LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association revealed today the 54 players voted to the 2022 NFCA Division III All-America teams. This year’s three squads are comprised of student-athletes from 36 different programs representing 10 regions.
Eastern Connecticut State University leads all schools with four players selected, including three on the first team. Four others —Belhaven, Christopher Newport, East Texas Baptist and Salisbury — had three players chosen, while Berry, Bethel (Minn.), Concordia Wisconsin, DePauw, Linfield, Millikin and Texas Lutheran all had two award recipients. Salisbury, with two, was the only other program to place multiple players on the first team.
2022 NFCA Division III All-America Teams
VIDEOS: First Team | Second Team | Third Team
Thirteen players were lucky enough to earn multiple All-America honors, including Christopher Newport’s Kaitlyn Hasty and Texas Lutheran’s Kelly Jurden, who are now three-time All-Americans.
Berry sophomore Anna Jackson led the 11 two-time honorees, and also scored 2022 Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year in recognition of being selected as the first-team All-America catcher. She is currently batting .397 with 39 runs, 56 hits, 12 doubles, four triples, nine homers and 42 RBI. Jackson is also a Top 25 finalist for the 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player of the Year.
Other two-time All-Americans are Kennedy Carruth (Belhaven), Sadie Erickson (Wisconsin-Eau Claire), Gina Followell (Concordia Wisconsin), Grace Heath (Mount Union), Cami Henry (DePauw), Abby Mace (Salisbury), Brooke Matyasovsky (Eastern Connecticut State), Hannah Ritter (Wisconsin-Oshkosh), Ashlyn Strother (Texas Lutheran) and Cassie Woods (Eastern Connecticut State). The remaining 41 players are first-time All-Americans.
Wisconsin-Superior junior Kaela Kraemer, who was earlier voted the second-team All-Region shortstop in Region IX, is the 2022 New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe Award winner, after a season in which she stole an NCAA Division III-best 71 bases and also ranked first in stolen bases per game (1.69). Kraemer finished fifth in Division III stolen base percentage at .947 (71-for-75).
Twenty four of the 25 finalists for Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player and Pitcher of the Year honors made an All-America team, including 13 of 18 first-team recipients. And four of the 10 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Freshman of the Year finalists are All-Americans.
Sixteen All-Americans are still playing, as members of six teams which reached the final eight in this year’s NCAA tournament, which resumes Thursday at the James Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.
The Division III All-America teams are voted on by a committee of NFCA member coaches representing the NCAA’s 10 regions. They select 18 players for each of three teams, unless there is a tie for a third-team slot, in which case the tied players are both awarded honors. All players recognized as All-Region players were eligible for All-America recognition.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded All-Region and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining nearly 6,000 coaches today.
Previous All-America honors for 2022 recipients
Kennedy Carruth (2021 first team), Sadie Erickson (2021 first team), Gina Followell (2021 third team), Grace Heath (2021 third team), Kaitlyn Hasty (2021 second team, 2019 first team), Cami Henry (2021 first team), Anna Jackson (2021 third team), Kelly Jurden (2021 first team, 2019 second team), Abby Mace (2021 first team), Brooke Matyasovsky (2021 first team), Hannah Ritter (2021 third team), Ashlyn Strother (2021 third team) and Cassie Woods (2021 second team).
Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Freshman of the Year Top 10 finalists on list
Eliza Filus (Kean), Ellie Jones (Belhaven), Kendellyn Davison (Millikin) and Jamie Martin (Christopher Newport).
Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player and Pitcher of the Year Top 25 finalists on list
Kennedy Carruth (Belhaven), Sophia DiCocco (Tufts), Sadie Erickson (Wisconsin-Eau Claire), Gina Followell (Concordia Wisconsin), Allie Gordon (Belhaven), Kaitlyn Hasty (Christopher Newport), Grace Heath (Mount Union), Cami Henry (DePauw), Anna Jackson (Berry), Ellie Jones (Belhaven), Kelly Jurden (Texas Lutheran), Tayah Kelley (Linfield), Katie Murphy (Susquehanna), Abby Mace (Salisbury), Tristen Maddox (East Texas Baptist), Brooke Matyasovsky (Eastern Connecticut State), Alexis Michon (Eastern Connecticut State), Katie Phillips (Linfield), Julia SanGiovanni (Eastern Connecticut State), Kayla Simacek (Bethel (Minn.), Ashlyn Strother (Texas Lutheran), Haley Ullrich (Alma), Courtney White (East Texas Baptist) and Lindsey Windsor (Salisbury).
Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year winners
2022 – Anna Jackson, Berry
2021 – Jessica Goldyn, Virginia Wesleyan
2020 – (award not presented due to COVID-19)
2019 – Ashley Perez, University of Texas at Tyler
2018 – Ashley Perez, University of Texas at Tyler
2017 – Janae Matos, Moravian
2016 – Elaine Walker, Aurora
2015 – Kierin Stevens, University of Texas at Tyler
2014 – Jo Clair, Tufts
2013 – Michelle Gravdahl, Salisbury
2012 – Emilee Lepp, Linfield
2011 – Emilee Lepp, Linfield
2010 – Tiffany Kruse, Luther
2009 – Jamie Smrdel, John Carroll
2008 – Nicky Neuman, Redlands
2007 – Hannah Shalett, Ithaca
2006 – Nikki Conway, University of St. Thomas (Minn.)
2005 – Brianne Haas, Maryville in St. Louis
2004 – Angela Gonzales, East Texas Baptist
2003 – Gina Utecht, University of St. Thomas (Minn.)
2002 – Shannon Fritzke, Pacific Lutheran
2001 – Annie Van Wetzinga, Central
2000 – Shannon Fritzke, Pacific Lutheran
1999 – Michelle Fowler, Simpson
1998 – Carrie McVicker, John Carroll
1997 – Jerrilyn Acevedo, Montclair State
New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe Award winners
2022 – Kaela Kraemer, Wisconsin-Superior
2021 – Jessica Goldyn, Virginia Wesleyan
2020 – (award not presented due to COVID-19)
2019 – Kelly Jurden, Texas Lutheran
2018 – Melissa Livermore, University of Texas at Dallas
2017 – Kiersten Richardson, Virginia Wesleyan
2016 – Courtney Bogan, Virginia Wesleyan
2015 – Nina Murphy-Cook, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
2014 – Kayla Malkos, Virginia Wesleyan
2013 – Amanda Genovese, Brandeis
2012 – Crystal Lee, The College of New Jersey
2011 – Stephanie Vanoudenhaegen, Pacific (Ore.)
2010 – Katie Stalker, Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2009 – Jenna Patnode, Keene State
2008 – Lindsay Shepherd, Capital
2007 – Lindsay Shepherd, Capital
2006 – Carrie Embree, University of St. Thomas (Minn.)
2005 – Mary Greenway, Ferrum