LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Six WAC softball players have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-Region teams.
Taylor Nowlin and Camree Wartman of Grand Canyon and Missouri-Kansas City's Katie Kelley were second team selections in their respective regions, while Fiana Finau and Emma Adams of NM State and Grand Canyon's Nicole Newbury were each named to the third team.
The WAC Pitcher of the Year, Nowlin finished her junior year with a 2.31 ERA and 132 strikeouts through 160.2 innings pitched. She posted a WAC-best .204 opponent batting average and led the league with 19 wins. Nowlin produced two no-hitters on the season and combined for a third, and threw five one-hitters.
Wartman, a junior second baseman, led the WAC in batting average (.392) and doubles (17), ranked second in runs (49) and total bases (106), and third in slugging percentage (.620) and hits (68). She was a first team All-WAC honoree.
A senior pitcher/utility player, Kelley was named first team All-WAC and to the WAC All-Tournament Team. She led the WAC in RBIs (51), ranked fifth in slugging percentage (.591) and eighth in doubles (12). As a pitcher, she was third in the WAC in strikeouts (113), and fourth in both opponent batting average (.269) and innings pitched (145.0)
The WAC Player of the Year, Finau ranked second in the conference in slugging percentage (.625), on-base percentage (.465) and RBIs (50), and tied for second in home runs (9). She was the NFCA National Player of the Week for March 7-13.
A senior third baseman, Adams was named to the WAC All-Tournament Team. She ranked fourth in the WAC in RBIs (42), sixth in both batting average (.371) and doubles (13), and seventh in both on-base percentage (.438) and hits (62).
A second team All-WAC selection, Newbury ranked second in the league in fielding double plays (21), and fifth in batting average (.373), hits (63) and putouts (305). She tallied 14 multi-hit contests and went 23 straight contests without being struck out.
A total of 385 players representing 157 different institutions comprise this season's regional teams, including first, second and third teams for each region. The all-region teams were voted on by NFCA member coaches from each respective region. All the honorees are eligible for selection to the 2016 NFCA Division I All-American teams, which will be announced Wednesday, June 1.
To view the complete 2016 NFCA Division I All-Region teams, click
here.