BRISTOL, Tenn. – Prior to the start of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced their all-region performers. Both
Jessica Campbell and
Madison Walter of the King University softball team garnered first team all-region honors, marking the first time the Tornado have had two first team honorees in the same season.
Campbell was selected first team All-Conference Carolinas and to the Conference Carolinas all-tournament team after helping the Tornado to a regular season title and tournament runner-up finish. She is the NCAA Division II leader with 87 hits, ranking her third in all three NCAA divisions. Campbell ranks sixth in the country in total bases with 138 while ranking 13th with a .468 batting average. In the southeast region, Campbell ranks first in hits, second in total bases and runs per game (1.19), third in triples (5), fourth in batting average and on base percentage (.540), 15th in slugging percentage (.742) and 22nd in home runs with 11.
The junior from Graysville, Tenn. set single season King records in hits, batting average, on base percentage and runs scored with 68. She is second all-time in slugging percentage and total bases and earlier this season she tied a school record with a 22-game hitting streak. She enters the NCAA Southeast Regional on a 13-game hitting streak. In 57 games this season she has only been held hitless seven times and owns 28 multiple hit games and 12 games with at least two runs batted in.
Walter is a team All-Conference Carolinas selection after leading the Tornado in circle in her first year on campus. She led Conference Carolinas with a 1.91 ERA and is the only pitcher in the league with an ERA under 2.20. Her ERA ranks third in the region and 73rd in NCAA Division II. The Lebanon, Pa., native ranks 16th in the country with four saves and 36th with six shutouts, both rank second in the southeast region. Walter's 1.19 WHIP ranks her 10th in region and second in Conference Carolinas. She was selected Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Week on April 24 after tossing two shutouts and having ERA of 0.67 over three complete games.
Campbell and Walter become the sixth and seventh Tornado individuals to earn NFCA All-Region honors, and third and fourth individuals to garner first team recognition.
They both are now eligible to become NFCA All-America selections, as the 2023 NFCA Division II All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, May 24 at the NCAA Division II Championship banquet in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The Tornado take the field at the NCAA Southeast Regional on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. against top seed and second-ranked host University of North Georgia.
