May 7, 2003

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State softball team was recognized as this year's regular-season conference champion and five Aztecs garnered Mountain West Conference honors tonight at the league's awards banquet. Celena Velasquez, who's 0.81 ERA and .144 opposing batting average in MWC games are league-bests, picked up Pitcher of the Year as well as Freshman of the Year honors. Velasquez owns a 13-6 record and has struck out 102 batters in 133.1 innings pitched. She set a MWC record for her ERA in conference contests this season.

Velasquez, along with sophomore pitcher Bre DeSanta, junior first baseman Jacque Vaca, junior second baseman Joann Figueroa and sophomore outfielder Erin Mahoney, were selected as members of the all-Mountain West Conference team.

The top-seeded Aztecs (36-17, 12-3 MWC) look for their first-ever Mountain West Conference tournament title and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament this weekend. San Diego State opens tournament play on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. when it faces the winner of the Utah/New Mexico game at SDSU Field.