Trio Earns NFCA All-Region Accolades

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Three Horizon League softball players earned All-Region accolades from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Thursday. Loyola’s Lauren Moore and UIC’s Devin Miller were each voted to the Great Lakes Region Second Team, while Cleveland State’s Dara Toman earned a Midwest Region Second Team nod.

The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first and second teams selected for each region.

The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each respective region, and all the honorees now become eligible for selection to one of three 2013 NFCA Division I All-American teams.

Moore, who is Loyola’s first position player to garner all-region honors since Ellen Kresl was named to the first team in 2008, batted .342 (55 for 161) with a school-record 13 home runs, six doubles, and 42 RBI this season, en route to First Team All-Horizon League status. She entered the 2013 season having never hit higher than .281 and clubbed only seven home runs in her first two seasons combined. One of only three players in Loyola history to ever drive in 40 or more runs in a single season, her 42 total RBI rank third on the school’s single-season list.

During the 2013 season, Moore, who helped Loyola earn a share of the Horizon League regular-season title, totaled 16 multi-hit games and seven times drove in three or more runs. As Moore went, so did the Ramblers, who were 10-1 when she homered, and the junior batted a staggering .417 (40 for 96) with 11 homers and 36 RBI in the team’s wins.

With 20 career home runs and 88 RBI to her credit, the slugger will enter her senior campaign needing only 12 roundtrippers and five RBI to tie Loyola’s all-time marks in those categories.

In addition to NFCA Second Team All-Great Lakes Region and First Team All-Horizon League recognition, Moore also was named Horizon League Player of the Week on February 26, and was a member of the Horizon League Fall Academic Honor Roll this year.

Miller was tabbed the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year after leading UIC to a share of the conference regular-season title.

The right-hander tossed a League-leading 255.2 innings, making 45 appearances and compiling a 22-16 record. Miller’s 198 strikeouts were second in the Horizon League.

Toman, the 2013 Horizon League Player of the Year and the career leader in home runs in Horizon League history, finished her career by hitting .373 (53-142) with 39 runs, 11 doubles, four triples, 15 home runs and 38 runs batted in this season.

She ranked second in the Horizon League in home runs, tied for fourth in RBI and fifth in batting average.

Her 2013 numbers helped Toman rewrite both the Horizon League and Cleveland State record books as she owns the Horizon League and Cleveland State home run record (60) and the CSU career records for runs batted in (154), runs scored (145), and total bases record (453).

A three-time all-league honoree, Toman is making her second straight appearance on the NFCA All-Region team, earning first team accolades last year.