NORFOLK, Va. – Haley Ward of the Norfolk State softball team was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Southeast Region second team, the organization announced this week.

Ward becomes NSU’s first-ever Division I all-region honoree after winning the MEAC Player of the Year award, also a first for the Spartan softball program. She ranks second in the nation in batting average at .482 after leading the country in hitting the previous week. She also ranks second nationally in doubles per game as well as in the top 40 in RBI and triples per game and slugging and on-base percentage.

The native of Virginia Beach, Va., also ranks first in the conference in batting, slugging, on-base percentage, doubles, triples and total bases as well as fourth in hits and RBI. She helped lead the Spartans to five straight wins and an appearance in the MEAC tournament final, where they fell in the if-necessary, second game of the championship round. It marked just the second-ever appearance in the MEAC tournament final for the program.

The NFCA all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each respective region, and all the honorees now become eligible for selection to one of three 2013 NFCA Division I All-American teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration.

A total of 263 players from 137 different teams across the nation have been selected to the Division I All-Region teams. The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association’s 10 regions with first and second teams selected for each region.