LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Averie Sheppard earned NFCA NAIA Second Team All-Region honors after a season filled with career highs.

The Chattanooga, Tenn. native picks up one of the four outfield spots on second team for Region Two which also includes athletes from Columbia College (MO), Mobile, Johnson, Louisiana Christian, Keiser, Our Lady of the Lake, William Carey, Middle Georgia and Southeastern.

In her senior season Sheppard hit .407 over 150 at-bats, scored 36 runs, stole 26 bases, had 61 total hits with 11 of those being extra-base, achieved a career best 21 RBIs and drew a career high 30 walks. She went perfect in the field for the Night Hawks over 101 chances to mark her best season in the field.

Sheppard joins Mobile's pitcher Emily Butts, William Carey's third baseman Dee Dee West and Middle Georgia's outfielder Morgan Windham and utility player/pitcher Madisyn Riggins in Region Two as SSAC players on second team.

Entire NFCA honors recepient list here

NFCA release is below. 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced the 152 student-athletes
from 64 schools who comprise the 2024 NFCA NAIA All-Region teams. Central Methodist University (Region V) placed a division-best eight players on its All-Region list —
all on the first team. Similarly, Oklahoma City University (Region III) had all seven of its selections named to the first team.

Oregon Institute of Technology (Region IV) split its six honorees equally between the first and second teams, while four of the five choices for top NAIA World Series seed Our Lady of the Lake (Region II) were first-teamers. Eleven schools had four players each chosen, while 10 received three selections, 13 had two, and 26 teams were represented by one player.

NAIA All-Region Teams

The awards honor student-athletes from the Association's six NAIA regions with selection to one of two teams. NFCA member head coaches nominate and then vote for the winners in their respective region.

If they were not already voted to an All-Region squad, conference Players and Pitchers of the Year from member institutions are added to the second team in their region, so long as they are nominated by their member head coach and receive votes. All honorees move forward to be considered for selection for the two NFCA NAIA All-America teams, which will be announced June 6.

The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly- regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention. 

Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of over 7,000 coaches today!