(MSUB Athletics release)
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – On Monday the Division II Collegiate Commissioners Association announced their 2018 All-West Region teams featuring Montana State University Billings’ outfielder Heather Tracy and first baseman Cameron Cassinelli as first-team selections.
Tracy has been a second-team selection each of the past two seasons in the D2CCA all-region poll. She is the first three time recipient of the honor in MSUB history after tying Joey Ehnes who was selected second team in both 2004 and 2005. Just last week she became the second Yellowjacket ever to be recognized as a first-team all-region pick by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association
It is the second time in program history that the Yellowjackets have had two first team all-region selections following Thersesa Campbell and Rachel Quarnburg from 2005.
“Both Cam and Heather had successful seasons this year and are very deserving of this honor,” head coach Jessica Rayman said of the selections. “Cam’s power and clutch hitting was a major factor for us all season. Heather is a one-of-a-kind type player that is going to be difficult to replace. Her consistency and ability to make adjustments is special.”
This is Cassinelli’s first all-region selection after completing a record-breaking career with the Yellowjackets. She is a three-time all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection after being named to the first team this season following consecutive years as a second team pick.
Together, Tracy and Cassinelli formed a dynamic duo for the MSU Billings offense over the past four years. Cassinelli, the Yellowjackets’ all-time RBIs leader with 156, drove in Tracy on a sacrifice fly in 2015 for the first RBI of her career. It was Tracy’s fourth run scored in her career and she went on to cross the plate 149 times for the second most runs in MSUB history.
Tracy hit .488 in her senior season with five home runs, four triples and nine doubles while scoring a career-high 49 runs off of 82 hits. Cassinelli provided pop in the MSUB lineup with 10 home runs and 35 RBI while adding seven doubles and a triple at the plate. The Yellowjacket first baseman is the first player in program history to record three double-digit home run totals after hitting 13 as a junior and 11 as a sophomore.
Tracy and Cassinelli were the only first-team picks from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the Yellowjackets were one of four schools with multiple selections led by California Baptist and Chico State with three players each and tying Dixie State with two. Conference rivals Western Oregon and Central Washington each collected second-team picks with the Wolves’ Ryanne Huffman at second base and the Wildcats’ Savannah Egbert at third base.
