LOUISVILLE, Ky. – McKendree University sophomore shortstop Lauren Harris and University of Indianapolis senior Kenzee Smith were voted the 2024 TUCCI/NFCA Division II Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. Not only is this the first time these programs and the Great Lakes Valley Conference are represented, it is also the first time both honorees come from the same conference.
Harris, a two-time NFCA All-American, earned first-team recognition in 2024 and is the first multiple All-America honoree for McKendree in its Division II era. As the first sophomore to collect the NFCA’s Division II award, Harris is DII’s batting champion with a .511 average, 18 points clear of her closest competitor, ranked second nationally with 178 total bases, third with 97 base hits and fifth with a .937 slugging percentage. The two-time Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year topped the league in batting, slugging, on-base percentage, OPS (1.482), hits and home runs (18).
A native of Woodlawn, Ill., Harris became the Bearcats’ single-season record holder in numerous categories, including batting average, runs scored (53), hits, RBI (65) and total bases. In addition to her NFCA honors, Harris captured DII Conference Commissioners Association’s (D2CCA) Ron Lenz Player of the Year and first-team All-America plaudits, along with being named D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year.
Smith, playing for her hometown university, capped of an incredible career with arguably her best season in the circle, leading the Greyhounds to a national semifinal appearance. The senior hurler earned her second first-team NFCA All-America nod in 2024 and became the 21st four-time NFCA Division II All-American, and the second in program history. Smith led NCAA Division II with 39 wins, a miniscule 0.47 ERA and 24 shutouts to go along with 287 strikeouts, 56 walks, a 0.71 WHIP, .148 batting average against and just two home runs allowed in 281.1 innings. At the time of this release (May 27), her wins, ERA and shutouts are No. 1 across all three NCAA divisions.
Smith’s ERA and shutouts smashed the program’s single-season marks of 0.72 and 17, respectively, while her victories tied for second. The GLVC and Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year finished her illustrious career as the first UIndy pitcher to have a career ERA below one (0.97). Smith also recorded a school-record 55 shutouts and is second all-time with 122 wins (122-21), 953 strikeouts and nine saves (tie).
PREVIOUS WINNERS (Player / Pitcher)
2023 – Zoe Willis, Georgia Southwestern State University / Tatum Goff, UT Tyler
2022 – Kayson Boatner, Anderson University / Andrea Morales, Rogers State University
2021 - Shanna McBroom, West Texas A&M University / Morgan Perry, Saint Anselm College
2019 - Julia Seader LIU Post / Allison Lipovsky, Grand Valley State University
2018 - Kylee Smith, University of North Georgia
2017 - Coley Ries, Minnesota State University Mankato
2016 - Lindsay Butler, Wayne State University
2015 - Courtney Poole, University of North Georgia
The NFCA began awarding a Player and Pitcher of the Year in 2019.
Award not presented in 2020
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded TUCCI/NFCA Player and Pitcher of the Year 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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