TYLER, Texas — The NFCA is proud to announce the 45 players chosen for the 2019 NFCA Division III All-America softball teams.
The honorees were recognized on Wednesday during the NCAA Division III Championship banquet at the Herrington Patriot Center on the University of Texas at Tyler campus.
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The host Patriots led the way with three All-America honorees, while nine other schools had two recipients each. The remaining 20 teams had one representative apiece.
In all, 31 Division III schools are represented on the three All-America squads. Five of the eight teams that advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship have All-Americans on their roster.
There are 34 first-time All-Americans, nine two-time All-Americans and one three-time All-American. The University of Texas at Dallas’ Melissa Livermore is the lone four-time All-American on this year’s list.
First-team pitcher Hanna Hull has been one of the most dominant pitchers in Division III again this season for Virginia Wesleyan University. She finished her year at 29-4, with a 0.55 ERA, 20 complete games, 11 shutouts and four saves. She allowed just 84 hits, 15 earned runs and 49 walks, while striking out a Division III-best 339 over 190.1 innings.
First team pitcher Ally Wiegand of Illinois Wesleyan, meanwhile, takes a 23-3 mark and Division III-best 0.40 ERA to Tyler, Texas, having walked just five batters all season, and striking out 247 over 173.1 innings.
First team catcher Ashley Perez of Texas-Tyler also picked up her second-straight Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year honor after batting .437 with 52 hits, 27 runs scored, 13 doubles, six homers and 51 RBI.
University of Lynchburg first baseman Mackenzie Chitwood capped her career with a powerful season, hitting .382 with a Division III-leading 21 homers and 72 RBI. In all, she collected 34 extra-base hits and scored 47 runs in 52 games to earn first-team honors.
Versatile Thomas More University senior Alix DeDreu has the most doubles (26) and second-most hits (77) in the country, while playing a mix of pitcher, second base and shortstop. For the season, she hit .490 while striking out just three times in 157 at-bats, to earn the first-team second base nod.
Christopher Newport University freshman third baseman Kaitlyn Hasty finished her first collegiate season for the Captains last week in the NCAA Super Regionals. Over 42 games, she hit .403 with 24 runs, 50 hits, seven doubles, a triple, 19 homers, and 58 runs batted in.
Pfeiffer senior shortstop Vada Blue Sherrill put amazing numbers up again this season, batting .482 with 75 runs, 67 hits, 18 doubles, a triple, 15 homers, and 58 RBI in 43 games. She also stole 52 bases in 56 tries, and walked 28 times, while striking out just six.
Thomas More University’s Alix DeDreu is the first-team utility selection, after a season in which she batted .490 with 43 runs, 77 hits, 26 doubles, and 41 RBI, while also going 21-6 in the circle with a 1.39 ERA and 189 strikeouts.
First-team designated player Jordan Day of Lesley University hit .578 with 51 runs, 78 hits, 15 doubles, nine homers, and 45 RBI.
Patty Maye Ohanian closed a solid sophomore campaign with a .455 average, 47 runs, 66 hits, 13 doubles, a triple, 14 homers and 53 RBI in the Christopher Newport outfield.
Senior outfielder Livermore finished her four years at Texas-Dallas with an NCAA Division III-record 195 career stolen bases. This season, the speedy leadoff batter hit .485 with 38 runs, 63 hits, 20 RBI and 41 steals in 44 attempts.
Nicole Garcia again earned one of the outfield spots, hitting .485 with 55 runs, 64 hits, and 29 RBI for Texas-Tyler.
Junior pitcher Kierstin Anderson-Glass heads into the NCAA Division III championship finals this week with a 26-3 record and 0.66 ERA, while recording 15 shutouts and 121 strikeouts over 179 innings to nab an at-large position.
Fellow junior Stefanie Guercio, of Carthage College, finished her season with a 21-4 mark and 0.80 ERA, walking just 38 and fanning 229 over 158.1 innings to grab another at-large spot, while Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Caraline Wood rounded out the at-large selections — and the first team — by posting a .465 average, 42 runs and 67 hits (including 30 extra-base hits) this year.
Last year’s national runner-up Illinois Wesleyan, Eastern Connecticut State, Emory, Randolph-Macon, St. Thomas (Minn.), Texas Lutheran, Trine and Williams are competing in the double-elimination NCAA Championship, starting Thursday at the University of Texas at Tyler’s Suddenlink Field.
In addition to being selected as a second team All-American outfielder, Kelly Jurden of Texas Lutheran University was also chosen as this year’s recipient of the New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe award for her basestealing prowess.
The NFCA Division III All-America softball teams are selected from the pool of players who earned first team All-Region recognition by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions.
2019 NFCA DIVISION III ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
|
Pitcher |
Hanna |
Hull %* |
JR |
Virginia Wesleyan University |
|
Pitcher |
Ally |
Wiegand % |
JR |
Illinois Wesleyan University |
|
Catcher |
Ashley |
Perez % |
SO |
University of Texas at Tyler |
|
First Base |
Mackenzie |
Chitwood |
SR |
University of Lynchburg |
|
Second Base |
Ally |
Fox |
JR |
Marian University (Wis.) |
|
Third Base |
Kaitlyn |
Hasty |
FR |
Christopher Newport University |
|
Shortstop |
Vada Blue |
Sherrill % |
SR |
Pfeiffer University |
|
Utility |
Alix |
DeDreu |
SR |
Thomas More University |
|
Designated Player |
Jordan |
Day |
SO |
Lesley University |
|
Outfield |
Patty Maye |
Ohanian % |
SO |
Christopher Newport University |
|
Outfield |
Melissa |
Livermore %*# |
SR |
University of Texas at Dallas |
|
Outfield |
Nicole |
Garcia % |
SR |
University of Texas at Tyler |
|
At-Large |
Kierstin |
Anderson-Glass |
JR |
University of St. Thomas (Minn.) |
|
At-Large |
Stefanie |
Guercio |
JR |
Carthage College |
|
At-Large |
Caraline |
Wood |
SR |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
SECOND TEAM
|
Pitcher |
Beatriz |
Lara |
FR |
East Texas Baptist University |
|
Pitcher |
Colleen |
Bentke % |
SR |
University of Texas at Tyler |
|
Catcher |
Jess |
McGuire |
SR |
The College of New Jersey |
|
First Base |
Andrea |
Gahan % |
JR |
Thomas More University |
|
Second Base |
Makenzie |
Pennell |
JR |
Pfeiffer University |
|
Third Base |
Lauren |
Conroy |
SO |
The College of New Jersey |
|
Shortstop |
Elaine |
Walker # |
SR |
Aurora University |
|
Utility |
Hannah |
Thompson |
FR |
Averett University |
|
Designated Player |
Megan |
Perron |
SO |
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps |
|
Outfield |
Mariann |
Kennison |
SR |
Piedmont College |
|
Outfield |
Caroline |
Ratti |
SR |
Kean University |
|
Outfield |
Kelly |
Jurden |
SO |
Texas Lutheran University |
|
At-Large |
Avery |
Alberghini |
SR |
University of New England |
|
At-Large |
Shelby |
Bergeron |
SR |
Louisiana College |
|
At-Large |
Jackie |
Bilotti |
SR |
Arcadia University |
THIRD TEAM
|
Pitcher |
Alyssa |
Olson |
SR |
Coe College |
|
Pitcher |
Katlyn |
Smith |
SO |
Maryville College (Tenn.) |
|
Catcher |
Evonne |
Torres |
SR |
Manhattanville College |
|
First Base |
Shannon |
Lloyd |
JR |
Keystone College |
|
Second Base |
Melissa |
Barry |
SR |
University of St. Thomas (Minn.) |
|
Third Base |
Julia |
Sinnett |
SO |
Virginia Wesleyan University |
|
Shortstop |
Makenna |
Clizer |
JR |
Linfield College |
|
Utility |
Jackie |
Riley |
SR |
Kean University |
|
Designated Player |
Bailey |
Murphy |
JR |
Birmingham-Southern College |
|
Outfield |
Gen |
Brittingham |
SO |
Wellesley College |
|
Outfield |
Megan |
Zinn |
JR |
University of Scranton |
|
Outfield |
Krissy |
Hughes |
SR |
Muskingum University |
|
At-Large |
Morgan |
Bolduk |
SO |
Eastern Connecticut State Univ. |
|
At-Large |
Haley |
Jones |
SR |
Coe College |
|
At-Large |
Taylor |
Mabry % |
SR |
University of Lynchburg |
% denotes 2018 All-American
* denotes 2017 All-American
# denotes 2016 All-American