Official NFCA release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Kent State shortstop Holly Speers' historic senior year has resulted in earning National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-America First Team honors, the organization announced on Wednesday. Speers becomes the first Golden Flash to receive All-America First Team recognition and just the second player in Mid-American Conference history.
"I couldn't be happier for Holly. She continued to develop her swing throughout her career and spent last summer facing off against the top pitches in the world with Team Canada while mastering the mental part of the game," said Kent State head coach Eric Oakley. "All of that work paid off with an outstanding season on the diamond. It was a pleasure to watch her this season, and I am thrilled that she received the highest honor that softball can bestow on an individual."
Speers led the country in batting average (.483), slugging percentage (1.033), on-base percentage (.656), walks (60), walks per game (1.20) and RBIs per at-bat (.491) while setting MAC single-season records for batting average, slugging percentage, walks and on-base percentage. Her slugging percentage is the 11th-best in NCAA history, and her 1.20 walks per game ranks 19th all-time.
In addition to breaking MAC single-season records, she sits atop Kent State's single-season records in RBIs (58) and total bases (124). Speers reached base in 48 of 50 games played during the season. She put together a streak of reaching base safely in 13 straight plate appearances, which included walks in nine straight plate appearances. Both streaks rank fifth all-time in the NCAA Division I record book.
The MAC Player of the Year received national recognition throughout the season, most notably being named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Top 25 Watch List. Speers swept both National Player of the Week Awards from USA Softball and the NFCA on March 24. She had a monster week at the dish hitting .778 (7-for-9) with four home runs, two doubles, two walks, 11 RBIs and a 2.333 slugging percentage. During the course of the season, she was also a NFCA Top Performer of the Week on two occasions.
Kent State now boasts four All-Americans in program history. The 1990 Golden Flashes squad that advanced to the Women's College World Series featured a pair of All-Americans. Pauline Maurice was named to the second team and Darby Seegrist to the third team. Most recently, Marci Ridenbaugh was named to the third team in 2001.
