LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association is proud to announce that 50 student-athletes from across the country have been selected to the watch list for the inaugural Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year award.
Behind the collaboration between the NFCA and the Division II Head Coaches Committee, and the generosity of Schutt Sports, the award was created to honor the outstanding athletic achievement among softball student-athletes throughout Division II.
Top 50 List | Top 50 List with headshots
This inaugural group consists of 30 seniors, 13 juniors and seven sophomores that represent 37 programs from 18 different conferences across the country. Nine programs garnered multiple candidates, including Caldwell, out of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), boasting five selections. Defending national champion and Lone Star Conference representative West Texas A&M picked up three nominations, while seven more institutions had two apiece.
The Great Lakes Valley Conference paced the way with five of its schools and seven student-athletes. The Lone Star and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) each had four programs with seven and five student-athletes, respectively. The Pacific West Conference and California Collegiate Athletic Association followed with three, while the ECC, Heartland Conference, Northeast-10 Conference and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference garnered two apiece.
The Top 25 finalists for the 2015 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year award will be announced on April 8. While an athlete does not have to be on watch list to be considered for the Top 25, the winner will come from the 25 finalists. The Top 10 finalists will be announced on April 30 and the Top 3 on May 13 or 14 with the 2015 Division II National Player of the Year revealed on May 26.
About the NFCA
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches for all competitive levels of play. Founded in the early 1980s by collegiate softball coaches, today the organization also includes high school coaches, travel ball/club coaches and individuals who support the sport. Founded by coaches for coaches, the Association is built on strong values and continually instills within its members a deep sense of responsibility for developing programs that enrich the lives of all those involved.
In addition, the Association provides educational training; encourages sportsmanship and high standards of competition; promotes the sport both nationally and internationally; identifies and pursues issues relevant to the fastpitch coaching profession and provides a forum to discuss those issues; honors excellence through awards programs for coaches and players, and keeps members informed of current coaching techniques, equipment innovations and fastpitch news.