LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Texas’ Reese Atwood and Boise State’s Taylor Caudill were named 2024 Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week, respectively. The duo was recognized for their outstanding performances for contests played through Feb. 11.

Atwood was key contributor to Texas’ offensive explosion at the Stacy Winsburg Tournament, batting .733 (11-for-15) with three home runs, 12 RBI and seven runs scored. She also contributed with a pair of doubles, three sacrifice flies, a 1.467 slugging percentage and .632 on-base percentage. The sophomore catcher opened the scoring with a solo home run in a 3-2 win over host and then-No. 10 UCLA and also homered twice in the Feb. 10 win over San Diego (2B, 4 RBI, 3 R). Atwood registered three base knocks and three RBI in a season-opening victory over San Diego and recorded two RBI on sac flies in a 16-0 rout of UCLA.

Caudill posted four wins in four appearances for Boise State at the Kajikawa Classic, earning wins over then-No. 20 Northwestern, St. Thomas, host Arizona State and Grand Canyon. She recorded a 0.33 ERA, 0.33 WHIP and 23 strikeouts over 21 innings of work. Caudill went the distance in her lone start of the week, allowing a run on five hits with six punchouts at Grand Canyon. All three of her other appearances, Caudill held her opponents scoreless on just two hits. The senior hurler picked up her first win of the season with 2.2 innings of shutout relief (2 K, BB) against the Wildcats. Caudill also came out of the bullpen against the Tommies (4.2 IP, 0 H, 8 K, BB) and the Sun Devils (6.2 IP, 2 H, 7 K, BB).

The Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week are voted on by the NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll Committee.

Selected Top Performances
Aquana Brownlee, Mississippi State - .714, 5H, 5 RBI, 700 OBP; Ariel Carlson, Oregon - .500, 3 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 1.063 SLG; Rachel Castine, Virginia Tech - .583, 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 1.667 SLG; Kara Daly, Missouri - .467, 7 H, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1.067 SLG; Claire Davidson, Duke - .417, 2 2B, HR (grand slam), 7 RBI, 2 SB, 3 R, .533 OBP; Riley Dittmar, Western Michigan - .667, 8 H, 3 2B, 3B, 7 BB, 5 R, 1.083 SLG, .789 OBP; Tallen Edwards, Oklahoma State- .615, 4 2B, HR, 7 RBI, .737 OBP, 1.154 SLG; Kristin Fifield, Grand Canyon - .429, 6 H, 4 R, HR, 8 RBI; Gaby Garcia, Penn State - .500, 1.667 OPS, 4 R, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 1.000 SLG; Paige Geraghty, Louisville - .412, 3 2B, 3B, 4 R, 3 RBI; Kalei Harding, Florida State - .528, 2 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .579 OBP, 1.176 SLG; Reagan Johnson, Arkansas- .500, 10 H, 5 R, 3-3 SB, 2B, BB, RBI; Lauren Keleher, Boston University - .647, 4 2B, HR, 7 RBI, BB, .650 OBP, 1.059 SLG; Julia Knowler, Clemson - .438, 7 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .938 SLG, 3 BB, 15 TB; Rachel Roupe, Liberty - .714, 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB, .733 OBP, 1.286 SLG, 2.019 OPS; Gracie Smith, Idaho State - .550, 3B, 2 HR, 6 R, 10 RBI, 4-4 SB, .950 SLG; Peyton Sward, Lehigh - .889 (8-9), 3 R, 2B, 3B, 1.222 SLG; Katie Wingert, Rutgers - .444, 8 H, 5 R, 10 RBI, 5 HR, 2B, 1.333 SLG; Kayla Beaver, Alabama – 2-0, 0.50 ERA, 14 IP, R, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 21 K; Allison Boaz, Boston University – 2-0, SV, 0.82 ERA, 12 K, 17 IP, .121 OPP BA; NiJaree Canady, Stanford – 3 app/2 GS, 1-1, 0.43 ERA, 33 K, 2 BB, 16.1 IP; Marley Goluskin, Idaho State – 2-0, SV, 0.00 ERA, 6 K, 2 BB, 10 IP, .154 OPP BA; Lyndsey Grein, Virginia Tech – 3 app, 1 GS, 0.75 ERA, 12 K, BB, 9.1 IP; Citlaly Guitierrez, Texas - 2 APP, 1 GS, 1-0, 1 S, 0.00 ERA, 4 K, 0 BB, 4 H, 7 IP, .167 B/AVG, 1 CG, 1 SO, 0 ER; Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State - 4 app/1 GS, 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 SO, 0 BB, 8.0 IP., 0.74 OPP BA; Laurin Krings, Missouri - 3 App/3 GS, 3-0, 1.47 ERA, 20 SO, 5 BB, 19.0 IP, .236 OPP BA; Sierra Maness, USC Upstate – 2 app, 2 GS, 1-1, 0.00 ERA, 13 IP, SHO, 16 K, .130 OPP BA; Josey Marron, Mississippi State - 1 APP/1 GS, 1-0, 1 CG, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 9 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER; Bridget Nemeth, Penn State - 5 App/2 GS, 4-0, 1 Save, 1.09 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 19.1 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 14 SO, .191 Opp. B/Avg; Natalia Puchino, Creighton - 2 App/1 GS, 2-0, 0.78 ERA, 13 SO, 6 BB, 9.0 IP; Stephanie Schoonover, Kentucky - 3-0; 0.47 ERA; Win over #3 Stanford and Ni'jaree Canady; 1ER, 19K, 15.0 IP; 3BB, 6H, CG; Ariel Thompson, Grand Canyon - 2 app/2 GS, 1-0, 0.88 ERA, 9 SO, 4 BB, 8.0 IP; Jala Wright, Duke - 3App/1 GS, 2-0, 0.66 ERA, 10.2 IP, 1 CG, 13 SO, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 ER, 0.

The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Louisville Slugger/Player & Wilson/Pitcher of the Week awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention. 

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NFCA Division II Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week