LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Keying their programs to a perfect opening weekend, Angelo State’s Laylonna Applin and UT Tyler’s Primrose Aholelei took home the first weekly awards of 2025 earning Division II Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors for contests played Jan. 31-Feb. 2.
Applin powered 11th-ranked Angelo State to a 5-0 start to the season at the DII First Pitch Invitational. The sophomore shortstop batted .667 (10-for-15) with three doubles, two triples, three home runs and a Division II-best 14 RBI. Applin slugged 1.733 and finished the weekend with a 2.421 OPS. She went 2-for-3 with three RBI against Regis and No. 21 Colorado Mesa before registering two doubles, a homer and six RBI against Southeastern Oklahoma State.
Aholelei twirled three shutouts and did not allow a run as she went 3-0 with a save for the defending national champions during their 5-0 opening weekend at the DII First Pitch Invitational. In her debut weekend for the Patriots, the graduate student scattered 11 hits, walked two and held her opponents to a .143 batting average. Aholelei blanked Southeastern Oklahoma, Colorado Mesa and Missouri Western and picked up her save against Colorado School of Mines. Against the 21st-ranked Mavericks, she allowed a first-inning single before tossing six perfect innings in a 3-0 win.
The awards are voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee, which features two member coaches from each of the NCAA’s eight regions.
Selected Top Performances
Jersey Caban, Henderson State – 3-0, 0.61 ERA, 11 K, BB, 2 ER, 10 H, 2 SHO, 23 IP; Reese Cauley, AUM – 1-0, 7 IP, SHO, H, 8 K in first collegiate start vs. No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne; Ashlyn Zapach, Davis & Elkins - .588, 10 H, 4 2B, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K, .650 OBP, .824 SLG; Amelie Valdez, Chico State – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SHO, 5 H, 21 K, 20 IP; Sam Schott, UT Tyler - .615, 8 H, 5 R, 2B, 2 3B, 8 RBI, BB, HBP, 0 K; Desi Cuevas, Augustana - .550 (11-20), 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 1.200 SLG, 2-2 SB, 1.771 OPS; Lacy Peskey, Black Hills State – 2-1, 0.67 ERA, 3 CG, 31 K, 2 BB, 2 ER, 21 IP; Haleigh Thomas, Saint Leo – 1-1, 1.00 ERA, 23 K, 0 BB, 14 IP; 3 2B, 4 RBI, 3 R, 1.111 SLG; Cheyenne Floyd, Angelo State – 3-0, 1.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, SHO, 6 H, 6 BB, 24 K, .128 opp. BA, 14 IP; Autumn Fisher, USC Aiken - .571, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1.143 SLG, .571 OBP; Emma Brice, West Florida – 6 H, 2 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI; Savannah Coyle, Cal State San Marcos – 2-0, SV, 2.53 ERA, CG, 10.2 IP, 9 K, 2BB; Eleanor De Block, West Alabama – 2-0, 0.50 ERA, SHO, 1 ER, BB, 11 K; Paige Donnelly, Cal State San Marcos - .647, 3 2B, 3B, 5 RBI, .941 SLG; Cassidy Duskin, Nova Southeastern – 2-0, 0.50 ERA, 2 CG, SHO, 4 K, BB, 14 IP, SHO; Peyton Gale, Francis Marion – 2-3, 2 HR, SF, 6 RBI, 2.667 SLG; Grace Glanzer, Augustana – Perfect game vs. UAH (7 K, 5 IP), 17 K, .179 opp BA; Rebecca Komers, AUM - .364, HR, 7 RBI, .636 SLG, Grand Slam; Riley Lingerfelt, Converse – 25.1 IP, 41 K, 1.93 ERA, SHO; Saylor McNearney, Valdosta State – 2-1, 3 CG, SHO, .526, 10 H, 7 R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 1.315 OPS; Alyssa Poston, Francis Marion – 1-0, SHO, 5 H, 10 K, 0 BB; Jaycee Shaffer, Oklahoma Baptist – 1-0, 0.54 ERA, ER, 17 K, 4 BB, 13 IP, .196 BA.
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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