Georgia Southwestern State University softball players Mariko Nomura and Gabby Buck have been named to the 2010 Peach Belt Conference All-Academic Team as announced by the conference office on Tuesday.

Nomura, a first team selection, served as the ace of the ‘Canes pitching staff this spring. She made 28 starts and tied for the team lead with seven wins. The senior hurler from Richmond, Canada posted a 2.86 earned run average and tossed 13 complete games. Nomura finished the regular season ranked in several PBC pitching categories, including: ERA (13th), innings pitched (9th), strikeouts (15th), appearances (12th) and games started (2nd).

An Early Childhood Education major, she holds a perfect 4.00 grade point average and was recently inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.  

Buck, a second team selection, started all 51 games for the Lady Hurricanes this spring as a sophomore, splitting time as an outfielder and a catcher. She finished the season as the squad’s leader in multiple categories, including: batting average (.355), runs (36), hits (54), doubles (15), total bases (81), slugging percentage (.533) and on-base percentage (.424). Buck, a Fayetteville, Ga. native, had the fewest strikeouts on the team and was recently named to the PBC All-Conference second team for the second consecutive season.

In the classroom, the Early Childhood Education major holds a 3.93 grade point average.   

The All-Academic Team is part of a season-long program recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of PBC student-athletes in the classroom as well as on the field. To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must participate in at least half of her team's events and be either a starter or significant contributor; have achieved a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale); and have completed at least one full academic year at her current institution.

2009-10 PBC Softball All-Academic Team