University of Massachusetts softball junior pitcher Sara Plourde earned All-American honors for the second straight season as she was named to the third team by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Plourde went 27-15 with a 1.30 ERA and 498 strikeouts, a total that led the nation at the end of the regular season.

She was a third team All-American in 2010. With 1,121 career strikeouts, she's third on UMass' career list.

HOLMES A PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN - The Sporting News named UMass linebacker Tyler Holmes to its preseason All-American team. Holmes, who was an All-American last year as a junior, was also named to the Sports Network's preseason team.

WOMEN'S LACROSSE HONORS - Senior attack Jackie Lyons earned more All-America honors Tuesday when she was named to the third team by both IWLCA and SynapseSports.com. Lyons had 41 goals and 32 assists as a senior and left UMass as the school's career leading scorer with 226 points (143 goals, 88 assists). Freshman Katie Ferris, who had 56 goals and 16 assists this year, was named to SynapseSports.com rookie All-American team.

BISCARDI HONORED - UMass men's lacrosse junior midfielder Anthony Biscardi was picked as a USILA Honorable Mention All-American last week. He had 20 goals and 10 assists in 2011.

COPA ADDED TO ALL-STARS - UMass senior first baseman Peter Copa was added to the University Division team in the NEIBA All-Star game tonight at 7 at LeLacheur Park in Lowell. Copa, who hit .351 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs as a senior, will join teammate Matt Gedman, who is also on the squad.

FORMER MINUTEWOMEN PLAYING WITH TEAM CANADA - Former Minutewomen sisters Tamara and Alisha Tatham are playing with Team Canada's senior women's national team that will compete in the FIBA America women's basketball tournament, which will take place in September in Colombia. The winner will earn a spot in the 2012 Olympics in London.

Team Canada will play exhibition games in Europe to prepare for the event.

Alisha, a 5-foot-11 guard, graduated in 2008, while Tamara, a 6-1 forward, graduated in 2007.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Follow UMass coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/GazetteUMass. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at http://www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.