Louisville, Ken. - The Central Methodist softball trio of Kelena Oots, Jordyn Ball, and Katelyn Kiser were recognized as NFCA-NAIA All-Americans by the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association this week.
The NFCA All-America teams are voted on by the Association's All-America Committees. In NAIA, the committee is comprised of one member head coach from each of the six regions. All student-athletes who were nominated by a member head coach and voted to the first or second-team All-Region squads were eligible for All-America consideration.
Oots was tabbed as a First Team All-American, while both Ball and Kiser landed on the second team.
Oots served as one of Central's top offensive weapons in 2023, as she batted .381 on 74 hits including three doubles and three triples. She also swiped 24 bases this season and drew 16 walks.
The Kansas City native was tabbed as the Heart Player of the Year and a Heart First Team All-Conference selection, in addition to being named the Heart Player of the Week on April 4. Oots never missed a game for the Eagles this season, starting every game in center field.
Ball had a remarkable freshman campaign with the Eagles. She finished the year with a 19-3 overall record through 25 appearances in 24 starts. Ball pitched 20 complete games including a perfect game against Peru State College on April 22. She was named both the Heart Pitcher and NAIA National Pitcher of the Week as a result.
She racked up 175 total strikeouts on the season, finishing the year with a 1.48 earned run average through 147 complete innings of work. For her efforts in conference play, Ball was named a Heart First Team All-Conference selection.
Kiser rounded out the all-America honors for the Eagles. The native of Kansas City, Mo., led CMU with a .384 batting average on 63 hits which included 12 doubles, a triple, and four home runs. She drove in 36 total runners and was twice named the Heart Player of the Week and a Heart First Team All-Conference selection.
As a team, the Eagles completed the Heart Regular Season and Conference tournament sweeps for the second-straight season. Central finished the year with a 42-12 record and a 21-5 mark in conference play, and an opening round championship of the Henderson Bracket in Henderson, Tenn. For just the fourth time in program history, CMU punched their ticket to the NAIA World Series in Columbus, Ga.
To view the full release of NFCA NAIA All-America selections, please click here.
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