LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The postseason accolades keep rolling in for McKendree University rightfielder
Olivia Stansbury (Lafayette, Ind./Purdue Fort Wayne) as the junior was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First-Team All-Midwest Region honor on Wednesday afternoon.
Along with being an NFCA First-Team All-Midwest Region selection, Stansbury has also been named both the D2CAA Midwest Region Player of the Year and a First-Team Midwest All-Region selection, a finalist for the Shutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player & Pitcher of the Year, and the Great Lakes Valley Conference Softball Player of the Year this season.
The NFCA honors softball student-athletes from the Association's eight regions with first and second team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region nominated their student-athletes and voted for the teams. All the All-Region honorees are now eligible for selection to the 2022 NFCA Division II All-America Teams. The NFCA All-America Team will be announced on Wednesday, May 25.
With her honor, Stansbury becomes the first Bearcat to earn NFCA All-Region honors since Brooke Gajewski was a first team selection in 2018.
Stansbury was named an NFCA First-Team All-Midwest Region selection after hitting a GLVC-leading .470 and leading all of NCAA Division II softball in slugging percentage at 1.052. In addition, she ranks in the Top 10 nationally in home runs (20, 4th), home runs per game (0.45, 4th), on-base percentage (.553, 5th) and total bases (141, 8th) and is third in the GLVC in hits (63) and RBI (51) and is second in runs per game (0.98). Her 1.605 OPS is also tops in Division II softball.
On the season, Stansbury led the Bearcats in batting average (.470), runs scored (43), hits (63), doubles (12), triples (3), home runs (20), RBI (51), total bases (141), slugging percentage (1.052), on-base percentage (.553), multi-hit games (18) and multiple RBI games (15) and was second in walks with 23 and struck out just 18 times in 134 at-bats, which is an average of just 7.4 times per at bat. She set new McKendree single season records for batting average, home runs and slugging percentage.
The NFCA All-Region teams this season are comprised of 206 student-athletes from 105 schools. In the Midwest Region, 16 different schools are represented with Indianapolis leading the way with five overall selections, including three first team honorees. In addition to UIndy, Grand Valley State had four selections, including two first teamers, while Illinois-Springfield, Lindenwood, Ohio Dominican and Southern Indiana each had two selections.
Stansbury was joined on the NFCA First-Team All-Midwest Region squad by Indianapolis sophomore pitcher Kenzee Smith, Lindenwood junior pitcher Amanda Weyh, Drury junior pitcher Kristina Bettis, Indianapolis junior catcher Lexy Rees, Rockhurst senior first baseman Calli Wibbenmeyer, Illinois-Springfield senior second baseman Danielle Dennis, Ohio Dominican junior third baseman Braxton Downs, Grand Valley State junior shortstop Lydia Goble, Grand Valley State junior outfielder Joanna Cirrincione, Indianapolis freshman outfielder Rachel Nichols, University of Findlay senior designated player Lexie Hilling and Purdue Northwest junior utility player/non-pitcher Selena Michko.
The NCFA Second-Team All-Midwest Region team features Grand Valley State junior pitcher Hannah Beatus, Ohio Dominican senior pitcher Sydney Long, Walsh senior catcher Jessie Rock, Indianapolis senior first baseman Gianni Iannantone, Wayne State redshirt senior second baseman Rainey Psenicka, Indianapolis junior third baseman Emily O'Connor, Davenport senior third baseman Rachel Griffin, Lindenwood shortstop Whitney Wendel, Ferris State senior outfielder Paige Kortz, Grand Valley State sophomore outfielder Kaitlin Lynch, Southern Indiana sophomore outfielder MacKenzie Bedrick, Southern Indiana junior utility/pitcher Allie Goodin and Illinois-Springfield junior utility player/non-pitcher Jillian Mathis.
