University of Southern Indiana Softball senior catcher Haley Hodges (Portage, Indiana) is one of 50 student-athletes from across the country to be selected to the watch list for the NFCA/Schutt Sports Division II National Player of the Year award in an announcement by the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Wednesday.
Hodges, who was a top-10 finalist for the award as a junior in 2016, was named first-team preseason All-America by Fastpitch News (FPN) two weeks ago after a historic 2016 season that saw her set single-season school records for home runs (22), RBIs (72), walks (45) and runs scored (58).
Along with leading the nation in slugging percentage (1.000) and on-base percentage (.578), Hodges ranked third, nationally, in home runs. She led the Great Lakes Valley Conference in batting average (.458), runs scored, RBIs and walks.
In 2016, Hodges was named the Diamond Sports Division II Catcher of the Year by the NFCA and was named first-team All-America byHerosports.com, the NFCA and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association.
Additionally, Hodges was named second-team Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America and was the GLVC Player of the Year.
Hodges is one of four players from the Great Lakes Valley Conference and one of six players from the Midwest Region to be recognized on the watch list. University of Indianapolis senior utility player Natalie Lalich, Truman State University sophomore outfielder Christa Reisinger and William Jewell College junior second baseman Brooke Benard joined Hodges as GLVC players on the list.
USI opens the 2017 season February 14 when it travels to Florence, Alabama, to take on defending NCAA II champion and preseason No. 1 University of North Alabama in a doubleheader. The Screaming Eagles host the Midwest Region Crossover February 24-26 at Deaconess Sports Park in Evansville.
Of the 50 players on the list, USI is slated to play games against nine of the players during the regular-season, including North Alabama senior pitcher Hillary Carpenter and junior outfielder Reagan Tittle.
