May 19, 1999

On the NFCA All-Northeast Region softball team released on Wednesday, May 18, four Wildcats garnered recognition. Villanova University was the only school in the region with as many as four representatives. Junior outfielder/designated player Regina Speicher (Brackney, Pa./ Seton Catholic), junior centerfielder Mia Brickhouse (Philadelphia, Pa./ GAMP), and sophomore infielder Jackie Pasquerella (Bayshore, N.Y./ Bayshore) all represented Villanova on the first team. Junior second baseman Megan O'Leary (Natick, Mass./ Natick) garnered second team accolades.

Speicher, who started 47 of the team's 58 games this season, was one of the Wildcat captains. The All-Big East performer was fourth on the team in batting average (.341), second in doubles (14), first in bases on balls (20), third in slugging percentage (.516), and third in on-base percentage (.440).

Brickhouse started all 58 games and had a break-out season for the 'Cats. Also one of the team's captains, Brickhouse hit .427 with 53 runs scored, the highest single season total in team history. She was first on the squad in triples with eight, tied for the most in single season team history, and she set the Villanova all-time stolen base record with her 58th career steal.

Pasquerella, on the other hand, was named to the first team for the second year in a row. This season, she broke Villanova single season records for batting average (.470), hits (93), and stolen bases (28) while splitting time between shortstop and third base. Pasquerella's batting average was good for first in the Big East, and her hits were a league best.

O'Leary, who arguably had the best season of any Wildcat, had a year filled with records and milestones. She hit .374, third best on the team, and led the squad in doubles (18), homeruns (10), RBI (52), and slugging percentage (.654). O'Leary's 18 two-base hits were the best single season total in Wildcat history, and they gave her 41 for her career, the most all-time for Villanova. Her 10 homeruns and 52 runs batted in were new season marks, as well, and she even reached the 100 RBI plateau for her career, finishing the year with 111.