Three Softball Players Earn NFCA All-Region Team Honors

Sophomore Saige Alfaro and juniors Megan Giese and Christie McGee-Ross were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-Great Lakes Regional Team Friday.

The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first, second and third-team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region voted on the teams, and all student-athletes now become eligible for the 2022 NFCA Division I All-America squads. In all, 381 players from 152 Division I programs received 2022 NFCA All-Region accolades, and Canisius was the only school in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) to receive multiple honorees.

Alfaro, an All-MAAC First Team selection, was chosen to the Great Lakes Region First Team after a sophomore campaign that saw her pace the Canisius team with a league-best .390 batting average, 53 hits, 11 doubles and 73 total bases, placing her in the top 10 players in the MAAC in all four categories. The Chula Vista, Calif., native recorded 17 multi-hit performances during the regular season campaign with 10 of those coming in conference play. In league action, the 2022 MAAC Rookie of the Year was tied for the league-lead in runs scored with 20, was second in hits (27) and total bases (40) also placed in the top-10 in doubles (5). Alfaro has now earned All-MAAC First Team and NFCA Regional honors for the second time in as many seasons in her career at Canisius.

Giese and McGee-Ross were both named to the 2023 Great Lakes Region Third Team. Giese, the 2023 MAAC Pitcher of the Year and an All-MAAC First Team pick had another dominant season in the circle. The righty fanned five-or-more batters in 18 of her 28 appearances, including a season-high 14 punchouts versus Mount St. Mary's on May 6. Giese also had 10-or-more strikeouts in seven of her 11 starts in league play, punching out a total of 111 batters in 74.0 innings while leading the league with a 10-1 record in MAAC play. The hurler's 178 strikeouts bests her regular season total of 158 in 2022 and she became the third pitcher to record at least 175 punch outs multiple times in a career, joining Andrea Bunten (2004-05) and Courtney Piar (2006-07). Giese also became the first pitcher in the MAAC since Fairfield's Mellissa Santos (2001-03) to be named Pitcher of the Year in back-to-back seasons.

McGee-Ross earned All-MAAC First Team honors for the first time in her career after pacing the Canisius lineup with 40 runs scored, 29 walks, 35 stolen bases and a .506 on-base percentage. McGee-Ross recorded 13 multi-hit performances throughout the regular season, second on the team behind Alfaro. McGee-Ross led the MAAC in stolen bases, giving Canisius the league lead in swiped bags for the third straight season. The Cheektowaga, N.Y., native paced the conference with 35 swiped bags and a .506 on-base percentage and was second in the league with a .403 batting average. In conference action, the outfielder was tied for second in batting average (.433) and hits (27) while placing in the top-10 in RBI, slugging percentage and OPS. For their efforts last week, both players were named to the MAAC All-Championship Team for the second straight season.

For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @griffssoftball on Instagram and Twitter.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#15 Saige Alfaro: INF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; L/R

#17 Megan Giese: P/INF; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#5 Christie McGee-Ross: OF; 5' 8"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#15 Saige Alfaro
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; L/R
: INF

#17 Megan Giese
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P/INF

#5 Christie McGee-Ross
: 5' 8"; Junior; L/R
: OF

Players Mentioned

#15 Saige Alfaro

#17 Megan Giese

#5 Christie McGee-Ross

Players Mentioned

#15 Saige Alfaro

#17 Megan Giese

#5 Christie McGee-Ross