LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sophomore Cailah Niles continues to add to an already impressive career resume, as the catcher has been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Associaton (NFCA) Division II All-Southeast Region team, as announced Thursday afternoon.
Despite being pitched around all season, Niles ranked first in the league in RBI (47), second in home runs (11) and third in batting average (.403). The native of Phenix City, Ala., was also named the South Atlantic Conference Statistical Champion in on base % (.503), Slugging % (.719) and RBI per game (0.98). Niles started all 50 games behind the plate, committing only one error for a (.996) fielding percentage, earning her All-SAC Honorable Mention accolades.
During her freshman year campaign, 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 was third in the nation with 22 home runs and was fifth with 69 RBI, while ranking as the only freshman in the country in the top-seven in both homers and RBI.
Nationally, this year's squads are comprised of 207 student-athletes from 116 programs.
The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's eight regions with first and second team selections. NFCA member coaches from each respective region voted on the teams, and all the honorees now become eligible for selection to the 2016 NFCA Division II All-American squads.
A pair from the South Central Region, No. 1 West Texas A&M and Colorado Mesa led the way with five honorees. Coming in with four selections were No. 3 North Alabama (South), No. 5 Humboldt State (West), No. 8 Saint Leo (South), California Baptist (West), Caldwell (East), New York University of Technology (East) and West Chester (Atlantic).
In the Southeast, No.4 North Georgia, No. 16 Armstrong State, No. 18 Lenoir-Rhyne and Wingate had three representatives. No. 10 Wayne State (Mich.) and No. 2 Indianapolis in the Midwest and No. 11 Missouri Western, RV Central Oklahoma and Augustana in the Central Region also chimed in with three honorees.
Caldwell paced all programs with four-first team plaudits, while North Georgia, Wingate, Humboldt State, Colorado Mesa and North Alabama registered three apiece.
The 2016 NFCA Division II All-American teams will be announced on Friday, May 13.
2016 NFCA Division II All-Region
Southeast Region
First Team
Pitcher Courtney Poole University of North Georgia
Pitcher Carley Tysinger Catawba College
Catcher Taylor Laskey Wingate University
First Base Hannah Reppert Armstrong State University
Second Base Meredith Heyer University of North Georgia
Third Base Hayley Tierce Georgia Southwestern State University
Shortstop Madison Carter Lenoir-Rhyne University
Outfield Stephanie Hartness University of North Georgia
Outfield Kelsey Vining University of Montevallo
Outfield Kelsey Akers University of Mount Olive
Designated Player Jordan Wilson Wingate University
Utility-Pitcher Jane Trzaska Armstrong State University
Utility-Non-Pitcher Mellena Helms Wingate University
Second Team
Pitcher Tori Bates Armstrong State University
Pitcher Darby Stanford Young Harris College
Pitcher Carly Lewis Georgia College & State University
Catcher Cailah Niles Anderson University (SC)
First Base Faith Flanders Georgia College & State University
Second Base Elayna Siebert Carson-Newman University
Third Base Jordin Phillips Lenoir-Rhyne University
Shortstop Vada Blue Sherrill Pfeiffer University
Outfield Erin Boone Lenoir-Rhyne University
Outfield Abbey Walters University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Outfield Sarah Montei University of South Carolina Aiken
Utility-Pitcher Maude McCourry Newberry College
Utility-Non-Pitcher Jennifer Moose Lincoln Memorial University
