NAKKEN AND BELTRAN RECEIVE NFCA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORS 10/14/2009 SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento State softball players Desiree Beltran and Alyssa Nakken both received the Scholar-Athlete Award from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) after recording a 3.5 gpa or better during the 2008-09 academic year. The awards marks the fifth straight year Sacramento State has received at least two selections. In fact, the Hornets have been represented by at least one player on the NFCA Scholar-Athlete team 13 times in the last 14 years, including a school-record five players in 2006-07. Beltran and Nakken, who will both enter their sophomore seasons in 2010, were big contributors to a 2009 Hornet squad that posted a 28-23 overall record and a 14-6 mark in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. Beltran was named first team all-Pacific Region, first team all-PCSC and the conference's freshman of the year, while Nakken was an honorable mention all-PCSC choice. Both players also were named to the conference's Commissioner's Honor Roll for their academics. A liberal studies major, Beltran started 47 games at shortstop last season, and completed arguably the greatest freshman offensive season in school history. The Agoura Hills, Calif., native finished the season with a .413 batting average, 23 runs, 62 hits, 14 doubles, seven home runs, 36 RBIs, a .660 slugging percentage and a .470 on-base percentage. She became just the third player in Sacramento State's Div. I history to hit at least .400, and her .413 average was 32 points better than any other player in the PCSC and tied for the 35th best mark in the nation. Beltran led the Hornets in at-bats (150), hits, total bases (99), multiple-hit games (20) and slugging percentage while striking out just once every 13.6 at-bats. A psychology major, Nakken appeared in 40 games while starting 33 times at first base, three at pitcher, three at designated player and once in left field. The Woodland, Calif., native completed her freshman season with a .304 batting average against conference competition while hitting .265 overall. She was the only Hornet to go the entire season without committing an error (no errors in 226 total chances). Nakken had 23 runs, five doubles, four home runs, 14 RBIs, 11 walks and a .331 on-base percentage, and struck out just once every 10.3 at-bats. She hit .300 with runners on base and .290 with runners in scoring position. Nakken also had nine multiple-hit games and four multiple-RBI games. Sacramento State begins the 2010 season Feb. 13-14 where the team plays at a tournament hosted by Fresno State.