Moon Township, Pa. – Former RMU pitcher Nicole Sleith (2012-15) was named to the Northeast Conference (NEC) Mount Rushmore Softball Team, it was announced by the league Friday.

In celebration of its 40th season as an NCAA Division I conference, the NEC is paying tribute to its heritage with seasonal announcements of its Mount Rushmore award winners. Each Mount Rushmore honors four student-athletes from a sport on a hypothetical mountain. Student-athletes were selected by a conference panel based on their individual accomplishments both on the conference and national levels while they competed in the NEC.

Sleith, a native of Smithton, Pa., was a three-time NEC Pitcher of the Year during her career with the Colonials, earning the honor as a freshman in 2012, repeating as a sophomore in 2013 and claiming the award as a senior in 2015. Each of those seasons Sleith was also named to the All-NEC First Team as she is one of just four student-athletes in program history to earn All-NEC First Team accolades three times. In addition to being named the 2012 NEC Pitcher of the Year, Sleith was also selected as the 2012 NEC Rookie of the Year.

In four seasons at RMU, Sleith owns program career records for appearances (147), starts (114), innings pitched (806.1), strikeouts (932) and saves (13). She fashioned a career record of 78-42 (.650) from the circle with an earned run average (ERA) of 1.70. Sleith owns the RMU school record for victories while ranking second in ERA and shutouts (27) and third in complete games (98).

As a freshman with the Colonials in 2012 en route to earning both the top rookie and pitcher honor in the NEC, Sleith finished 25-11 (.694) with a 1.59 ERA, striking out 251 in 247 innings. During her rookie season she established RMU single-season marks for appearances (48) and wins. As a senior in 2015, Sleith broke the single-season school record for strikeouts, finishing the year with 296. That mark is also tied for the top mark in NEC annals.

Arguably Sleith's finest hour in the circle at RMU came May 8, 2015, when she tossed a perfect game in a 2-0 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson in the first elimination game of the NEC Tournament at the North Athletic Complex. She accomplished the feat in 76 pitches against the Knights, striking out six while inducing seven ground balls and eight flyouts. The victory helped her surpass former Colonial Tera Prosser (1991-94) for career pitching wins.

In addition to her accolades in competition, Sleith excelled away from the diamond, as well. She was named the 2014-15 NEC Female Student-Athlete of the Year. One of the highest honors given out by the league office, the award recognizes individual excellence in both the academic and athletic realms as well as leadership and contributions to the community.

Sleith, currently a volunteer assistant at Duke, is the sixth RMU student-athlete to be named to an NEC Mount Rushmore as the league celebrates its 40th anniversary. She joins Hank Fraley (football), Neco Brett (men's soccer), Katie Noble (volleyball), Artemis Spanou (women's basketball) and Trevor Moore (men's lacrosse).
 
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