May 7, 2008

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - George Mason sophomore designated player Ashli Breau was recognized for her record-breaking performance this season as she was selected to the Colonial Athletic Association's All-CAA second team, announced Wednesday evening at the conference's annual awards banquet. Additionally, sophomore utility player Ciera Jones was named to the conference's All-Rookie team.

Breau is the fifth Patriot player to be chosen to the second team in the award's seven-year history, and the first since Stacy James received the honor in 2004. Mason has placed at least one individual on the first or second team in all but one year (2006) of the award's history. Jones is the fourth Patriot to be named to the All-Rookie team, along with Emily Grapel and Katlyn Winter (2005) and Becky Anderson (2007).

Breau, a first-year Mason player who spent her freshman season at Tiffin University, smashed a number of single-season records in her first year with the Green and Gold. She finished with a CAA-best .421 batting average, 11 home runs and a .752 slugging percentage, all of which set new Mason records. In addition, her 48 runs batted in is the second-highest season total in school history, as is her .463 on-base percentage. Breau is second in the conference in slugging percentage and RBIs, and third in home runs and on-base percentage. She also tallied a team-high 11 doubles.

Among the collegiate ranks, the Vienna, Va., native sits in the top-25 nationally in three categories. She is 23rd among NCAA Division I players in batting average, 24th in RBIs per game, and 25th in slugging percentage. Her home run total of 11 bested the previous mark of seven by former Mason standout Linda Young, and places her in a tie for fourth on the career list. Breau's batting average and slugging percentage eclipsed the previous mark by 23 and 145 points, respectively.

Jones, also a native of Vienna and a former high school teammate of Breau, had an outstanding first year with the Patriots in which she batted .287 and led the team with two triples. Her slugging percentage of .419 was second among starting players, as she saw time at five different defensive positions. She recorded one of the best offensive performances of any Patriot player this season when she went 5-for-5 with five RBIs against Mount St. Mary's on April 9.

Last season, pitcher Becky Anderson represented the Patriots on the All-CAA award list, as she earned first team and all-rookie team honors in her freshman campaign.

The Patriots finished their season with a 19-32 record, sixth in the regular season standings with a 6-14 mark in conference play.