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June 5, 2005
 
Rachel Folden Named MU's First Softball All–American
 
by Grant Traylor
Huntington News Network Sportswriter
 
Oklahoma City (HNN) – Rachel Folden became Marshall University's first ever softball All–American on Thursday, June 2, 2005 as announced by the National FastPitch Coaches Association.
 
Folden, only a freshman, was made a third–team selection by a selected number of NCAA Division I coaches. She is one of only 54 players to be named by the NFCA as All–Americans.
 
The freshman catcher for Marshall added the honor to her already long list of awards in her inaugural season.
 
She was named Mid–American Conference freshman of the year earlier this season in addition to being named MAC player of the week three times during the season.
 
Folden led the MAC in many statistical categories, including slugging percentage (.661), runs batted in (56), doubles (19) and total bases (111). She was second in the conference in batting average (.415), runs (33) and hits (68).
 
Aside from setting many Marshall single–season records, she anchored a lineup that led Marshall to its second MAC regular season title in three years. She hit nine homeruns during the year for the Thundering Herd, which is second all–time as well.
 
Folden's efforts during her first season of collegiate softball shows the quality of players Marshall is bringing in and Marshall coaches want the public to take notice.
 
"This is an incredible honor for Rachel, and it recognizes her as being one of the nation's top hitters," Marshall coach Shonda Stanton said. "Her accomplishments are also a reflection of where our program has been and it is a glimpse of where it can be in the future."
 
Marshall's softball team took on a superior level of competitors during the 2005 season, including Women's College World Series members Arizona and Tennessee.
 
It was Folden who broke up a no–hitter against Tennessee by doubling off of Monica Abbott, a fellow NFCA All–American who has dominated competition this year in leading the Volunteers into the winners' bracket of the WCWS this week.
 
Folden was the only Mid–American Conference member and also the only member of the newly configured Conference USA, which will take effect on July 1, 2005.
 
Not bad for a freshman that still has three years left to play collegiate softball.