LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. revealed the nine recipients of 2023 NCAA Division I Rawlings Gold Glove Award, presented by the NFCA, on Wednesday during a press conference at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Clemson University’s Valerie Cagle, a first-team NFCA All-American and USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, along with back-to-back winner Ciara Briggs, a junior from LSU, highlight the recipients. These nine student-athletes are being recognized as the best defensive players at their respective positions in NCAA Division I for the 2023 season.
Cagle, earning the spot at pitcher, represents one of nine programs in 2023. Joining her to complete the battery is Stanford University junior catcher Aly Kaneshiro.
Going around the horn is University of Pittsburgh graduate student Sarah Seamans (first base), University of Arizona junior Allie Skaggs (second base), Rutgers University senior Payton Lincavage (third base) and University of Oklahoma redshirt-senior Grace Lyons (shortstop).
Rounding out the 2023 winners in the outfield are – Longwood University sophomore Emily Vinson (left field), Briggs (center field) and University of Washington fifth year Madison Huskey (right field).
Kaneshiro, Lyons and Huskey are representing their programs at the Women’s College World Series.
Recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, presented by the NFCA, were selected by the NFCA’s NCAA Division I All-America Committee, following regional voting to identify the finalists at each position. The group utilized fielding statistics and school-submitted video to closely examine finalists and select the winners at every defensive position. Any student-athlete that competed in the current championship year and was nominated by their head coach who is a member in good standing with the NFCA was eligible for consideration for this prestigious accolade.
Pitcher
Clemson
(.955 fielding %, 40 chances, 2 errors)
Catcher
Stanford
(1.000 fielding %, 437 chances, 0 errors)
First Base
Pitt
(.997 fielding %, 318 chances, 1 error)
Second Base
Arizona
(1.000 fielding %, 168 chances, 0 errors)
Third Base
Rutgers
(.992 fielding %, 130 chances, 1 errors)
Shortstop
Oklahoma
(.975 fielding %, 121 chances, 3 errors)
Left Field
Longwood
(1.000 fielding %, 68 chances 0 errors)
Center Field
LSU
(1.000 fielding %, 87 chances, 0 errors)
Right Field
Washington
(1.000 fielding %, 60 chances, 0 errors)
About Rawlings
Established in 1887, Rawlings is an innovative leading global brand and manufacturer of premium baseball and softball equipment, including gloves, balls, and protective headwear. Rawlings' unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings.
Rawlings is the Official Baseball, Helmet, Face Guard and Glove of Major League Baseball, the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball and the Official Baseball and Softball of the NCAA and the NAIA. The company is headquartered in St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com
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About National Fastpitch Coaches Association
Celebrating 40 years in 2023, the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its vast library of digital education, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to an extensive Awards & Scholarships platform, to NFCA Webinars and a National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of over 6,700 members today!
