NCCSIA Announces 2017 North Carolina All-State College Division Softball Team
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Lenoir-Rhyne University placed three student-athletes on the 2017 North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) College Division FirstTeam All-State Team released Thursday. The Bears also put two students on the second-team squad for a division-best five all-state picks.
Guilford College had two first-team honorees and two second-team selections. Chowan University, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and Salem College also had two students on the first team. The all-star units are comprised of 24 student-athletes representing 13 of the state's NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III institutions.
Chowan senior Kayla Robins garnered D2CCA Third Team All-America laurels after twirling a 24-10 record with 367 strikeouts and a 0.95 ERA in 213.1 innings. The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Pitcher of the Year led Division II with 12.0 strikeouts per game, ranked second with 16 shutouts and finished third in ERA. Her teammate, first baseman Danielle Baccus, batted .314 in 56 contests with six home runs and 40 RBI to claim the CIAA's Player of the Year Award.
Division III Salem College placed two students on the first-team squad for the first time in school history. Junior teammate Briana Crumley was a Third Team NFCA All-Atlantic and First Team All-USA South West Division pick after batting a club-best .455 with seven homers and 45 RBI in 36 contests. Rookie teammate Sydney Vaughn was 10-3 with two saves and a 2.73 ERA in 18 appearances (9 starts). She won the USA South Athletic Conference's Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award and was a first team all-league honoree.
Nominees were submitted by North Carolina sports information professionals and selected by the NCCSIA members.
Founded in 2002, the NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions from the state of North Carolina. The purpose of the organization is to promote collegiate athletics at all schools. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina, and whose area of responsibility lies within sports information.
NCCSSIA selects all-state teams in the University (Division I) and College (Division II, III, NAIA) divisions for men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, softball, and baseball.
North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association
2017 College Division All-State Softball Teams
First Team
Pos. Name Class School Hometown
P Kayla Robins^ Sr. Chowan University Mathews County, Va.
P Sydney Vaughn Fr. Salem College Clemmons, N.C.
C Sarah Kenley* Sr. Lenoir-Rhyne University Charlotte, N.C.
IF Danielle Baccus Sr. Chowan University Hertford, N.C.
IF Briana Crumley Jr. Salem College Lexington, N.C.
IF Jamie Johnson^ So. UNC Pembroke Kenly, N.C.
IF Sydney Landreth% Sr. Lenoir-Rhyne University Disputanta, Va.
OF Kayli Blankenship Fr. Guilford College Pittsboro, N.C.
OF Erin Boone# So. Lenoir-Rhyne University Creedmoor, N.C.
OF Sabrina Moreno So. Guilford College Chula Vista, Calif.
OF Naomi Sapp So. Wingate University Guyton, Ga.
UTL Abbey Walters^ Jr. UNC Pembroke Bladenboro, N.C.
DP Destiny Snipes So. Winston-Salem State Burlington, N.C.
Second Team
Pos. Name Class School Hometown
P Sydney Miller Fr. Lenoir-Rhyne University East Bend, N.C.
P Maddy Wetherholt So. Greensboro College Hope Mills, N.C.
C Alex Watkins Fr. UNC Pembroke Swansboro, N.C.
IF Mackenzie Cates Jr. Lenoir-Rhyne University Efland, N.C.
IF Morgan Hasty Sr. Johnson C. Smith University Salem, Ind.
IF Heather McLean Jr. William Peace University Willow Spring, N.C.
IF Casey Stanek So. Mars Hill University Winston-Salem, N.C.
OF Kayla Allen Jr. University of Mount Olive Benson, N.C.
OF Megan Kelly Sr. Barton College Plymouth, N.C.
UTL Makayla Carver# So. Guilford College Granite Falls, N.C.
DP Shelby Helms Sr. Guilford College Marshville, N.C.
# - Named to 2016 All-State Team (1st Team)
& - Named to 2014 All-State Team (1st Team)
^ - Named to 2016 All-State Team (2nd Team)
* - Named to 2014 All-State Team (2nd Team)
% - Named to 2015 All-State Team (2nd Team)