LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced the student-athletes chosen for this season’s quartet of NFCA NWAC special awards.
For the second straight year, Everett Community College’s Kaylie Hoskins was voted the Schutt Sports/NFCA Pitcher of the Year. Walla Walla Community College’s Bailee Noland was named Schutt Sports/NFCA Player of the Year.
2022 NWAC champion Mount Hood Community College was represented by Hailey Davis, voted the Diamond Sports NFCA Catcher of the Year, and teammate Matlyn Leetch, who captured the New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe award.
Hoskins posted a 17-4 mark with 3.02 ERA and 289 strikeouts in 146 innings of work. She averaged nearly 14 strikeouts (13.86) per seven innings, registering 17 contests with 10-plus punchouts. The two-time NFCA All-American fanned a season-best 19 at Edmonds Community College. Hoskins also posted a 18-K performance against Lower Columbia Community College and registered two 17-K outings versus North Idaho College and Edmonds. She ran away with the NWAC strikeout title and also topped the league with eight shutouts and ranked third in ERA.
Noland, an NFCA All-American at DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher, finished in the top three of the NWAC triple crown race. She led the league with 108 RBI, was second with 28 home runs and finished third with a .575 batting average. Noland also was No. 1 with a 1.213 slugging percentage and placed second in hits (100) and runs scored (94) and third in on-base percentage (.607), respectively. She recorded 32 multi-hit games, six with four base knocks and 10 more with three hits.
Davis, the NWAC’s All-American catcher, won the league’s home run title with 30 long balls and finished second overall with 106 RBI. She was also third in slugging (1.049) and seventh in hits (87). Davis posted a .991 fielding percentage with 208 putouts and 23 assists to just two miscues on the season. Named the NWAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, Davis was 12-for-16 with five homers, 22 RBI and nine runs over the Saints’ 5-0 tournament run.
Leetch was the NWAC’s top base stealer, swiping 44 bags in 47 attempts, recording six more steals than her nearest competitor. She had 10 games with two or more steals, including five at Blue Mountain Community College and four versus Shoreline Community College. Leetch also finished fifth in the league with a .543 batting average and was second with 101 hits and 10th with a .572 on-base percentage.
NFCA-member head coaches nominate and vote for NWAC All-Americans. All special awards are selected and voted on by the full NWAC head coaching membership.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded student-athlete 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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