WALTHAM, Mass. - Four members of the Brandeis University softball team have been selected as All-University Athletic Association members by the league's coaches. Sophomore 2B Melisa Cagar of Ridgewood, N.J., was a first-team selection, while junior catcher Erin Ross of Manalapan, N.J., sophomore 1B Courtney Kelley of Leicester, Mass., and rookie outfielder Samantha Gajweski of Elkridge, Md., were second-team honorees.
Cagar has been one of the Judges' top offensive this season at the top of the lineup. She leads the team in batting average (.422), hits (57), runs scored (36), home runs (4) and stolen bases (30), ranking in the top five of the UAA in all five categories. Her 30 stolen bases rank 15th in all of NCAA Division III play, setting a school single-season record, while her 40 steals in two seasons already rank second on the Judges' all-time list. Cagar, the only Brandeis player to start all 40 games this season, hit safely in 29, including 21 multiple-hit games.
Ross, who played in all but one game behind the plate, was the Judges' top run-producer this season with 25 RBI. She hit .325, second on the team behind Cagar, with a team-leading 12 doubles, tied for third in the UAA. Ross had 10 multiple-hit games and a team-high nine multiple-RBI contests. Earlier this season, Ross was named to the UAA All-Tournament team, along with Cagar. One of Ross's top performances this season came when she went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI while catching a no-hitter on April 2 against Framingham State College.
Kelley has been one of the most clutch players on the team this season. She batted .293 with 12 runs scored. Her 19 RBI, 10 extra-base hits, six doubles, one triple and three home runs all ranked second on the squad. Kelley was recently named UAA Player of the Week after producing key RBI in wins over Tufts University and Emerson College, victories that helped Brandeis earn the top seed in the upcoming ECAC Division III New England tournament. She had five multi-hit games and three multiple-RBI games, including the team's season high when she went two-for-two with six RBI in an 11-0 win over Suffolk University, producing a two-run triple and a grand-slam.
Gajewski, who missed some time this season due to injury, batted .303, fifth on the team, with 13 runs scored in just 25 games played. She also led the team with seven sacrifice bunts. Gajewski's eight-game hitting streak from April 2 to April 16 was tied for the second-longest on the squad this season.
Cagar is a 2007 graduate of Ridgewood High School. She is the daughter of Cengiz and Virginia Cagar of Ridgewood, N.J.
Ross is a 2006 graduate of Manalapan High School. She is the daughter of Steven and Marie Ross of Manalapan, N.J.
Kelley is a 2007 graduate of Notre Dame Academy. She is the daughter of Dana and Rene Kelley, Leicester, Mass.
Gajewski is a 2008 graduate of Long Reach High School. She is the daughter of Thomas and Luci Gajewski, Elkridge, Md.
For more information on Brandeis softball, please visit our web site at http://www.brandeisjudges.com/sports/spring/soft.