By Otis Kirk

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' softball squad has placed five players on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America team including four on the first-team list.

Seniors Danielle Gibson, KB Sides and Linnie Malkin along with sophomore Hannah Gammill, who is from Beebe, earned first-team All-America honors. Junior pitcher Chenise Delce captured second-team honors.

Arkansas went 48-11 this season winning the SEC regular season title and not losing a series in the conference. They also won the SEC Tournament and Fayetteville Regional. They lost in the finals of the Fayetteville Super Regional to Texas.

Gibson played first base. She hit 20 home runs, had 70 RBI and hit .445 on the season. Sides, a transfer from Alabama, hit 13 home runs, 42 RBI and .389 batting average. She was the center fielder for Courtney Deifel's Razorbacks. Malkin, was the designated player, hit 22 home runs, 68 RBI and .384.

Gammill was the third baseman. She slugged 18 home runs, had 49 RBI and batted. .374 on the season. Delce was the SEC Pitcher of the Year. She went 19-3 on the season in 37 appearances. She worked 151.2 innings, struck out 188, walked only 35 and had an ERA of 2.12.

Prior to this season, Arkansas had only five All-America picks from NFCA in the school's history.