Softball recognized for academic success, 15 Tigers earn All-America Scholar-Athlete recognition

Softball recognized for academic success, 15 Tigers earn All-America Scholar-Athlete recognition
August 7, 2024

| 2023-24 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete release | 

SPRINGFIELD — The Wittenberg softball team has been recognized for its academic success during the 2023-24 school year.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association released its Easton 2023-24 GPA rankings on Tuesday, and Wittenberg closed the academic year tied for 23rd nationally in NCAA Division III with a team GPA of 3.66. Keuka College led Division III with a 3.822 GPA.

Additionally, 15 Tigers were among 8,054 student-athletes in all divisions nationwide who captured Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors for 2023-24. Earning the recognition this season were graduate student Samantha Casteel (Loveland, Ohio/Little Miami), seniors Julia Burch (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome), Hanna Ecker (Heath, Ohio/Heath), Shannon Flaherty (Burlington, Ky./Saint Henry District) and Kira van Ravensberg (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista), juniors Harper Crews (Ypsilanti, Mich./Lincoln) and Diana Quevedo (La Quinta, Calif./La Quinta), sophomores Kayla Drake (Wilmington, Ohio/Clinton Massie), Julia Hall (Powell, Ohio/Bishop Watterson), Meghan McCans (Arcanum, Ohio/Arcanum) and Ashlynn Stamper (Yellow Springs, Ohio/Yellow Springs) and freshmen Kyleigh Bartlett (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek), Anna Engler (Kettering, Ohio/Chaminade Julienne), Rebekah Giel (Amelia, Ohio/West Clermont) and Amanda Tulloss (Evendale, Ohio/Princeton).

The Easton/NFCA rankings and honors recognize the academic prowess of softball teams across the NFCA's membership categories. NCAA Division I led the way with 2,573 student-athletes earning a 3.5 GPA or higher for 2023-24. NCAA Division III followed with 2,285, and NCAA Division II was third with 1,510. NAIA and junior colleges came in with 873 and 808 student-athletes, respectively.

The Tigers finished the 2024 season with a 21-21 overall record and placed fourth in the North Coast Athletic Conference with a 7-7 mark under first-year head coach Ashley Goodwin. They increased their win total by 11 from the 2023 season, broke the program record for single-season steals with 129 and qualified for the four-team NCAC Tournament for the 14th time in program history and first since 2018.