2018 NFCA All-Region Teams

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On the heels of being named All-PacWest First Team, Academy of Art University softball freshman Brooke Larsen (21-4) was among the honorees in Wednesday's release of the 2018 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II All-Region Teams. Larsen was named to the All-Region First Team as a Utility-Pitcher.

Comprised of 207 student-athletes from 120 programs, the teams are voted on by NFCA member coaches from each respective region and all the honorees now become eligible for selection to the 2018 NFCA Division II All-America squads.

Fueling a historic year for the Urban Knights, Larsen proved to be one of the toughest pitchers to face in the country. She finished the regular season as the PacWest leader with 10 shutouts (fifth in NCAA Division II) and innings pitched (178.1), ranked second in strikeouts (207, 11th in NCAA DII), wins (21, 19th in NCAA DII), and fourth in earned run average (1.41, 23rd in NCAA DII). One of the most dynamic talents in the conference, as a hitter, she also finished second in the PacWest in doubles (18) and tied for ninth in batting average (.359). She would set single-season program records in shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and doubles.

"Brooke has been such a fierce competitor for us anywhere we put her," said head coach Sonja Garnett. "She has been a huge game-changer for this program."

Truly dominant as a freshman, Larsen did not allow more than three earned runs in any of her first 30 collegiate appearances. After shutting out Central Washington in her third start of the year, Larsen collected the first of what would be seven PacWest Freshman of the Week honors, one Player of the Week honor, and eventually the program's first Louisville Slugger/NFCA DII National Pitcher of the Week selection. She struck out a career-high 13 (one shy of the program's single-game record) against Notre Dame de Namur on Mar. 9 then later delivered 38.1 consecutive scoreless innings that covered a stretch where she was named 2018 Tournament of Champions MVP, Top Pitcher, & All-Tournament Team. Larsen proved her elite talent with the bat as well, leading the team in batting average for much of the year and doubling six times over a six-game stretch en route to the program's record for a single season.

Joining other ART U Softball legends such as Shampayne Clay, Ashley Lokey, Elyse Cordova, and Haily MacDonald, Larsen is the fifth player in program history to be named All-Region, but the first to join the All-Region First Team.