For the fourth consecutive year, Emory University advanced to NCAA postseason play. The Eagles' campaign ended in the NCAA regional tournament, where they finished third. Overall, the team was 37-12, the fourth straight year Emory tallied at least 37 victories. Six players were named to the all-region team.

Following a 2003 season that saw Emory graduate a first-team All-American and two all-region players, the Eagles, rated No. 3 in the preseason, were ranked for two straight months in 2004. They finished second at the University Athletic Association (UAA) tournament and placed five players on the all-conference first team, including Betsy Bruinsma, Emory's third UAA Rookie of the Year in the last four years.

Seven Eagles were named all-conference, tying a school record set in 2003 five of those were on the first team and the Eagle coaching staff, led by Penny Siqueiros, was named conference Coaching Staff of the Year for the fourth straight year.

Graduating seniors were Elizabeth Hampson, Emory's all-time leader in career home runs, and Nicole Kovski, the school's all-time leader in career wins.

Below are some individual honors:

Betsy Bruinsma
Bruinsma, Emory's third UAA Rookie of the Year in four seasons, was named second team all-region and first team all-conference. Bruinsma was the eighth freshman in Emory history to be named an all-conference first teamer. At the UAA tournament, Bruinsma batted .423 and led all tournament players with 11 hits. Bruinsma led the Eagles in runs scored, hits, multi-hit games, and stolen bases on the season. Her 13 steals set an Emory freshman mark. Bruinsma was named UAA Player of the Week March 29, the only Emory freshman to earn that honor this season.

Allison Bouknight
Bouknight was named second team all-region for the second time and all-tournament at the NCAA regionals for the third time. She finished 15th in the nation as the toughest player to strike out in Division III. Bouknight batted .355 on the season, good enough for third on the team. She also was third in on-base percentage, tied for second in walks, and tied for third in multihit games. She is the Eagles' all-time leader in stolen bases (30), and ranks fourth with a .401 career batting average.

Lindsey Fay
Fay was 4-for-9 (.444) at the UAA tournament with a double and an RBI-a performance that earned her a spot on the all-conference second team. Fay was 4-for-4 as a pinch hitter on the season, by far the most effective Eagle in the role (Emory had six pinch hits as a team all year).

Lauren Haag
Haag was named to the all-conference first team after batting .357 (5-for-14) with four runs scored at the UAA tournament. Haag was the ninth Emory freshman ever to make the all-conference first team.

Elizabeth Hampson
Hampson finished 20th on the NCAA Division III all-time list with 51 career doubles. She was named to the all-region third team, her third career regional honor, and the all-conference first team. She batted .346 at the UAA conference tournament where she hit two home runs and drove in a team-high five RBIs. Hampson twice was named UAA Player of the Week. With five home runs on the year, Hampson tied her own Emory single-season record, which she set in 2002. Her 13 career homers also are an Emory record. A four-year starter on a team that made the postseason every year of her career, Hampson graduates as Emory's all-time leader in games played (193), at bats (558) and RBIs (155). All together, Hampson ended in the top 10 in school history in 13 career offensive categories.

Jennifer Harrigan
Harrigan was named to the all-region third team. She finished 22nd in the nation for most doubles in NCAA Division III. Her 16 doubles also was the fourth highest ever by a Eagle in a season. Harrigan led the Eagles with a .392 batting average, 16 doubles, and a .608 slugging percentage. Her three doubles in one game against Maryville (Tenn.) on April 25 set a new Emory single-game record. Harrigan twice was named UAA Player of the Week.

Nicole Kovski
Named second-team all-region, Kovski is the third Emory player to make the all-region team all four years. Kovski ranked 25th nationally in Division III for most wins (19) and 34th nationally for lowest earned run average (0.89). Her 19 wins is the second best ever by an Eagle and her 0.89 ERA is the third lowest ever. Kovski limited opposing hitters to a .190 batting average, an Emory season record. Facing elimination in the NCAA regional tournament, May 8, Kovski threw 14 innings of scoreless ball against Sewanee (Tenn.) ensuring a 1-0 extra-inning victory for Emory. Holder of most Emory career pitching records, her 73 wins are 21 more than anyone else who has ever worn an Emory uniform. Kovski was named UAA Player of the Week March 22.

Mary Nicol
Nicol was named first team all-conference for the second time and was named to the all-tournament team at the NCAA regionals. She finished 28th in the nation in Division III for most walks. Nicol led Emory with a .625 batting average in the NCAA regional championships, the second-highest average ever by an Emory player in the NCAA regionals. In conference play, Nicol batted .360 and led Emory with three doubles. On the season, Nicol led Emory in RBIs and walks. A second-team all-America selection in 2003, Nicol ranks in Emory's top 10 all time in most career offensive categories. She was named UAA Player of the Week May 10.

Christine O'Brien
O'Brien was named to the all-region third team, all-conference first team, and NCAA regional all-tournament team. Her all-region selection was the third of her career. O'Brien's 0.76 ERA ranked her 22nd nationally in Division III and broke her own school record set in 2003. O'Brien also led the team in strikeouts (135), complete games (15), and shutouts (eight). At the UAA tournament, O'Brien won three games and compiled an 0.21 ERA, striking out more batters (36) than innings pitched (33.1). O'Brien's 13 strikeouts against Brandeis (Mass.), March 11, set a single-game Emory record. At the NCAA regionals, O'Brien did not allow a run in 18 1/3 innings, including two complete-game shutouts. In her first outing of the year, Feb. 14, O'Brien threw the first perfect game of her career, blanking University of the South (Tenn.), 2-0. Twice, O'Brien was named UAA Player of the Week.

Emily Sunshine
Sunshine was named second-team all conference after batting .400 (8-for-20) at the UAA tournament. She finished 24th in the nation as the toughest player to strike out. On the year, Sunshine was second on the team in stolen bases (12), and fifth in runs scored (25) and multi-hit games (nine). She set single-season career highs in runs, hits, RBI, walks and steals. After two seasons, she ranks fifth all-time at Emory in career stolen bases (19).

Written by Eric Rangus, Senior Editor, Emory Report