May 14, 2009

EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette softball player Christina Giambrone (Blairstown, N.J./Blair Academy) was named to the Mid Atlantic Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Region team on Thursday.

When Giambrone belted a two-out walk-off, game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the seventh of Lafayette's conference season-opening series against Army, the Leopards should have been tipped off that the shortstop's junior year would be a memorable one.

After earning three Patriot League Player of the Week honors (the most achieved by one player in the league since 2003), the English major was named the conference's Player of the Year. Giambrone became the second Lafayette student-athlete ever to win the award, following Jen Rothrock '97, who earned the distinction in 1996 and 1997.

While serving as tri-captain, Giambrone re-wrote Lafayette's record books. She is the school's career leader in home runs (28), walks (98) and runs (108) and tied for second in Patriot League history for home runs in a season (14; 2009).

Her name appears on Lafayette's top 10 season leaders lists for batting average (.384, No. 4), hits (47, No. 4), walks (37, No. 1), runs (36, No. 2) and RBI (36, No. 2). She ranked nationally for home runs per game (.33, 11th) and on-base percentage (.534, 13th).

Giambrone is a three-time All-League selection and was the 2007 Rookie of the Year. After her spring exams come to an end, she plans to intern at a New York/ New Jersey law firm during the summer.

A total of 264 players from 121 different institutions comprise this year's regional teams. The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America First, Second or Third teams.

The Leopards closed the 2009 season with their second-consecutive appearance in the Patriot League Championship series. After holding Lehigh to seven scoreless innings, they lost to their archrival, 9-0, in the eighth.