JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Eight members of the Eastern Kentucky University softball team received postseason recognition tonight at the Ohio Valley Conference awards banquet, held on the eve of the 2008 OVC tournament. Sophomore Shyenne Hussey was selected first team All-OVC. Sophomore Jena Handley and seniors Chanze Patterson and Adriel Foxley earned spots on the second team. Freshmen Amber Lenz, Stacye Toups, Erin Luther and Cassi Gibson were selected to the OVC All-Newcomer team.

Hussey (Waimanalo, Hawai`i) batted .375 with seven home runs, 45 RBIs and 26 runs scored this season. She led the team in average, slugging, on-base percentage, runs batted in, home runs and total bases. The third baseman’s batting average ranks fourth in the conference and she ranks second in RBIs and on-base percentage and third in walks.

Handley (Garden Grove, Calif.), a catcher, posted a .313 batting average with seven home runs, 33 RBIs and 25 runs scored. She posted a .366 on-base percentage and a .497 slugging percentage.

Patterson (Kent, Wash.) batted .311 with two home runs, 18 RBIs, 41 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. She broke program records this season for career at bats, runs scored and stolen bases. In addition, the second baseman committed only four errors in 218 chances this season.

Foxley (Auburn, Wash.), a first baseman, drove in 35 runs, scored 35 runs, hit four home runs while batting .338. She ranks second in the OVC with 30 walks, third with a .491 on-base percentage, is tied for sixth with 12 doubles and has the eighth highest batting average. The senior now holds school records for career home runs, RBIs and walks.

Lenz (Tustin, Calif.), the team’s primary designated player, posted a .333 batting average with 31 runs scored and 23 RBIs in her first collegiate season. She is tied for seventh in the OVC with 16 multi-hit games. Toups (Loveland, Ohio) led the pitching staff with 10 wins and posted a 2.82 ERA as a freshman. She ranks among the top-10 in the OVC in eight different categories. Luther (Massillon, Ohio) hit five home runs, drove in 20 and scored 29 times while batting .296. The shortstop also had six stolen bases in seven attempts. Gibson (Brawley, Calif.), an outfielder, hit .306, scored 21 runs and had a .381 on-base percentage.

The third seeded Colonels (28-20, 17-10 OVC) will face sixth seeded Samford (23-27, 14-13 OVC) at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday. All of the Colonels’ games at the 2008 OVC tournament will air live on WEKY 1340 AM in Richmond. The games can be heard worldwide by visiting www.ekyam.com. Each broadcast will begin 10 minutes before the first pitch.

The winner of the EKU/Samford game will advance to face second seeded Morehead State at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. The loser of the first round game will fall into the elimination bracket and play on Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET.