Courtesy Tufts Sports Information

MONTCLAIR, N.J. - Senior RF Maya Ripecky (Chicago, Ill.) and first-year 1B/DH Lena Cantone (Southington, Conn.) from the Tufts softball team received 2009 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II All-American honors Thursday evening at the NCAA Softball Championship Banquet held at The Conference Center at Montclair St.

Ripecky, Santone and the rest of their teammates and coaches were at the banquet prior to beginning play for the national championship on Friday. Ripecky was named to the Second Team outfield and Santone was chosen as a Third Team designated player.

Ripecky tore the cover off the ball during the team's spring trip to California and never stopped. In 12 California games, she hit .538 (21/39) with 13 runs scored and 15 batted in. She continued to be a terror at the plate for Coach Cheryl Milligan's Jumbos, with her 16 doubles and 45 runs scored setting new team records. Her 66 hits overall entering the weekend are tied for the Tufts all-time mark and 97 total bases are two shy of the team's all-time mark. Her .482 batting average ranks 26th nationally and her .533 on-base percentage is 30th in the country as of May 10. She is slugging at a .708 clip.

Cantone also used a productive California trip as a springboard to a successful first year, driving home nine runs in the 12 games. She got even better back home, hitting .444 with 29 RBI during 27 games after spring break. She's the top first-year performer in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) with 12 doubles, 38 RBI (second in the conference overall) and 66 total bases. She's currently carrying a .393 batting average, .447 on-base percentage and .564 slugging percentage.

Ripecky was an All-NESCAC First Team selection this spring and Cantone was on the Second Team. Both were on the NFCA All-New England First Team. They are the first Jumbo All-Americans since current shortstop Casey Sullivan (Berlin, Conn.) was named to the Third Team in 2007.

Tufts (42-1) plays Cortland State at the NCAA Championships hosted by Montclair State today at 4:00 pm.