LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Masuk’s (Monroe, Conn.) Kathryn Gallant, North Penn's (Landsdale, Pa.) Julia Shearer and New Kent’s (Va.) Morgan Berg are this week’s MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Player of the Week honorees. The trio of student-athletes garnered recognition for games played June 6-12.

East Region

Gallant was 2-0 with two shutouts and 20 strikeouts, keying the Panthers to their fourth consecutive Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class L state championship. In the title game against Waterford, she blanked the Lancers on four hits, struck out eight and walked two. She also proved a two-run single that doubled the lead to 4-0. Gallant twirled a two-hit shutout against Bristol Eastern in the semifinals, fanning 12 and issuing one free pass.

North Region

Shearer played a pivotal role in North Penn advancing to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association 6A state championship game.  The junior hurler tossed a pair of shutouts, while also hitting .857 (6-for-7) with a double, home run, three RBI and five runs scored. Shearer blanked Whitehall on two hits and struck out 13 in a 5-0 quarterfinal win. She also went 3-for-3 with two doubles, and three runs scored. In a six-inning semifinal victory over Williamsport, Shearer went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored, while holding the Millionaires to a hit, striking out 11 and walking one.

South Region

Berg keyed New Kent to its first Virginia High School League Class 3 crown. She twirled a pair of shutouts against Fort Defiance and Lord Botetourt, striking out 16, walking two and surrendering just three hits. In the 2-0 semifinal win, Berg fanned six, walked one and allowed one hit, while also driving in one run. In the championship tilt (3-0 victory), she held Lord Botetourt to a pair of hits and struck out 10 with one RBI at the plate.

MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete's game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week’s award.

Winners are announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the spring campaign with a player from each of five separate MaxPreps’ high school regions being selected. 

MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics websites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team’s stats on MaxPreps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team’s information out to thousands of high school sports fans, as well as college coaches across the country.

To obtain a coach’s login, please contact: coachsupport@maxpreps.com or call (800) 329-7324 x1. To enter a team’s stats on the MaxPreps website, please click here.

The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded high school and collegiate weekly player & pitcher of the week award, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention. 

Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining nearly 6,000 coaches today!