The North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) announced its selections for the 2016 College Division All-State Softball Teams on Wednesday. Lenoir-Rhyne University and Wingate University both placed three student-athletes on the 2016 all-state Team. The South Atlantic Conference (SAC) rivals also put two students on the second-team squad.
Catawba College had two first-team honorees and one second-team selection. Chowan University placed one student on the first team and three more on the second team. The all-star teams are comprised of 18 student-athletes representing nine of the state’s NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III institutions.
Outfielder Erin Boone, shortstop Madison Carter and infielder Jordin Phillips represented Lenoir-Rhyne on the first team after helping the Bears to 48-13 record and a NCAA Division II playoff bid. Boone, the 2016 SAC Rookie of the Year, hit .402 and led Lenoir-Rhyne in runs (62), hits (86) and slugging percentage (.593). She joined Carter as All-Southeast Region selections, according to both the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association (NFCA) and the Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association (D2CCA). Carter hit .379 with four homers and 47 runs batted in (RBI) during her First Team All-SAC campaign. Phillips was an NFCA Second Team All-Southeast pick after hitting .374 with and a club-best 52 RBI. Three-time all-state pitcher Maryann Hoskins and outfielder Christina Walker represented the Bears on the second team all-state unit.
Senior Mellena Helms, a 2016 D2CCA honorable mention All-American, highlighted Wingate’s five all-state selections. The 2016 SAC Player of the Year hit .350 with 10 home runs, eight doubles, and 30 RBI. She also picked up NFCA First Team All-Southeast Region laurels, as did first-team all-state picks Taylor Laskey and Stacey Houser. Laskey, a catcher, garnered her third straight first-team all-state nod after leading Wingate with a .372 batting average, plus eight homers and 32 RBI. Houser, another three-team all-state pick, paced the Bulldogs’ pitchers with a 21-12 record and a 1.52 ERA. Second Team D2CCA All-Southeast selection Misty Doran and NFCA first-team all-region honoree Jordan Wilson made the second team all-state unit.
Catawba College senior Carley Tysinger, a Second Team D2CCA All-American and three-time SAC Pitcher of the Year, earned her third all-state appearance. She went 32-11 with 40 complete games, 10 shutouts, and a 1.04 ERA, which helped her team to the NCAA Division II playoffs. Teammate Kristen Stinnard made the first team all-state club after hitting .364 with a team-best 64 hits and 15 stolen bases. Catawba’s Gina Gerone was a second-team all-state pick.
Tina White represented Chowan University on the first team with a .383 batting average and team-high 57 hits, including 14 doubles. The Hawks also had second-team all-state picks in 2016 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Pitcher of the Year Kayla Robins, 2016 CIAA Rookie of the Year Hailey Cooper, and junior outfielder Kris Neal.
Senior outfielder Kelsey Akers, a Second Team D2CCA All-Southeast honoree, represented the University of Mount Olive’s all-state selections. The first-team pick hit a club-best .439 with 34 RBI.
Guilford College freshman Makayla Carver and William Peace University junior Lindsey Wiggins were the lone NCAA Division III picks on the first team. Carver, a designated player, was a Second Team NFCA All-Atlantic and All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference selection after leading the Quakers with a .426 batting average and 24 stolen bases. Wiggins earned her second straight first-team all-state nod after leading the Pacers with a.417 batting average, 10 homers, and 19 doubles. William Peace’s Caroline Womble garnered second team all-state honors.
Nominees were submitted by North Carolina sports information professionals and selected by the NCCSIA members.
Founded in 2002, the NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions from the state of North Carolina. The purpose of the organization is to promote collegiate athletics at all schools. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina, and whose area of responsibility lies within sports information.
NCCSIA selects all-state teams in the University (Division I) and College (Division II, III, NAIA) divisions for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, softball, and baseball.
North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association
2016 College Division All-State Softball Teams
First Team
Pos. Name Class School Hometown
P Carley Tysinger+ Sr. Catawba College Lexington, N.C.
P Stacey Houser^*% Sr. Wingate University Mooresville, N.C.
C Taylor Laskey&+ Sr. Wingate University Cherryville, N.C.
IF Madison Carter So. Lenoir-Rhyne University Bessemer, N.C.
IF Jordin Phillips Sr. Lenoir-Rhyne University Hampstead, N.C.
IF Tina White% Jr. Chowan University Whiteville, N.C.
IF Lindsey Wiggins+ Jr. William Peace University Durham, N.C.
OF Erin Boone Fr. Lenoir-Rhyne University Creedmoor, N.C.
OF Kelsey Akers Sr. University of Mount Olive Burlington, N.C.
OF Kristen Stinnard Jr. Catawba College Concord, N.C.
UTL Mellena Helms# Sr. Wingate University Concord, N.C.
DP Makayla Carver Fr. Guilford College Granite Falls, N.C.
Second Team
Pos. Name Class School Hometown
P Maryann Hoskins#&+ Sr. Lenoir-Rhyne University Havelock, N.C.
P Kayla Robins Jr. Chowan University Mathews County, Va.
C Haley Cooper Fr. Chowan University Perquimans County, N.C.
IF Misty Doran Jr. Wingate University Century, Fla.
IF Gina Gerone Sr. Catawba College Brooklyn, N.Y.
IF Jamie Johnson So. University of North Carolina at Pembroke Kenly, N.C.
IF Caroline Womble Sr. William Peace University Lillington, N.C.
OF Kris Neal Jr. Chowan University Clayton, N.C.
OF Taylor Rosenbalm* Sr. Queens University of Charlotte Statesville, N.C.
OF Christina Walker Fr. Lenoir-Rhyne University Roxboro, N.C.
UTL Abbey Walters Jr. University of North Carolina at Pembroke Bladenboro, N.C.
DP Jordan Wilson Sr. Wingate University Gastonia, N.C.
+ - Named to 2015 All-State Team (1st Team) * - Named to 2014 All-State Team (2nd Team)
% - Named to 2015 All-State Team (2nd Team) # - Named to 2013 All-State Team (1st Team)
& - Named to 2014 All-State Team (1st Team) ^ - Named to 2013 All-State Team (2nd Team)