LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Thirteen players from six schools have garnered 2024 NFCA National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III All-America recognition, the Association revealed on Friday afternoon.
National runner-up North Dakota State College of Science led all programs with four honorees, while first-time champion Patrick & Henry Community College was next with three. Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute and Corning Community College each had two recipients, while Herkimer College and Suffolk County Community College had one All-American apiece.
Patrick & Henry’s two-time All-American pitcher Morgan Strickland headlined the squad. She went 24-10 this season with a 2.76 ERA, 34 complete games, seven shutouts, 214 strikeouts, 53 walks and an 1.15 WHIP over 228.2 innings in the circle. Sophomore Strickland also excelled on offense, batting .484 with 51 runs, 88 hits, 22 doubles, five triples, 12 home runs, 68 RBI and just 12 strikeouts in 209 plate appearances.
Patriot freshmen Jaci Parham and Laila Rodriguez joined Strickland on the team at third base and shortstop, respectively. Parham drove in 25 runs while hitting .311 with 13 doubles, five homers and 26 runs. Rodriguez batted .486 with 65 runs, 84 hits, five doubles, three triples, 28 walks and 63 stolen bases.
Freshman pitcher Grace Folkema paced the four honorees for North Dakota State College of Science, going 27-6 in the circle with nine complete games, seven saves and six shutouts across 60 appearances. She fanned 408 batters and walked 124 over 211.1 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .181 average.
Her teammates Avery Martin, Takiah Landes and Emma Johnson also fueled another successful season for the Wildcats, who came within a win of a title repeat. Sophomore catcher Martin led the team in hitting with a .457 average, 77 runs, 100 hits, 31 doubles, 20 homers and 94 RBI, and also compiled a .992 fielding percentage.
Sophomore outfielder Landes batted .393 with 65 runs, 79 hits, 13 homers, 65 RBI and 27 steals. Freshman Johnson, the Joan Joyce Utility/Pitcher selection, hit .395 with 66 hits, 15 doubles, seven homers and 48 RBI, while also going 28-5 with a 2.78 ERA, eight saves, six complete games, four shutouts and 214 strikeouts over 211.2 innings in the circle.
Corning’s Jenna Plue was the other pitcher chosen, and teammate Lily Callahan was the honoree at second base. Sophomore Plue went 16-5 in the circle with a 1.50 ERA, nine complete games, 87 walks and 271 strikeouts over 140 innings and 24 appearances, and also batted .421 with 39 runs, 53 hits, 15 doubles, eight triples, 10 homers and 51 RBI. Fellow sophomore Callahan hit .432 with 60 runs, 60 hits, 12 doubles, 10 triples, 31 RBI and seven steals.
First baseman Taryn Estes and DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher Carlee Tart represented Caldwell Tech. Freshman Estes hit .313 with 22 runs, 30 hits, three doubles, eight homers and 22 RBI, while fellow first-year player Tart batted .343 with 40 runs, 47 hits, six doubles, 24 RBI and 15 steals.
Herkimer’s Shelbi Hagues and Suffolk’s Kaylin McDonald rounded out the team in the outfield. Freshman Hagues hit .451 with 34 runs, 41 hits, eight doubles, 26 RBI and 10 stolen bases, while also making 20 appearances in the circle, going 7-2 with 48 strikeouts and six complete games over 70.1 innings. Sophomore McDonald batted .517 with 21 runs, 31 hits, eight doubles, five triples, four homers, 39 RBI and a 1.017 slugging percentage.
NFCA NJCAA DIII All-America athletes are nominated and voted by NFCA-member head coaches to receive this prestigious accolade.
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