FULLERTON, Calif. — NFCA Executive Director Carol Bruggeman coached the Alliance National team to a 3-1 victory in the organization’s third annual All-Star Game powered by Under Armour on Sunday night at Cal State Fullerton’s Anderson Family Field.
The event showcased the top 40 senior softball players in The Alliance Fastpitch, who were selected by the Alliance national committee, led by Derek Allister, the founder of OnDeck Softball, and representatives of all Alliance member leagues. The selection process begins in the Fall with an initial watch list, and is then narrowed down to league all-star teams. The top 40 Alliance athletes are chosen from those league all-star teams.
Bruggeman coached alongside University of Arizona standout Olivia DiNardo, three-time NCAA national champion Tiare Jennings of the University of Oklahoma, and former UCLA catcher and The Packaged Deal founder Jen Schroeder. The American squad coaching staff consisted of former UCLA outfielder and U.S. Olympian Natasha Watley, Orange Coast College head coach Jodie Legaspi-Kiaha, who also played for the Bruins, and current UCLA star Megan Grant. Both Grant and Jennings were NFCA All-Americans this past season.
Every All-Star athlete is signed to play Division I college softball starting this fall, with 27 different schools, all Power 5 conferences and four mid-major institutions represented. The Pac-12, with nine athletes, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC), with seven players, led the way.
Kentucky (SEC), Louisville (Atlantic Coast Conference) and Oregon (Pac-12) all had three signees playing in the showcase. There was least one player from all eight Alliance member leagues.
The American team beat the National, 4-0, in last year’s game, while the National prevailed 10-9 in the inaugural showcase in 2021.
The 2022 edition featured 11 athletes who were among the Top 25 finalists for TUCCI/NFCA National Freshman of the Year honors this past season, including NiJaree Canady, who earned the 2023 award after a stellar season for Women’s College World Series semifinalist Stanford.
Celebrating 40 years in 2023, the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Awards Program, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from NFCA podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
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