LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced the student-athletes chosen for this season’s quartet of NFCA NJCAA Division II major awards.
Murray State College’s Lilly Wyche and Kirkwood Community College’s Libby Trewin were voted the NFCA NJCAA Division II Player and Portolite/NFCA Pitcher of the Year, respectively.
Trewin’s Kirkwood teammate Mischa Reiners earned the Diamond Sports/NFCA NJCAA Division II Catcher of the Year and Labette Community College’s Grace Strecker collected the New Balance/NFCA NJCAA Division II Golden Shoe award.
Freshman designated player Wyche was the NJCAA Division II national leader in home runs (30), RBI (105), total bases (222) and slugging percentage (1.213), and also ranked in the top 10 in runs (fifth, 96), hits (fifth, 97), on-base percentage (sixth, .611), triples (seventh with nine) and batting average (eighth, .530). She was also perfect in 42 fielding chances this season for the (66-3) Aggies, who finished third at the World Series, where Wyche was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Right-hander Trewin was 29-4 with a 1.54 ERA and 194 strikeouts over 195.1 innings in her first year for the (60-7) Eagles. The freshman ranked in the top 10 in seven statistical categories, including second nationally in wins, fourth in complete games (24) and shutouts (seven), fifth in starts (32), sixth in innings, eighth in ERA and 10th in strikeouts. The World Series All-Tournament selection walked just 43 (1.19/game) and limited opposing batters to a .167 average in 36 appearances in the circle.
Sophomore Reiners earned Diamond Catcher distinction by virtue of being the first-team All-America player at that position. Defensively, she posted a .996 fielding percentage (263 putouts, 17 assists, one error) and gunned down six of the 10 runners who tried to run against her. Offensively, Reiners tied for fourth nationally in RBI (91) and eighth in at-bats (213) while hitting .385 with 73 runs, 15 doubles, six triples, 13 homers, 28 walks, just 10 strikeouts and 30 steals in 33 attempts.
Strecker was the top base stealer in the country, swiping 78 in 81 attempts (1.56 steals/game) for Labette’s third-ranked runners (207 steals). The sophomore opened the year with five stolen bases against Pratt on Feb. 9 and never looked back, collecting four steals in four games, and posting two or three thefts in 18 other contests.
Reiners, Trewin and Wyche were all first-team NFCA All-Americans this season.
The awards are voted on by the elected members of the NFCA NJCAA Division II All-American Committee with two head coaches representing each of the three NJCAA Division II regions. To be eligible, a student-athlete’s head coach must be a member.
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