Thirty-two student-athletes collect 2018 NJCAA DII All-America honors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Thirty-two student-athletes from 17 different institutions garnered 2018 NFCA NJCAA Division II All-America honors, the Association announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Kirkwood Community College led the way with five All-America selections, four on the first team. Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), who took home third at the NJCAA DII tournament, had four student-athletes recognized, while national champion Jones County Junior College (JCJC) and national runner-up Phoenix College each collected three All-Americans.

2018 NJCAA DII All-Americans

Iowa Central Community College’s Alexis Egan was named the New Balance Golden Shoe recipient, while Kirkwood’s Monika Bevans was selected the Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year.

There are three two-time first-team honorees in DMACC pitcher Molly Jacobsen, JCJC pitcher Karli Perque and Egan. Jacobsen, the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference Student-Athlete of the Year, was among the conference and national leaders in a number of categories. In 2018, she compiled a 26-2 record with a 0.47 ERA, 312 strikeouts to just 12 walks in 163.2 innings. She struck out 13.34 batters per seven innings, tossed four perfect game and six no-hitters, and held her opposition to a miniscule .104 batting average. Perque ended the year at 24-2 with a 1.02 ERA, which was fourth in NJCAA DII. She tossed 144.2 innings, allowed 99 hits, walked 46 and struck out 173 batters, fifth best total in the nation. Egan, who is the New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe winner, hit .402 with 74 hits, three doubles, 21 RBI, 53 runs scored. She walked 20 times, stole a NJCAA DII-best 74 bases in 77 attempts and posted a .463 on-base percentage.

Joining Jacobsen and Perque as All-America pitchers is Kiana Carr of Phoenix College. Carr led NJCAA DII with 31 victories and was second in the nation with 246 strikeouts. She posted a 31-2 record on the season with a 2.08 ERA and three save in 48 appearances. Carr struck out eight batters per seven innings and held her opposition to a .210 batting average.

Cottey College’s Rayne Wright and Bevan make up the first-team catching selections. Wright, who helped Cottey to a Region XVI title, hit .453 with a team-best 58 hits, 13 doubles, 10 home runs and 40 RBI. She slugged .805 and recorded a .496 on-base percentage. Bevan, the Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year, finished second in NJCAA DII with 79 RBI, fifth in home runs (18), seventh in hits (86) and 10^th in slugging percentage (.948).

There were five infield selections in Phoenix’s Haley Johnson (.434, 89 H, 19 2B, 18 HR, 72 RBI, .810 SLG), LSU-Eunice’s duo of Madison Monson (.389, 19 HR, 3 3B, 65 RBI, .751 SLG) and Mima Doucet (.455, 100 H, 29 2B, 79 R, 39 SB), Kirkwood’s Rachel Stewart (.474), 100 H, 22 2B, 13 HR, 62 RBI, 102 R) and Illinois Central College’s Madi McCoy (.433, 20 HR, 73 RBI). Doucet’s doubles and hits led the nation and were program records, while Monson’s homers were a team high and fourth best in NJCAA DII. Steward matched Doucet with the top spot in hits and also led the nation in runs scored, while McCoy was tied for second in the nation in long balls.

Joining Egan as NFCA All-America outfield selections are Murray State College’s Ivy Amador (.509, 85 H, 17 2B, 6 3B, 11 HR, 67 RBI, .880 SLG), County College of Morris’ Katlyn Lloyd (.519, 81 H, 6 2B, 9 3B, 10 HR, 52 RBI, 34 SB, .865 SLG) and Kirkwood’s Lauren Kuch (.469, 84 H, 17 2B, 12 HR, 68 RBI, 69 R).  

The first-team All-American at designated player is Northeast Mississippi’s Caleigh Wallace. She hit .364 with six doubles, 16 home runs, 46 RBI and 42 runs scored. Additionally, she ranked fifth in NJCAA DII with five saves.

Rounding out the first-team All-Americans is Kirkwood’s DoniRae Mayhew. She is an offensive force in NJCAA DII. Mayhew topped the charts with 30 home runs and 90 RBI, while ranking second with a 1.079 slugging percentage. She hit .446 on the eyear with 18 doubles, 82 runs scored and a .538 on-base percentage.