LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association today revealed the 13 players voted to the 2021 NFCA NJCAA Division III All-America team. This year’s squad is composed of student-athletes from seven different programs representing the NJCAA’s three regions.
Rock Valley College, which won its seventh-straight NJCAA Division III national championship on Sunday, led the way with four All-America honorees, while national runner-up Corning Community College had three players selected and Suffolk County Community College placed two on the squad.
2021 NFCA NJCAA Division III All-America Team | All-America Video
A trio of freshmen — Corning’s Jayden Hill, Rock Valley’s Ashton Melaas and Joliet’s Lindsey Bouska — were the All-America pitchers.
Hill led the Red Barons to the NJCAA championship game, going 19-1 with two saves, a 1.42 ERA and 167 strikeouts over 118 innings, while Melaas anchored the Golden Eagles’ staff with a 19-3 record, 2.42 ERA, 10 complete games, a save, 170 strikeouts and 52 walks over 133 innings of action. Bouska was 22-8 this season, with 16 complete games, a 2.35 ERA, 81 strikeouts and just 38 walks in 160.2 innings.
Rock Valley freshman Jenna Green was the All-America catcher, batting .424 with 40 runs, 15 doubles, two triples, nine homers and 50 RBI, and made just two errors in 204 chances across 45 games behind the plate.
Suffolk’s freshman Deja Farmer earned All-America first base honors. She hit .479 with 27 runs, four doubles, two triples, seven homers and 34 RBI, and made just one error in 144 chances in the field.
Corning sophomore Jillian Murray and freshman teammate Alexis Wood scored second and third base recognition, respectively, while Rock Valley freshman Kelli Riordan was the pick at shortstop.
Murray hit .551 with 44 runs, 15 doubles, two triples, seven homers and 58 RBI, while infield mate Wood batted a team-best .573 with 54 runs, 16 doubles, four triples, eight homers, 76 RBI and was walked 20 times in 39 games.
Riordan hit .466 with 75 runs, 25 doubles, two triples, nine homers and 65 RBI, plus 30 walks in 57 games.
The outfield consisted of Rock Valley sophomore Trinity Fry, Anoka-Ramsey freshman Emma Bright and Suffolk freshman Jaden Thompson.
Fry hit .473 with 42 runs, 18 doubles, two triples, 10 homers, 44 RBI and seven steals in seven attempts. Bright was by far the Golden Rams’ best hitter at .610, more than 130 points better than her closest teammate, and scored 46 runs, had nine doubles, seven triples, two homers and 15 RBI, while going a perfect 42-for-42 on steal attempts. Thompson batted .511 with 46 runs, 14 doubles, four triples, 14 homers, 49 RBI and 16 stolen bases.
Herkimer freshman Madison Ihnat was the pick at Utility/Pitcher, while Rowan College South Jersey Gloucester Campus sophomore Macenzie Long rounded out the team with her selection at DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher.
The versatile Ihnat helped propel the Generals to a third-place finish at nationals with .476 average, 12 doubles, three triples, six homers and 34 RBI. She was also Herkimer’s primary pitcher, going 10-3 in 13 starts, with 11 complete games, 54 strikeouts and a 3.21 ERA over 80.2 innings in the circle.
Long hit .587 this season, with 45 runs, five doubles, six triples, seven homers and 36 RBI, while swiping 30 bases in 31 attempts.
NFCA All-Region and All-American athletes must be nominated by their NFCA-member head coach, are voted for by the coaches in their region or division, and ultimately selected by
