LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Oklahoma’s Cydney Sanders and Stanford’s NiJaree Canady were named 2024 Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week, respectively. The duo is being recognized for their outstanding performances for contests played March 4-10.
Sanders homered four times and drove in nine run in a three-game Big 12 sweep of Iowa State and finished the week batting .714 (5-for-7) with a double, six runs scored, five walks, .833 on-base percentage and 2.571 slugging percentage. All five free pass came against the Cyclones as she reached base in nine of her 10 plate appearance over the weekend. In game two, Sanders socked two long balls and recorded four RBI.
Canady was dominant over three appearances last week, holding her opposition to just two hits and striking out 24 batters in 11.1 scoreless innings. She finished 2-0 with a save and did not issue a walk. In her lone start of the week, Canady tossed 5.2 innings of shutout ball with 13 strikeouts and one hit allowed against Loyola Marymount. The sophomore from Topeka, Kan. capped off the weekend with five scoreless innings and 10 more puchouts in a relief outing against LMU
The Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week are voted on by the NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll Committee.
Selected Top Performances
Maya Brady, UCLA - 3 GS, .667 avg., 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1.667 SLG, 4 BB, .800 OBP; Ariel Carlson, Oregon - 3GP/3GS, .500 avg (5-of-10), 1 2B, 2 HR, 1.200 SLG%, 2-for-2 SB; Katelin Cooper, Louisiana Tech - 4 GP/4 GS, .429 AVG, 3 H, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, 5 BB; RyLee Crandall, Baylor - 3 App/2 GS, 2-0, 0.64 ERA, 6 SO, 3 BB, 11.0 IP, SHO; Kierston Deal, Oklahoma - 2 App/2 GS, 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 9 SO, 1 BB, 6.0 IP; Bri Ellis, Arkansas - 4 GP/4 GS, .636 avg, 1.000 SLG, .643 OBP, 7 H, 1 HR, 1 2B, 6 RBI, 4 R, 11 TB, 2 BB, 1 SF, 1 SB; Shaylon Govan, Baylor - 5 GP/5 GS, .571 avg, 4 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1.000 SLG, 8 BB, .800 OBP, 0 K; Cierra Harrison, Missouri - 2 App/2 GS, 2-0, 2 CG, 2 SHO, 0.00 ERA, 19 SO, 1 BB, 14.0 IP; Madisyn Kennedy, Mississippi State - 3 GP/3 GS, .571 AVG, 2.000 SLG, .727 OBP, 1 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 0 K; Taryn Kern, Stanford - 5 GP/5 GS, .429/.579/.929, 2 2Bs, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 3 BBs, 2 HBP; Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State - 3 app/2 GS - 2-0, 0.39 ERA, 16 SO, 4 BB, 18.0 IP; Brook Melnychuk, Louisiana Tech - 4 app. / 1 GS, 2-0, 1 SV, 0.58 ERA, 6 SO, 1 BB, 6 H, 12.0 IP; Joley Mitchell, Texas - 5 GP/5 GS, .769 avg., .824 OBP, 1.538 SLG, 10 H, 8 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 20 TB, 4 BB, 1 SH, 2-2 SB; Haley Rainey, Cal State Fullerton - 3 App/2 GS, 2-0, 0.60 ERA, 12 SO, 4 BB, 15 IP; Kasey Ricard, Boston University - 2 App/2 GS, 2-0, 0.58 ERA, 6 SO, 0 BB, 3 H, 12.0 IP; Kayla Roncin, Boston University - 4 GP/4 GS, .571 avg., 2 RBIs, 5 R, 2-2 SB, .571 SLG%; Taylor Tinsley, UCLA - 2 App/1 GS, 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 16 SO, 1 BB, 10.2 IP; Aspen Wesley, Mississippi State - No-Hitter vs. Ole Miss, 1 APP, 1 GS, 1-0, CG, SHO, 0.00 ERA, 0 H, 0 R, 9 K, 3 BB, 7.0 IP.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Louisville Slugger/Player & Wilson/Pitcher of the Week awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.
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