LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Junior Lyndsay Butler of Wayne State University has been named 2016 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year, announced the Association on Tuesday afternoon.

 Butler helped Wayne State advance to the NCAA Division II Super Regionals with both her bat and her arm. Adding to her current array of awards, the junior hurler was recently named a first-team NFCA All-American, first-team NFCA Midwest Region honoree, and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

In the circle, Butler was 29-6 with a 0.77 ERA, 11 shutouts, four saves, 227 strikeouts and just 39 walks in 226.1 innings, while holding her opponents to a .173 batting average.

A productive leadoff hitter, the Cambridge, Ontario native led the Warriors with a .483 average, 97 hits, 19 doubles, seven triples, 12 home runs, 42 RBI, 60 runs, a .826 slugging percentage and .521 on-base percentages. Butler ranks top-10 nationally in hits (2nd), batting average (4th), shutouts (4th), ERA (4th) and triples (t-6th).

Behind the collaboration between the NFCA and the Division II Head Coaches Committee, and the generosity of Schutt Sports, the award was created in 2015 to honor the outstanding athletic achievement among softball student-athletes throughout Division II. 

Butler is the second recipient of the award, joining the company of inaugural winner Courtney Poole of North Georgia.