LOUISVILLE, Ky. – McKendree University's Olivia Stansbury (Lafayette, Ind./Purdue Fort Wayne) made history on Wednesday afternoon as she became the first-ever Bearcat softball player to earn NFCA Division II All-America honors as the junior was named a First-Team All-America selection by the association.
The rightfielder is the second McKendree softball player to earn NFCA All-America honors and first since Brooke Gajewski was a Second Team All-America selection as a designated player in 2018. Stansbury becomes just the eighth NFCA All-America in school history and second in the school's Division II era (2013-present).
Stansbury earns First-Team All-America honors 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 per game (0.45, 2nd), home runs (20, 4th), on-base percentage (.553, 5th) and total bases (141, 10th) 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 All-America honors is just the latest accolade this season for Stansbury as she has also been named an NFCA First-Team All-Midwest Region selection, the D2CAA Midwest Region Player of the Year, a First-Team Midwest All-Region selection, a finalist for the Shutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player & Pitcher of the Year, the Great Lakes Valley Conference Softball Player of the Year and a First-Team All-GLVC selection.
Stansbury was one of four players from the GLVC to earn NFCA All-America honors as Drury pitcher Kristina Bettis was named a First-Team All-America as an At-Large selection as a pitcher, while Indianapolis pitcher Kenzee Smith and catcher Lexy Rees were Second-Team All-Americans and Lindenwood pitcher Amanda Weyh was a Third-Team All-American.
Stansbury was one of 54 student-athletes from 43 different schools named to one of the three 2022 NFCA Division II All-America teams.
Here is the 2022 NFCA First-Team All-America Team:
| Player |
Position |
School |
| Mackenzie Ward |
Pitcher |
Minnesota State-Mankato |
| Andrea Morales |
Pitcher |
Rogers State (Okla.) |
| Samantha Richards |
Pitcher |
Valdosta State (Ga.) |
| Ashley Perez |
Catcher |
University of Texas-Tyler |
| Kayson Boatner |
First Base |
Anderson University (S.C.) |
| Emily Harris |
Second Base |
Carson-Newman |
| Paxton Scheurer |
Third Base |
Angelo State |
| Hannah Rose |
Shortstop |
Charleston (W.Va.) |
| Mary Pardo |
Outfield |
Augustana (S.D.) |
| Olivia Stansbury |
Outfield |
McKendree (Ill.) |
| Sami Edwards |
Outfield |
Colorado Christian |
| Tatum Goff |
Utility/Pitcher |
University of Texas-Tyler |
| Torri Chute |
DP/Utility |
Augustana (S.D.) |
| Kristina Bettis |
At-Large-Pitcher |
Drury (Mo.) |
| Hannah Marsteller |
At-Large-First Base |
Shippensburg (Pa.) |
| Paige Austin |
At-Large-Pitcher |
Biola (Calif.) |
| Jaycee Ginter |
At-Large-Utility/Pitcher |
Washburn (Kan.) |
| Lydia Goble |
At-Large-Shortstop |
Grand Valley State (Mich.) |
Previous McKendree NFCA All-Americans
2022 - Olivia Stansbury, Outfield, First Team
2018 - Brooke Gajewski, Designated Player, Second Team
2002 - Angie Niemeyer, At-Large, Second Team
2001 - Katie Walsh, Outfield, First Team
2000 - Danna Gilbert, Outfield, Second Team
1999 - Sharon Marquardt, Third Base, First Team
1995 - Lisa Willman, Catcher, Second Team
1995 - Jennifer Hopkins, Outfield, Second Team
