2022-schutt-sports-nfca-diii-player-pitcher-of-the-year-top-25-announced | ncaa3

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Twenty five student-athletes were revealed this afternoon as part of the 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player and Pitcher of the Year awards list.

The Player of the Year award was established in 2016 to honor the season’s top performer in NCAA Division III, and was expanded in 2019 to include both a Player and Pitcher of the Year honoree.

The list is compiled and the award is voted on by the elected members of the NFCA Division III All-American Committee with one head coach representing each of the 10 NCAA regions. To be eligible, a student-athlete’s head coach must be a member.

The group of 25 consists of 10 sophomores, seven juniors, six seniors and two freshmen representing 17 programs and 15 difference conferences.

Two schools — Belhaven and Eastern Connecticut State — had three student-athletes apiece on the list, while four others — East Texas Baptist, Linfield, Salisbury and Texas Lutheran — placed two.

The American Southwest Conference had five finalists, while the Little East Conference and Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference each had three. The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and Northwest Conference had two apiece.

The winner of each award will be announced on June 3, following the conclusion of the 2022 season.

Last year’s winners were Virginia Wesleyan’s Jessica Goldyn (Player) and Hanna Hull (Pitcher). Hull also claimed Player of the Year honors in 2017 and 2018, before the award was split into separate Pitcher and Player honors. Lynchburg’s Mackenzie Chitwood (Player) and Illinois Wesleyan’s Ally Wiegand (Pitcher) won in 2019, while UT Tyler pitcher Kelsie Batten was the inaugural Player of the Year honoree in 2016. The award was not presented in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention.

Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining nearly 6,000 coaches today!