BRISTOL, Tenn. – For the second time in program history, King University has had two softball players selected Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Southeast Region.
Nikole Counts and
Meagan Puckett each earned second team all-region honors.
Puckett was selected second team All-Conference Carolinas earlier this spring as she earns all-region honors for the first time. The Dry Fork, Va., native ranked in the league's top 10 in five offensive categories. Her 77 total bases ranked her fourth while she belted seven home runs to rank her third in the conference. Puckett ranked seventh in the league with 10 doubles and a slugging percentage of .642 while her 28 runs batted in ranked her eighth. This season she posted six games with a least two runs batted in, including one game with five runs batted in. She drove in five runs, on two home runs in game one against Belmont Abbey College. Puckett also posted a team-long seven-game hitting streak.
Earlier this spring, Counts was selected first team All-Conference Carolinas and second team National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Southeast Region. The Clintwood, Va., native not only ranks near the top of the Conference Carolinas rankings in numerous pitching categories, but she is in the region's top 10 in four categories and the top 20 in six categories. Her 21 starts ranks second in the region and her 24 appearances is seventh. Counts' 1.88 ERA ranks second in the region and 62nd in all of NCAA Division II. Her 14 wins rank her fifth in the region. She ranks 13th in the region with 13 complete games and her 1.19 WHIP is 16th in the southeast region.
Counts tossed two shutouts, and helped the Tornado to another. She tossed a pair of seven-inning shutouts against Southern Wesleyan University and the University of Mount Olive while helping King to a shutout at Converse College. In the win over Southern Wesleyan, Counts struck out a career-high 10 batters. On the season she registered 92 strikeouts in 126 and two-thirds innings pitched. She also ranked fifth in Conference Carolinas, holding opposing hitters to a .226 batting average.
This marks the first time in both of their careers that they have been selected D2CCA All-Southeast Region. The duo mark the fifth and sixth Tornado individuals to earn D2CCA All-Region honors. The other Tornado to be selected D2CCA All-Region include Kay Brokering in 2019, Hannah Riddle and Jenna Burnett in 2018, and Hannah Light in each 2013 and 2014.
