Note: This story was updated on Thursday, May 9.

IRVINE, Calif.  – In a span of 24 hours, the Concordia University Irvine softball team earned seven D2CCA All-Region awards and an eye-popping 15 All-PacWest Conference awards. Then on Thursday, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) also announced that four Eagles were picked on the NFCA DII All-Regional teams.

CUI junior third baseman Amanda Gjertsen, sophomore pitcher Callie Nunes and true freshman utility/pitcher Erika Morris were all named to the D2CCA West Region First-Team. Nunes was also rewarded for her superb regular season as the All-Region Pitcher of the Year. The Modesto, Calif. native enters the postseason with a 31-4 record, a 1.10 ERA and 241 strikeouts. She leads NCAA DII with 31 wins on the mound and ranks in the top ten in the other two categories.

Gjertsen led the Eagles with 44 RBI this regular season while batting .354 at the plate with 17 doubles.  Morris showcased her versatility by hitting .284 with four homers as a batter and also posting a 9-2 record with a 1.58 ERA after ascending to the No. 2 spot in the rotation.

Joining that trio on the All-Region Second-Team are CUI juniors Mackenzie Graham, sophomore Sydni Dix and freshmen Megan Massa and Sydney Sprinkle. Graham and Sprinkle have shined as catchers this season, with Graham catching all four of Nunes' no-hitters this year and only committing two errors behind the plate.  Sprinkle led the Eagles as a true freshman with 9 homers and a .399 batting average while also splitting time at first base.  Massa batted .305 and solidified herself as a leadoff hitter in her first season on the squad, which included a walk-off homer against Biola near the beginning of conference play. Dix came on strong in the second half of the regular season and provided an exclamation point by crushing two homers in a doubleheader sweep of Biola (including a grand slam) to help CUI clinch its second straight PacWest Conference championship.

The NFCA acknowledged Nunes, Sprinkle and Morris as First-Team All-Regional selections on Thursday. Gjertsen also made the Second-Team NFCA All-Regional squad.

The league champs were also recognized by coaches across the PacWest with 11 different Eagles earning All-Conference accolades and four Eagles earning end-of-the-year awards.

Nunes repeated as PacWest Pitcher of the Year. Nunes dominated the league and her fourth no-hitter of the year handed CUI head coach Crystal Rosenthal career win No. 500 in a win over Academy of Art.  Rosenthal was also named PacWest Coach of the Year after guiding the Eagles to their first No. 1 ranking in the NFCA DII Poll in program history.

Sprinkle garnered PacWest Freshman of the Year honors while Graham also collected the title of PacWest Co-Defensive Player of the Year.  In addition to playing great defensively, both players enter the playoffs with 37 RBI and Graham was also second on the squad with 7 homers.

Gjertsen, Sprinkle, Massa, Nunes and second baseman McKinsey Thorpe were all named First-Team All-Conference. Thorpe and teammate Michelle Lieng both led the Eagles with 13 steals this regular season, and Thorpe started 49 of 50 games at second base.

Graham, Dix and outfielder Lauren Lopez were all named Second-Team All-Conference.  Lopez hit .323 and was a perfect 12-for-12 on steals, including a walk-off steal of home plate in a thrilling 1-0 win over Hawaii Hilo.

Morris, Lieng, and junior shortstop Sarah Kretschmar each were named Third-Team All-Conference. Kretschmar is the only Eagle to start every game this season.

The Eagles moved up to No. 9 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Poll on Wednesday and the Eagles are hosting the D2 West Regional Tournament this week from Thursday, May 9 through Saturday, May 11.  It is a double elimination tourney with the winning squad advancing to the NCAA DII Super Regional which will be played next Thursday and Friday.

For the Tournament Central page for the Regional Tournament, click here.

For the full CUI softball schedule, click here.