Softball Ranks 28th in NFCA for Team GPA in 2021-22 Season

13 of the 14 Catamounts honored had a 3.7 GPA or higher.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Western Carolina softball's 14 student-athletes named to the 2022 Easton/National Fast Pitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar-Athlete team is the second-most in program history.

The 15 named to the team in the 2020-2021 academic year was a record-setting mark for the Catamounts.

As a team, the Catamounts ranked tied for 28th among 150 NCAA Division I program's honored with a 3.59 team GPA. Since the inception of the award by the NFCA in the 2013-14 season, WCU has earned a spot in the top 30 in all the seasons the award was presented. In the 2016-17 season, Western Carolina led all NCAA Division 1 softball programs earning the top spot with a 3.673 team GPA.

Western Carolina's No. 28 spot tops all teams in the Southern Conference. The Catamounts led the three other conference teams honored with Chattanooga 22 spots below the Catamounts at 50 with a 3.54 team GPA while UNCG placed 83^rd with a 3.44. ETSU rounds out the conference teams honored at 107 with a 3.39) team GPA.

Four Western Carolina student-athletes carried a 4.00 GPA for the 2021-22 season: Savannah Baldwin, Bethany Dobias, Morgan Maddaluna and Makenzie Martin. Thirteen of the 14 Catamounts honored had a 3.7 GPA or higher.

The remaining Catamount softball players honored included Caitlin Griffin (3.92), Natalie Henry (3.82), Bailey Huneycutt (3.87), Riley Lambert (3.85), Mattie Mentel (3.71), Amber Parker (3.56), Anna Paige Pelfrey (3.96), Lindsay Perillo (3.87), Samantha Reele (3.92) and Jeralynn Wells (3.71).

There were 7,527 collegiate student-athletes who captured Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors for the 2021-22 academic year.

The rankings and honors recognize the academic prowess of softball teams across the Association's membership categories. NCAA Division III led the way with 2,227 student-athletes earning a 3.5 grade-point average or higher for 2021-22. NCAA Division I followed with 2,155 and NCAA Division II with 1,646. Junior Colleges and NAIA came in with 756 and 736 student-athletes respectively, with USCAA member Penn State Brandywine earning seven scholar-athlete nods.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Savannah Baldwin: 2B; 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R

#16 Caitlin Griffin: P; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#35 Bailey Huneycutt: SS; 5' 10"; Senior; R/R

#45 Riley Lambert: OF/SS/P; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

#3 Morgan Maddaluna: OF; 5' 1"; Sophomore; R/L

#52 Amber Parker: IF; 5' 3"; Junior; R/R

#25 Lindsay Perillo: 3B; 5' 6"; Senior; R/R

#32 Samantha Reele: C; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

#21 Jeralynn Wells: OF/UT; 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R

#11 Bethany Dobias: IF; 5' 8"; Freshman; L/L

#8 Natalie Henry: IF; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

#14 Mattie Mentel: C/OF; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#12 Savannah Baldwin
: 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R
: 2B

#16 Caitlin Griffin
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P

#35 Bailey Huneycutt
: 5' 10"; Senior; R/R
: SS

#45 Riley Lambert
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF/SS/P

#3 Morgan Maddaluna
: 5' 1"; Sophomore; R/L
: OF

#52 Amber Parker
: 5' 3"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#25 Lindsay Perillo
: 5' 6"; Senior; R/R
: 3B

#32 Samantha Reele
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: C

#21 Jeralynn Wells
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF/UT

#11 Bethany Dobias
: 5' 8"; Freshman; L/L
: IF

#8 Natalie Henry
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: IF

#14 Mattie Mentel
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: C/OF