HobbsDailyReport.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Erin Boone, an outfielder who starts for Lenoir-Rhyne University, is considered a Player To Watch on the Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) list for national player of the year in NCAA Division II for 2018.
BOONE
Boone, a junior from Creedmoor, is on an extensive list of players chosen, a press release from LRU indicated Thursday.
She was a first-team All-South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and first-team All-Southeast Region as a sophomore and made the NFCA’s third-team in its All-American picks.
Boone led the SAC last season in batting average (.440), runs scored (66), hits (88) and on-base percentage (.507). She hit seven home runs and drove in 49 runs, helping the Bears to a 46-13 overall record.
LRU went 16-4 in the SAC last year, shared the regular-season title with Carson-Newman and advanced to the national playoffs.
Boone is batting .320 this season with a team-leading nine runs scored, one home run and four RBIs.
LRU (6-3) returns to the field Saturday when it entertains Barton at noon and King at 2 p.m. for games at Bears Field.
The top 25 finalists for the national award will be released on April 23. A student-athlete doesn’t have to be on watch list to be considered for the Top 25.
The top 10 finalists will be announced on May 15 and the winner will be recognized on June 4.
The previous winners: Courtney Poole, North Georgia (2015), Lyndsay Butler, Wayne State University (2016) and Coley Ries, Minnesota State (2017).
SCHUTT SPORTS/NFCA NCAA
DIVISION II PLAYER OF YEAR WATCH LIST
A list of SAC players and players from the Carolinas who will be considered:
Erin Boone*, Outfield, Junior, Lenoir-Rhyne University
Haleigh Christopher, Catcher, Sophomore, University of Charleston
Jamie Johnson*, Third Base, Senior, UNC Pembroke
Lacie Rinus*, Pitcher, Sophomore, Carson-Newman University
Haley Simonds*, Utility/Pitcher, Sophomore, Newberry College
Natalie Willis, Second Base, Junior, Newberry College
*– returning NFCA All-American
- Reported by LRU Sports Information