polar Bears are 39-4 on the season and will compete at the NCAA III Championships in Montclair, N.J.

Northern will face Messiah (Pa.) in the first round Friday at 1:30 pm.