CC Places Five on NFCA All-Region Team

Louisville, Ark. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has announced the 2021 NFCA All-Region Team members. The Cougars placed five players on the First-Team in Region II.

The Cougars tied William Carey (Miss.) with the most selections in the region. However, no one had more First-Team performers.

Overall, Columbia had the second-highest first-team total and second-highest overall total.

Mackenzie Kasarda and Lexi Dickerson were selected to the First-Team for the second time in their career (2019), while Alyssa Roll, Allison Keen and Taylor Barnes earned spots on the All-Region Team for the first time in their careers.

Kasarda played in 41 games for Columbia, hitting .402 with five home runs and 36 RBIs. In addition, she was named First-Team All-American Midwest Conference (AMC) and co-Player of the Year in the conference.

Dickerson started 24 games in the circle in 2021 with an 18-2 record and a 1.03 ERA. She tossed 142.1 innings, allowing just 21 earned runs and racking up 163 strikeouts. Dickerson was named to the All-AMC First-Team and AMC Pitcher of the Year.

Roll was second on the team with a 1.13 ERA and 15 wins in the circle. She tossed 105.0 innings on the season with 17 earned runs allowed and 86 strikeouts. She had nine complete games in 12 starts and recorded four shutouts. Roll earned a spot on the All-AMC First-Team.

Keen had 46 hits in 106 at-bats for a team-leading .434 batting average. She hit three home runs and eight doubles. In addition, Keen earned a place on the All-AMC First-Team.

Barnes hit .432 on the season with 51 hits in 118 at-bats in the leadoff spot for the Cougars. Barnes hit five triples, four doubles and three home runs while going 35-for-37 in stolen bases. In addition to NFCA All-Region honors, Barnes was named First-Team All-AMC and AMC Newcomer of the Year in 2021.

The NFCA All-Region teams honor softball student-athletes from the Association’s six regions with first and second-team recognition. NFCA member coaches from each respective region voted on the teams, and all the honorees now become eligible for selection to the 2021 NFCA NAIA All-American squads.

The 2021 NFCA NAIA All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, June 7.