Bray and Cava Named All-America Scholar-Athletes by NFCA

By Sara Elcano, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- Two Willamette University softball players have been honored as 2010 All-America Scholar-Athletes by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The Bearcat athletes are Emily Bray (So., 1B, Martinez, CA/Alhambra HS) and Carolyn Cava (Jr., OF, Salinas, CA/Robert Stevenson HS).

Players selected as NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes had to earn at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale during the 2009-10 academic year.

Bray is working on a degree in English. Cava is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Spanish.

Last spring, Bray saw action in 27 games for the Bearcats, including a total of 17 starts. On defense, she recorded 72 putouts, 52 assists and two errors, as she achieved a .978 fielding percentage.

Bray earned seven hits and four RBIs in limited trips to the plate. She also went 2 for 2 on stolen bases.

Cava played in 27 games, primarily as a pinch runner, with her speed on the bases helping the Bearcats. Cava scored nine times and was successful on 6 of 7 stolen base attempts.

The 2010 softball team finished the season with a 28-12 overall record, including a 20-8 record in the Northwest Conference. Head Coach Damian Williams completed his 12th season at Willamette.