LOUISVILLE, Ky. | National Fastpitch Coaches Association - McKendree University softball freshman shortstop
Lauren Harris racked-up another postseason honor with a selection to the NFCA's Third Team, marking back-to-back Bearcats earning All-American honors. The freshman was named second team All-Midwest Region by both the NFCA and D2CCA while also garnering the Great Lake Valley Conference's Player and Freshman of the Year honors. In addition to the multitude of awards and honors for the freshman shortstop, Harris was also named a finalist for the NFCA / TUCCI Division II Freshman of the Year. Harris is one of two #GLVCsb players selected for NFCA national honors in 2023.
Harris, a true freshman for the Bearcats, burst onto the scene with a .444 batting average while starting all 45 games on the season. The infielder recorded 27 extra-base knocks while adding 144 runs scored and knocking-in 57 on 64 hits and an OPS of 1.301 on the year. The freshman fielded at a golden standard with a percentage of .971, assisting on 78 while recording 55 putouts. The freshman garnered two of three possible major awards from the GLVC, ranking atop the league in slugging percentage (.792), on-base percentage (.509), and OPS (1.301) and ranked in RBIs (2nd), home runs (3rd), runs (4th), hits (4th), doubles (5th), and triples (9th). In the NCAA, Harris was ranked in RBIs per game (6th - 1.27), RBIs (t-24th), batting average (t-26th), slugging percentage (29th), and on-base percentage (34th). The shortstop recorded 19 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI games, while also owning a season-long of 22-straight games with a hit and a reached-base streak of 24. She ended the year with a hit and on-base streak of 6. Harris was also named the GLVC's Player of the Week three times through the year.
Harris is the second-ever NFCA All-American for the Bearcats after infielder
Olivia Stansbury was a
first team selection in 2022.
NFCA All-AMERICAN THIRD TEAM
P | Kyra Lair, West Texas A&M University
P | Mariah Galhouse, University of Tampa
P | Alyssa Olague, California State University, Dominguez Hills
C | Aleese Angelo, Millersville University
1B | Kenzie Bayer, Columbus State University
2B | Camryn Wineinger, University of Tampa
3B | Alexandra Hare, Saint Leo University
3B | Nicole Purtell, Shepherd University
SS | Lexi Moore, Wilmington University
OF | Taylor Gillis, Wilmington University
OF | Shelby Samples, Mississippi College
OF | Kennedy Cox, University of Arkansas-Monticello
UT/P | Terin Ritz, University of Central Oklahoma
DP or UT/Non-P | Kamryn Eaton, Mississippi College
At-Large-P | Joni Russell, Hillsdale College
At-Large-DP | Sophie Mooney, University of North Georgia
At-Large-SS | Lauren Harris, McKendree University
At-Large-3B | Shayla Harper, University of Central Oklahoma
At-Large-2B | Lawren Hayes, University of Alabama in Huntsville
About the NFCA
The NFCA All-America teams are voted on by the Association's All-America Committees. In Division II, the committee is comprised of one member head coach from each of the NCAA's eight regions. All student-athletes who were nominated by a member head coach and voted to the first- and second-team All-Region squads were eligible for All-America consideration.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded All-Region and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
