May 10, 1999

Providence, R.I. --- In the 1999 Big East Softball Coaches' Poll announced on Friday, May 7, the Villanova University Wildcats had three team members named to either the first or second team. Junior designated player Regina Speicher (Brackney, Pa./ Seton Catholic) was named to the All-Big East first team, while sophomore infielder Jackie Pasquerella (Bayshore, N.Y./ Bayshore) and junior outfielder Kristen Verhoff (Oakland, N.J./ Indian Hills) earned second team honors. The University of Notre Dame, 1999 Big East champions, swept all three player awards - Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, and Rookie of the Year, while Seton Hall's Ray VanderMay took Coach of the Year honors.

Speicher had a strong year for the Wildcats, finishing fourth on the squad with a .341 batting average, third in on-base percentage (.440), second in doubles with 14, and first on the team in walks with 20. One of the captains of this year's 42-14-2 version of the Wildcats that set a school record for victories, Speicher garnered All-Big East honors for the first time in her career.

Verhoff, also one of this year's captains, had a break-out season for the 'Cats. Hitting in the third spot in the order, the sure-handed leftfielder hit .308, with three home runs and 39 RBI, the second most on the team. With only one error the entire season, Verhoff was valuable to Villanova both at the plate and in the field. Like Speicher, this is the first time that Verhoff has received All-League recognition.

Pasquerella, on the other hand, was named to the second team for the second year in a row. This season, she broke Villanova single season records for batting average (.470), hits (93), and stolen bases (28) while splitting time between shortstop and third base. Pasquerella's batting average was good for second in the Big East, and her hits were a league best.

Click here to see complete poll results.

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