LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego sophomore outfielder Kristyn Lesovsky has been voted the 2009 Daktronics NCAA Division II West Region Softball Player of the Year, it was announced Wednesday. Lesovsky was named to the Daktronics All-West Region First Team, while freshman pitcher Camille Gaito earned a spot on the second team.

Lesovsky made a huge impact in her first season as a Triton, leading the team to a 30-25 overall record and a third straight NCAA West Regional appearance. The transfer from Florida Tech finished the season batting a conference-high .446 with 42 runs, 17 doubles, eight homers, 32 RBI, and 44 walks. She also recorded a .565 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .693. In addition to leading the team in eight offensive categories, she set the UCSD single season batting mark and her 74 hits rank second all-time.

Voted the CCAA Newcomer of the Year, Lesovsky joined Montana State Billings’ Steph Gosselin and Humboldt State’s Nikki Ketteringham as the three outfielders on the first team.

After missing much of the season to injury, Gaito proved to be an outstanding addition for the Tritons in the circle, making 23 appearances in the team’s final 31 games. The right-hander posted a record of 12-5 during her rookie campaign with a stellar 1.86 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 124.1 innings pitched. Gaito pitched all three of UCSD’s NCAA West Regional games in St. George, Utah over the weekend, allowing just six earned runs in 20 innings of work. She struck out 11 batters, while allowing just two walks in the tournament. 

Gaito was one of four pitchers named to the second team, joining Montana State Billings’ Kasie Conder, Central Washinton’s Linse Vlahovich, and Brittnie Whipple of Dixie State.

The West Region includes teams from the CCAA, Great Northwest Athletic Conference and Pacific West Conference.

Players selected to the region first team will now be listed on the Daktronics All-American national ballot. The All-American team will be announced next month.

2009 Daktronics West Regional Team
First Team
C • Marissa Slattery, Humboldt State
1B • Natalie Galletly, Humboldt State
2B • Kayla Ledford, Sonoma State
3B • Ashlee Trotter, Cal State Monterey Bay
SS • Tyler Sutherland, Western Oregon
OF • Kristyn Lesovsky, UC San Diego
OF • Steph Gosselin, Montana State Billings
OF • Nikki Ketteringham, Humboldt State
UT • Haley Schumers, Dixie State
DP • Malie Kim, Hawaii Pacific
P • Lindsay Emmel, Sonoma State
P • Regina Farfan, Cal State Dominguez Hills
P • Jessica Gaumnitz, Cal State Stanislaus

Second Team
C • Shae Olds, Cal State Monterey Bay
1B • Randi Johns, Grand Canyon
2B • Yasmeen Watkins, Grand Canyon
3B • Erica McIntyre, Cal State Stanislaus
SS • Krystal Plunkett, Hawaii Pacific
OF • Lucia Rodriguez, Cal State Monterey Bay
OF • Lindsay Warren, Humboldt State
OF• Tori Beaudette, Cal State San Bernardino
UT • Jennifer Arnold, Cal State Stanislaus
DP • Kelsey Mendenhall, Dixie State
P • Linse Vlahovich, Central Washington
P • Kasie Conder, Montana State Billings
P • Brittnie Whipple, Dixie State
P • Camille Gaito, UC San Diego

Player of the Year: Kristyn Lesovsky, UC San Diego
Pitcher of the Year: Lindsay Emmel, Sonoma State