Julie Towers Named All-BIG EAST First Team

May 12, 2011

STORRS, Conn. - UConn senior Julianne Towers (Goodlettsville, Tenn.) has been named All-BIG EAST First Team, it was announced by the BIG EAST Conference on Wednesday night at the annual awards banquet held in Louisville, Ky.

Towers is the first UConn player to be named All-BIG EAST First Team since Micah Truax ('09) and Jillian Ortega ('09) in 2008.

Freshman catcher Andrea Huelsenbeck (Rockaway, N.J.) was named All-BIG EAST Third Team.

Towers led UConn in nearly every offensive statistic in her senior campaign. She finished the year with the team lead in batting average (.353), runs (32), hits (54), doubles (14), triples (3), home runs (11), RBI (42) total bases (107) and walks (16). The senior short stop also recorded nine stolen bases on the season.

The 11 home runs as a senior tied the UConn single-season record.

Andrea Huelsenbeck hit six home runs as a freshman.

Towers ended her career at UConn with her name firmly entrenched in the Husky record book. She ranks eighth all-time with a .329 batting average, sixth with 211 hits, fourth with 106 RBI, second all-time with 28 home runs, second all-time with 44 doubles and third with 351 total bases in four seasons.

An excellent student as well, Towers has been named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team in both her sophomore and junior seasons.

Huelsenbeck immediately stepped into the catcher's role as just a freshman. On the season, Huelsenbeck batted .309 with six home runs and 23 RBI with 10 steals. In BIG EAST Conference action, Huelsenbeck hit at a .373 clip while slugging .559. Huelsenbeck is the first full-time catcher at UConn to be named All-BIG EAST since Second-Team selection Jamine Blesoff in 2000.

Notre Dame senior Heather Johnson was named BIG EAST Player of the Year while Syracuse junior hurler Jenna Caira was named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year. DePaul's Kristen Verdun was named the league's Rookie of the Year.

All-BIG EAST First Team^

P        Laura Winter, Notre DameP        Sara Nevins, USFP        Jenna Caira, SyracuseC        Alexia Clay, Notre Dame1B      Alicja Wolny, Louisville2B      Katie Keller, Louisville3B      Heather Johnson, Notre Dame *SS      Julie Towers, ConnecticutOF      Hannah Kiyohara, LouisvilleOF      Alexa Maldonado, Notre DameOF      Sadie Pitzenberger, Notre DameU/P     Kristen Verdun, DePaulDP/U   Amber Curry, St. John's

All-BIG EAST Second Team^

P        Caralisa Connell, LouisvilleP        Brittany O'Donnell, Notre DameC        Holly Stevens, Pittsburgh1B      Megan Coronado, DePaul1B      Mandy Craig, Rutgers2B      Stephanie Watts, Syracuse3B      Kelly Hmiel, PittsburghSS      Katie Fleury, Notre DameOF      Alex Morocco, DePaulOF      Brianna Jorgensborg, Notre DameOF      Reba Tutt, PittsburghU/P     Mackensey Carter, GeorgetownDP/U   Jasmine Watson, Syracuse

All-BIG EAST Third Team

P        Alyssa O'Connell, PittsburghP        Lindsey Richardson, USFC        Andrea Huelsenbeck, Connecticut1B      Kely Saco, Syracuse2B      Allie Braden, DePaul3B      Hallie Gibbs, SyracuseSS      Colby Wherry, LouisvilleOF      Samantha Dodd, DePaulOF      Sean Plese, DePaulOF      Jennifer Esteban, LouisvilleOF      Gina Kafalas, USFDP/U   Courtney Goff, USF

^additional members added due to tie in voting
*unanimous selection

University of Connecticut Athletics

Players Mentioned

Andrea Huelsenbeck

Jillian Ortega

Julianne Towers

Micah Truax

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