ATHERTON, Calif. - Two Menlo College juniors were named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association NAIA All-West Region First Team when it was announced last week. Designated player Courtney Emry and second baseman Alisha Vegas were named to the 16-player team as the Oaks were one of four schools to have multiple players selected.

The Louisville Slugger/NFCA NAIA All-West Region squad is loaded with talent, featuring six players from NAIA National Champion California Baptist, four from 4th-ranked Point Loma Nazarene, two from 10th-ranked Simon Fraser, and one each from Holy Names and Oregon Tech, as well as Menlo's pair. Overall, the region boasts the NAIA National Pitcher of the Year, four First Team All-Americans, one Second Team All-American and one Honorable Mention All-American. Point Loma Nazarene, Simon Fraser and Holy Names each competed at the NAIA National Championship along with California Baptist.

Emry (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde/Mid-Plains College), a first-year transfer from Mid-Plains College, provided pop in the middle of the Oaks lineup all season long as the designated player while also starting a number of games at catcher. She batted .281 in conference play and had a team-high 19 RBI's against all competition while tying for the team lead in home runs with three. Emry carried a .491 slugging percentage through conference play - good for second on the team - and was a unanimous First Team All-California Pacific Conference selection.

Vegas (Kailua, HI/Kailua) continued her Menlo career with a .289 batting average as a junior while driving in a team-best 13 runs in Cal Pac play. With four doubles she moved up to second place on the program's all-time doubles list with 25. In addition to her success at the plate, Vegas finished the season with a .966 fielding percentage on 89 chances. No other Oaks player had a higher fielding percentage with more than 42 chances. Vegas was a Second Team All-Cal Pac selection.

2009 Louisville Slugger/NFCA NAIA All-West Region First Team
P, Tory Ferreira, California Baptist
C, Alex Wilkinson, Point Loma Nazarene
1B, Nikki Lowe, California Baptist
2B, Alisha Vegas, Menlo
3B, No Nominations,
SS, Ashley Boyd, California Baptist
DP, Courtney Emry, Menlo
UT, Melissa Gomez, Point Loma Nazarene
OF, Janel Guadagno, Point Loma Nazarene
OF, Sarah Hurlbut, California Baptist
OF, Jessie Harris, Simon Fraser
At-Large/P, Tyler Lent, Point Loma Nazarene
At-Large/P, Emma Holden, California Baptist
At-Large/P, Stephanie Fairclough, Holy Names
At-Large/C, Katie King, Oregon Tech
At-Large/SS, Christine Barr, Simon Fraser
At-Large/OF, Kendall Gorham, California Baptist