LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Standout freshman Cailah Niles continues to add to an already impressive resume, as the catcher has been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II All-Southeast Region team, as announced late Thursday afternoon.
Earlier Thursday, Niles was named as one of the top three finalists for Freshman of the Year by the NFCA after being named First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference and SAC Freshman of the Year following the regular season. Niles is third in the nation with 22 home runs and is fifth with 69 RBI, while ranking as the only freshman in the country in the top-seven in both homers and RBI.
The native of Phenix City, Ala., led the league in homers, RBI, total bases and was second with an .826 slugging percentage. She recorded 18 multiple-hit games during the season and ranked fourth in the conference with 67 base hits, including a nine-game hitting streak in April. Niles ranked sixth in the SAC in both batting average (.390) and on-base percentage (.475).
Nationally, this year's All-Region squads are comprised of 213
student-athletes from 111 different programs.
The awards honor softball student-athletes from the NFCA's eight
regions with first and second teams selected for each region. The
all-region teams were voted on by NFCA member coaches from each
respective region, and all the honorees now become eligible for
selection to the 2015 NFCA Division II All-American teams.
No. 1 Missouri-St. Louis led the way with seven players
recognized. No. 2 Valdosta State, No. 3 West Texas A&M, No. 4
Dixie State and No. 22 West Virginia Wesleyan each had five
selections, while No. 14 California Baptist, No. 10 Indianapolis,
No. 14 Caldwell, No. 24 California (Pa.) and RV Cameron were next
with four apiece. The fourth-ranked Red Storm captured five
first-team selections in West Region and the 22nd-ranked Bobcats
garnered four first-team nods in the Atlantic Region.
The 2015 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced at on
Wednesday, May 27, via NFCA.org.
