LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Student-athletes from nine collegiate institutions have been selected as recipients of the 2017 New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe accolade, announced the Association on Monday afternoon.
The New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe award is presented annually to the player determined to be the most outstanding base stealer from an NFCA member institution. This year the collegiate awards honorees were recognized during their respective All-American announcements. The High School winner will be announced in July.
A committee comprised of elected head coaches in each of the nine represented divisions selects the winner of their respective award. This year’s recipients of the prestigious honor are as follows:
NCAA Division I
Elicia D’Orazio – Junior – Marshall University
D’Orazio led Division I with 59 steals at a clip of 1.09 bases per game. The NFCA first-team All-Mideast Region selection also hit .397 with a team-high 49 runs scored.
NCAA Division II
Cailin Garman – Senior – Chico State
Garman led NCAA Division II, swiping 53 bases in 54 attempts and averaging 1.23 per game. The speedy senior hit .322 on the year with 48 hits, three doubles, a triple and 41 runs scored.
NCAA Division III
Kiersten Richardson – Junior – Virginia Wesleyan University
A third-team All-American honoree, Richardson stole an NCAA Division III-best 64 bases in 65 attempts, averaging 1.12 per game. In helping Virginia Wesleyan to its first national championship, Richardson hit .375 with a team-best 69 hits, 18 doubles and 68 runs scored. Additionally, she recorded five home runs and posted a .458 on-base percentage.
NAIA
Niki Cook – Junior – Georgia Gwinnett College
Compiling a historic season for the Grizzlies, Cook swiped a NAIA-best 71 bases, second most in the Association’s history. The first-team All-American ran away with NAIA’s batting title (.603), hitting 71 points higher than her nearest competitor. She tied the NAIA hitting streak record at 33 games, while recording a base knock in 58 of 60 games. Her 117 hits were second most in NAIA history and her .667 on-base percentage was 47 points better than the second-ranked NAIA player. It marks the second Golden Shoe award for Cook, who received the honor as a freshman, while playing at Shorter University (DII).
NJCAA Division I
Oakley Sisemore – Sophomore – Crowder College
Sisemore, a second-team All-American selection in the outfield, was a perfect 71-for-71 in stolen bases, leading all of NJCAA DI. The speedster ranked second in NJCAA I with 116 hits and 94 runs scored and third with 10 triples. On the year, she hit .492 with 36 RBI and a .533 on-base percentage.
NJCAA Division II
Alexis Egan – Freshman – Iowa Central Community College
A first-team NFCA NJCAA Division II All-American, Egan, led NJCAA with 73 stolen bases and was third with 102 hits. She hit. 490 on the season with six doubles, 59 runs scored and a .520 on-base percentage.
NJCAA Division III
Taylor Fry – Sophomore – Herkimer College
A NFCA All-American outfielder, Fry swiped 32 bases, seventh in NJCAA DII, while hitting .478 with 47 runs, 66 hits and four doubles.
Cal JC
Kasey Hutton – Freshman – Santa Ana College
Tabbed Cal JC’s top base stealer, Hutton totaled a program-record 51 thefts and was only caught three times all season. She earned All-American status at the utility position, batting .471 with 66 hits, six doubles, four triples and 41 runs scored, while posting a .510 on-base percentage.
NWAC
Makenzi Howard – Freshman – Wenatchee Valley College
Howard, who helped Wenatchee Valley to a NWAC championship, led the league with 55 stolen bases in 58 attempts. She hit .374 on the season with 65 hits, seven doubles and an NWAC-best 77 runs scored.