LOUISVILLE, Kent. — After her historic 2025 campaign, sophomore infielder
Sam Buckley has been honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as a third team member of the All-West Region Team. Arguably one of the most stacked region's in Division I Softball, featuring the likes of NCAA Postseason Qualifiers Arizona State, UCLA, Arizona, Stanford, Grand Canyon, Cal, UC Santa Barbara and San Diego State, Buckley was the lone honoree out of the West Coast Conference. This is the second straight year that the Gaels have had an honoree on the All-West Region team, as
Odhi Vasquez earned a spot a season ago.
With one of the most prolific seasons in Saint Mary's Softball history, Sam Buckley broke the 10 year old single season records for home runs (14), the 15 year old single season runs scored record (47) and the 13 year old single season RBI record (41), all while becoming just the fourth Gael to hit over 0.400 for the entirety of a season, and the first in 25 years. If her impressive offensive numbers weren't enough, Buckley also committed just two errors all season while manning the hot corner, finishing off the year with a stellar 0.983 fielding percentage, tied for the best of any Gael non-first base infielder with Marissa Montelongo from a season ago.
Buckley was a driving force behind the Gaels first two WCC titles last season and this season. Just a sophomore, she is on pace to break the program batting average, runs scored, RBI, triple, home run and walk records.
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